Don’t Let Your Heaters Blow Up in the Shower
Putting infrared heaters in a bathroom or a nightclub patio sounds like a great idea until you remember you’re mixing high voltage with a lot of water. That’s a recipe for disaster. If you use standard quartz tubes in these spots, they’re going to fail. Period. That’s why we stick with explosion-proof quartz glass. It stops the lamp from shattering the second a drop of cold water hits it.
Why the “Explosion-Proof” Part Matters
Standard quartz is moody. It expands and contracts fast. Imagine a tube sitting at 600°C—then a stray splash of cold water hits it. The glass stresses out and cracks instantly. We use tubes with a special reinforced coating. If the glass does break, this layer holds the filaments in place. Instead of the tube exploding outward, the electrical arc stays contained. It’s a safety net you really don’t want to be without.
The Nitty-Gritty of the Install
These lamps pull a lot of power to get that instant, cozy heat you need for open-air spaces. But that heavy load puts a lot of stress on your wiring. We use reinforced connectors so nothing wiggles loose when the equipment vibrates or the metal expands from the heat. And a quick tip: if you’re putting these in a waterproof housing,**double-check your seals.**If water leaks in, your terminals will corrode and rot way before the quartz tube even has a chance to burn out.
The Trade-off
Here’s the thing: that safety coating does change the infrared spectrum a bit. You might notice the heat isn’t quite as raw as it is with a clear, uncoated tube. But honestly? That’s a trade you should make every single time. A tiny dip in heat is nothing compared to the nightmare of glass shattering in a wet zone. One last thing—make sure your circuit breakers can handle the initial “inrush” current when these lamps kick on. Otherwise, you’ll be spending your night resetting tripped breakers instead of enjoying the warmth.