Torchère

An Italian Torchère, decorated with carved Acanthus leaves and clawed feet, in the Walters Art Museum

A torchère (/ˌtɔːr.ˈʃɛər/ tor-SHAIR) (French lampe torchère) (also variantly spelled "torchèr", "torchière", "torchièr", "torchiere" and "torchier" with various and sundry interpretative pronunciations), or torch lamp, is a lamp with a tall stand of wood or metal. Originally, torchères were candelabra, usually with two or three lights. When it was first introduced in France towards the end of the 17th century the torchère mounted one candle only, and when the number was doubled or tripled the improvement was regarded almost as a revolution in the lighting of large rooms.

Today, torchère lamps use fluorescent or halogen light bulbs. Halogen torchères usually have a TRIAC dimmer circuit built into the stem. The same circuit will not work in a fluorescent torchère for the same reason that it will not work in other types of fluorescent applications: namely, because the pulsing will cause the arc in the fluorescent tube to become erratic. This is overcome by adjusting the pulse-width modulation in the electronic ballast instead; and most fluorescent torchères use this method.

Halogen torchères have been banned in some places, such as dormitories, because of the large numbers of fires they have caused. The torchère was held responsible by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission for 100 fires and 10 deaths since 1992.[1] Halogen bulbs operate at high temperatures and the tall height of the lamps brings them near flammable materials, such as curtains.[2]

The International Phonetic Alphabet form of the American English (specifically either the General American [GA] or Standard American English [SAE] accents) pronunciation of torchère is: /ˌtɔr.ˈʃɛɹ/.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Light Stuff," Popular Science, Oct 1997, p. 41.
  2. ↑ Nancy Harvey Steorts Safety and You 0815628005 1999 Page 15 "The halogen lamp industry voluntarily undertook an initiative to repair about 40 million halogen torchere floor lamps. The CPSC is aware of 189 fires and eleven deaths that occurred because of these lamps."
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