Track lighting
Encyclopedia
Track lighting is a method of lighting
where light fixture
s are attached anywhere on a continuous track device which contains electrical conductor
s. This is as opposed to the routing of electrical wiring to individual light positions. Tracks can be mounted to ceiling
s or wall
s, lengthwise down beam
s, or crosswise across rafter
s or joist
s. They can also be hung with rods from especially high places like vaulted ceilings.
Typical systems have line voltage (100 volts in Japan
, 120 in North America
, 240 elsewhere) running through a recessed track. The track may have more than one live conductor, so that multiple switched circuits can be used to control different fittings on the same track. This is selected by placing the tab of the connector on the fixture to one side or the other when attaching it to the track. There are three standard types of tracks used in North America, as well as elsewhere in the world. They are often termed "H", "J", and "L" track, after the names of the manufacturers that established the standards, Halo, Juno, and Lightolier
. To identify a track fixture, you may use the following two rules: 1. if it has three contacts, it is probably "H" type 2. If the contact-tips are 1 inch apart, it is probably "J" type, if they are 7/8 inch apart, it is probably "L" type.
Many systems now simply use a single live and then use digital control interfaces such as DALI to control the fittings. This means that each fitting can be independently controlled.
More modern systems are available with low voltage
(10, 12, or 24 volts respectively) running through track, which is in itself decorative. In this case, the fixture may clamp
onto a track made of two metal
strips separated with an insulating strip. Two-circuit configurations are rare in such systems. The track is powered by a transformer which converts the high voltage into low voltage. There are magnetic and electronic transformers.
hangs, to the very artful, such as a human
silhouette
whose feet touch the wires and hands hold the bulb or its socket
. Two sets of cables (such as in the corner of a room where two walls meet) can be connected together with short wires that have clips (such as alligator clips or screw
clamps) at either end.
Another variation is called flex track or monorail track lighting in which the fixtures are hung from a single line monorail track attached to the ceiling using stems. There are several different types of track. Some are very flexible and can be curved in any shape or form and some are more rigid and can be curved very slightly. Some patterns that can be made are "S curves" or "spirals".
It is also common to see line-voltage tracks with low-voltage fixtures. For these, each fixture requires a small transformer
to operate it. For all low-voltage fixtures or systems a special dimmer
(if used) is required, as standard dimmers are cheaply made and will cause flickering because of the interaction with the inductive
electrical load.
Various adapter
s are available for combining features of track and other lighting. If the track is properly anchored, a hanging fixture may be suspended from it. The track itself can also be suspended. Rather than being hard-wired to a junction box
(which requires a feeder device to be snapped into the track, either in the middle or at one end), it can also be end-fed from a standard wall outlet. Outlets can also be snapped into line-voltage track. There are "L" and "T" adapters for rigid track, as well as flexible ones for unusual angles, or to change the vertical angle where a ceiling changes slope
. Adapter plates allow single fixtures to be attached directly to a junction box, by providing an extremely small section of track embedded into the plate. There are also arms which have the same feature, allowing fixtures to be mounted onto the same wall they shine onto, and having an attached electrical cord and wall plug.
Lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
where light fixture
Light fixture
A light fixture, light fitting, or luminaire is an electrical device used to create artificial light and/or illumination, by use of an electric lamp...
s are attached anywhere on a continuous track device which contains electrical conductor
Electrical conductor
In physics and electrical engineering, a conductor is a material which contains movable electric charges. In metallic conductors such as copper or aluminum, the movable charged particles are electrons...
s. This is as opposed to the routing of electrical wiring to individual light positions. Tracks can be mounted to ceiling
Ceiling
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
s or wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
s, lengthwise down beam
Beam
Beam may refer to:*Beam , a construction element*Beam , the most extreme width of a nautical vessel, or a point alongside the ship at the mid-point of its length*A narrow, propagating stream of particles or energy:...
s, or crosswise across rafter
Rafter
A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members , that extend from the ridge or hip to the downslope perimeter or eave, designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads.-Design:...
s or joist
Joist
A joist, in architecture and engineering, is one of the horizontal supporting members that run from wall to wall, wall to beam, or beam to beam to support a ceiling, roof, or floor. It may be made of wood, steel, or concrete. Typically, a beam is bigger than, and is thus distinguished from, a joist...
s. They can also be hung with rods from especially high places like vaulted ceilings.
Typical systems have line voltage (100 volts in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, 120 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, 240 elsewhere) running through a recessed track. The track may have more than one live conductor, so that multiple switched circuits can be used to control different fittings on the same track. This is selected by placing the tab of the connector on the fixture to one side or the other when attaching it to the track. There are three standard types of tracks used in North America, as well as elsewhere in the world. They are often termed "H", "J", and "L" track, after the names of the manufacturers that established the standards, Halo, Juno, and Lightolier
Lightolier
Lightolier is a company that manufactures and sells a wide array of lighting fixtures. It was founded in 1904 by Bernhard Blitzer under the name of New York Gas and Appliance Co. When electric lighting started to be more widely accepted, the name was changed to Lightolier, a contraction of the...
. To identify a track fixture, you may use the following two rules: 1. if it has three contacts, it is probably "H" type 2. If the contact-tips are 1 inch apart, it is probably "J" type, if they are 7/8 inch apart, it is probably "L" type.
Many systems now simply use a single live and then use digital control interfaces such as DALI to control the fittings. This means that each fitting can be independently controlled.
More modern systems are available with low voltage
Low voltage
Low voltage when used as an electrical engineering term concerning an electricity supply grid or industrial use, broadly identifies safety considerations of the system based on the voltage used. The meaning of the term "low voltage" is somewhat different when used with regard to a more typical end...
(10, 12, or 24 volts respectively) running through track, which is in itself decorative. In this case, the fixture may clamp
Clamp (tool)
A clamp is a fastening device to hold or secure objects tightly together to prevent movement or separation through the application of inward pressure...
onto a track made of two metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
strips separated with an insulating strip. Two-circuit configurations are rare in such systems. The track is powered by a transformer which converts the high voltage into low voltage. There are magnetic and electronic transformers.
Cable Lighting
A variation on this is cable lighting, whereby the fixtures are simply hung or suspended from uninsulated cables which likewise carry low voltage. These fixtures range from the very simple, such as two hinged rods from which a halogen lampHalogen lamp
A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen lamp, is an incandescent lamp with a tungsten filament contained within an inert gas and a small amount of a halogen such as iodine or bromine. The chemical halogen cycle redeposits evaporated tungsten back on to the filament, extending the life of...
hangs, to the very artful, such as a human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
whose feet touch the wires and hands hold the bulb or its socket
Jack (connector)
In electronics and electrical assemblies, the term jack commonly refers to a surface-mounted connector, often, but not always, with the female electrical contact or socket, and is the "more fixed" connector of a connector pair...
. Two sets of cables (such as in the corner of a room where two walls meet) can be connected together with short wires that have clips (such as alligator clips or screw
Screw terminal
A screw terminal is a type of electrical connector where a wire is clamped down to metal by a screw.The wire is sometimes just stripped of electrical insulation at the end, and is bent in a U or J shape to fit around the shaft of the screw....
clamps) at either end.
Another variation is called flex track or monorail track lighting in which the fixtures are hung from a single line monorail track attached to the ceiling using stems. There are several different types of track. Some are very flexible and can be curved in any shape or form and some are more rigid and can be curved very slightly. Some patterns that can be made are "S curves" or "spirals".
It is also common to see line-voltage tracks with low-voltage fixtures. For these, each fixture requires a small transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
to operate it. For all low-voltage fixtures or systems a special dimmer
Dimmer
Dimmers are devices used to vary the brightness of a light. By decreasing or increasing the RMS voltage and, hence, the mean power to the lamp, it is possible to vary the intensity of the light output...
(if used) is required, as standard dimmers are cheaply made and will cause flickering because of the interaction with the inductive
Inductor
An inductor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in a magnetic field. An inductor's ability to store magnetic energy is measured by its inductance, in units of henries...
electrical load.
Various adapter
Adapter
An adapter or adaptor is a person that adapts or a device that converts attributes of one device or system to those of an otherwise incompatible device or system.Some adapters may only affect physical attributes:...
s are available for combining features of track and other lighting. If the track is properly anchored, a hanging fixture may be suspended from it. The track itself can also be suspended. Rather than being hard-wired to a junction box
Junction box
An electrical junction box is a container for electrical connections, usually intended to conceal them from sight and meter tampering. A small metal or plastic junction box may form part of an electrical conduit wiring system in a building, or may be buried in the plaster of a wall, concealed...
(which requires a feeder device to be snapped into the track, either in the middle or at one end), it can also be end-fed from a standard wall outlet. Outlets can also be snapped into line-voltage track. There are "L" and "T" adapters for rigid track, as well as flexible ones for unusual angles, or to change the vertical angle where a ceiling changes slope
Slope
In mathematics, the slope or gradient of a line describes its steepness, incline, or grade. A higher slope value indicates a steeper incline....
. Adapter plates allow single fixtures to be attached directly to a junction box, by providing an extremely small section of track embedded into the plate. There are also arms which have the same feature, allowing fixtures to be mounted onto the same wall they shine onto, and having an attached electrical cord and wall plug.