Shop halogen capsules, reflector lamps and ceramic metal halide lamps for UAE buildings still running discharge and halogen fittings — Osram G9, G4 and GY6.35 capsules, MR16 dichroic spots and HCI metal halide lamps for retail and display lighting.
What am I replacing — capsule, reflector or discharge?
Halogen capsules are the small bare lamps inside decorative wall lights, cooker hoods and cabinet fittings: G9 runs directly on 230V, while G4 and GY6.35 are 12V and need a transformer. MR16 dichroic reflectors on GU5.3 are the 12V spots in older ceiling downlights. Metal halide is a different technology again — HCI-T on G12 and HCI-TC on G8.5, discharge lamps used in showroom and façade spotlights.
Why does colour rendering matter here?
CRI, on a scale to 100, describes how truthfully a lamp renders colour. Halogen sits at effectively 100, which is why it survives in hotels and display cases. The HCI 830 lamps pair strong colour rendering with a warm 3000K tone, which is why plenty of retail installations kept metal halide rather than move to early LED. Match wattage and colour code to the lamp you are removing, or one head in a row will visibly differ.
Maintain the installation or upgrade it?
These are legacy technologies and stock is finite. If the fitting is sound and only the lamp has gone, like-for-like is the sensible repair — discharge lamps dim with age, so change a full row rather than one head. Once ballasts and transformers start failing, cost the LED fitting change instead: rewiring a discharge fitting is licensed electrician work.
