Why There is a Better Way to Create Lines of Light than Through Track Lighting

There was a time when creating a line of light was not only awkward to set up and rather course to look at, but was also expensive to run. However, today, there are far more stylish and efficient ways to achieve the effect. One common way is the use of track lighting, which places a series of small spotlights on a track on the ceiling. It is generally seen in more up market showrooms and retail units, but fails to create the best impact that one could.

There are a few reasons why this is the case, with the number of lights limited, the cost of each being quite high, and the unfinished look of the overall design often becoming tiring when over used. Thankfully, however, there are more ways to accomplish the effect, and in a more aesthetically pleasing way.

Amongst them is recessed lighting, where lights are set into the ceiling close together to create the line effect. This works well in high street stores too, with a sleeker, runway effect along the ceiling the general result, which often complements the particular interior design and, indeed, the type of products on offer.

But the most effective option is certainly cold cathode lighting, which brings with it too many advantages to ignore. For those who are not in the know, a cold cathode light is not a part of science fiction, though its name might well suggest it is. A cold cathode light is much like a neon light, but it has many more advantages to neon and the other alternative lighting options.

The first relates to the heat that the element generates, with cold cathode generating very little. Normal lighting can result in the element producing so much heat that light materials, like paper, can actually ignite if left over them, while certain materials, such as plastics, cannot be used in close proximity. Cold cathodes remain cool, however, which means that there is no problem with placing materials that are prone to melting near them.

The result is that these lights can be freely used in plastic display cases in stores, or with cardboard, wood or plastic advertising cutouts and displays. They are also capable of being used in generous numbers on walls and ceilings without ever causing darkening or browning to the surface, so the area around the light is always clear and clean.

All of us are familiar with them, of course, though may have mistaken them for neon lights, which boast many of the same attributes. They can be seen in music stores, gaming stores, internet cafes, nightclubs, bars and many signs above independent food stalls in the food courts of shopping malls. We might even have seen vehicles supped up, displaying blue or red lights on the rim of their chassis.

However, a crucial difference with neon lights is that cold cathodes are much more energy efficient, with as little at 22w of electricity burned for every 1m of light. In fact, because electrical resistance reduces as the light burns, their consumption of energy gets lower with as much as 90 per cent less energy consumed compared to ordinary lights.

Also cathodes reach their brightest immediately and remaining there until power is cut off. In fact, in terms of light, cold cathodes give as much as five times the brightness of neon lights, making them far more effective. Research has shown too that they can burn for as long as 50,000 hours without dimming.

The final advantage is that the tubes are designed to clip together, meaning that a continuous line of light can be established. That effect alone can be hugely impressive, and there are examples of seemingly endless lines of light in tunnels at airports and tube stations.

When it comes to establishing a line of light, it is practically impossible to beat cold cathode lighting. However, this distinctive effective makes it unsuitable for some places. Its image is more raw than sophisticated, which is why so many high end shops and venues are reluctant to use them, preferring instead to use the far more stylish track lighting.

Meanwhile, recessed lighting are more effective in showrooms that exhibit furniture or kitchen units, perhaps, but a blue, red or green strip of light is unlikely to convey the sense of comfort that a home should, making the cold cathode counterproductive in enticing viewers to buy.