IR-lamp or regular bulb?

I understand that IR-light penetrates the skin and increase the blood flow. I’ve never used heating in form of a light before, so I was thinking I should try it now when its becoming winter and all. I’d like some lamp pointed to my unit while using my vac-hanger, but I don’t see how IR would be better since my unit is covered with the hanger material, so wouldn’t a regular bulb work as good? And if it does, is it safe for my testicles?

IR lamp is better than a regular bulb and you can still target the base of your penis or roll up the sleeve a bit. And its better to cover up your testicles yes.

The IR radiation is better because it can pass through materials more easily (where on the contrary light of course radiate the very surface).

Moreover, the IR radiation can use much lower wattage, focusing the warming effect upon the tissues right beneath the skin.
A common light bulb would spend maybe 10% of power to irradiate the surface with light: considering a 150W lamp, you’ll need sunglasses, and focusing the light on a small area in the end you’ll probably burn your skin - or your hanger material.

The difference is remarkable: a light bulb would heat up the hanger, and heat would be transferred by conduction.
An IR lamp would heat the tissue by irradiation, avoiding to overheat the hanger.

I just happened to have an infra-red lamp on my desk. So decided to test the ‘resistance’ of material to the infra-red rays.

It is a 100 wat lamp (Better use a 150 for PE-ing) About a foot away from the lamp the warmth is fairly strong and remains so with a cheap (Lightweight) cotton handkerchief in front of the hand, But folding the handkerchief reduces the heating effect considerabaly. Four-folded and there is not much heat getting through. With a thicker material then very little heat would get through.

The infra red lamp hardly heats metal at all.
The next try was to hold a metal side of a DVD player with my hand about 10 inches from the lamp my hand was warmed but the metals stayed cold… - It would take a longish time for the metal to heat up

I guess the wavelength of the IR radiation have minimal interaction with metals; I’d be curious to know the behavior with plastics.

The resistance offered by cotton is actually a good news; to shield testicles a towel should then be enough.

ever obliging! I trie a plastic ‘bottle’ containing graphite. about 6 inches (16cm) from the lamp. After a minute the plastic was quite warm whilst my hand was relatively cool

Although it wuld probably depend on the type of plastic used.

Thanks guys!

Will a 150W IR lamp melt a plastic lamp holder that are built for 40-60W bulbs?

No, unless it’s a cheap one The plastic used on lamps is a hard plastic. Ie. no plasticiser is used to make it pliable. and it is designed to withstand heat. However it might scorch it a bit, Depending on the lampshade used, and whether it will retain the heat.

If you are buying An IR lamp only, make sure that it is the same type of fixing used in your lamp Ie. bayonet 2 or 3 pin, or screw fitting.

However you may find that the lampholder is too small for the 150 watt bulb. I’ve just checked my 150 bulb and it’s just under 5 inches (12.5 cm) across at the business end about 5” long.

Hope that helps!

What’s the proper protocol for protecting your testicles?

Can you incur permanent damage to them if you mess up?

What are some recommended models of IR lamps?

Cost?

Is the heating as effective or more than a rice sock?

Here I disagree.
Common lamps are made to ensure optimal reflection of light, rather than heat: a plastic lamp with IR bulb (moreover if wattage is higher than prescribed) in my opinion could easily result in plastic melting.

It’s not a case that every IR lamp in commerce as far as I know has a ceramic deflector.

1. There’s no ‘proper’ protocol. I think a thick white cotton towel is enough, though.
2. Of course it depends on how much you heat them up. Usually IR radiation has a healing effect, but you can imagine how no good would derive from placing a 300W lamp 3” from your testicles.
3. & 4. There are only a few models around, have a look.
5. IMO it’s more effective; instead of heating the skin, and then by conduction the lower tissues, the IR lamp can act directly upon the tissues, warming them without excessive temperatures.

Do as Firegoat suggested Have a handkerchief or other linen . in front of them

Possibly if you kept them cooking for a while

Philips are the best know I believe. The are a Dutch Company so they are near to you and will have branches in Sweden

Do a google search on Infra red lamps and you will get a fair variety.

Hope that helps.

petit

Doing some research on incandescent lamps. I noted that the ordinary light bulb produces temperatures of up to 5400F Whereas the infra red Lamps produce temperatures up to 4000F.

Also most of the energy given by an incandescant light bulb is in fact infra-red.

The proper Infra red lamp merely uses a filter to allow infra red energy through, cutting out the light .

More information can be obtained from :-

Incandescent light bulb - Wikipedia

What are some good excuses for having an IR lamp mounted to your desk at home? :)

1 Cold Hands

2 Cough or cold

3 I can read better with red light

4 I can hear better with red light

5 I want to grow hair on my chest

6 I need a red tan to play an Indian in a film

7 Bad back

8 Sprained my knee so need to take my trousers off

9 Sprained the top of my thigh so need to take my shorts off.

10 Useful against damp in winter.

11 Saves some money in heating.

12 Great against articular pain.

13 Reportedly useful in preventing general illnesses.