Infrared Lamp 75W

Quick Answer: The Infrared Lamp 75W is a heat lamp rated at 75 watts, pictured on a clamp-on holder with an inline switch, which emits mainly infrared radiation and a little visible light. In the laboratory an infrared lamp is used to warm samples and enclosures and to demonstrate how different surfaces absorb radiant heat.

What a Heat Lamp Does

Any hot filament gives out infrared radiation, but a heat lamp is designed so that most of its output is infrared that warms whatever it falls on rather than the air in between. That makes it useful where a surface needs local warmth: the top of a soil sample, a basking spot in an enclosure, or a test surface in a physics demonstration. The 75 W rating in the title is modest, suited to bench and enclosure use rather than room heating.

The listing photo shows a clamp holder with a lamp socket, a spring clip and a cable with an inline switch; the bulb itself is not visible, so whether it comes with the holder should be confirmed. The clamp fixes the lamp to a stand, shelf edge or enclosure frame and lets it be angled at the target. Distance controls the heating: moving the lamp further away spreads the radiation over a larger area and lowers the temperature at the surface.

In ecology, a lamp like this drives the drying gradient in a Berlèse and Baermann Apparatus or Berlese funnel. For animals, it can give a warm zone at one end of a Vivarium, leaving a cooler end so they can choose. In physics, it shows that dark, matt surfaces warm faster than shiny ones under the same radiation.

Electrical and Heat Safety

• Keep the lamp well clear of paper, dry leaves, fabric and thin plastic; the bulb and holder become very hot.
• Never splash water on a hot bulb, which can shatter the glass, and keep the lamp away from wet benches.
• Switch off, unplug and let the lamp cool before moving it or changing the bulb.
• Check that the clamp grips firmly and the cable is undamaged before each use.

Laboratory and Classroom Uses

• Heat source above a Berlese funnel for extracting soil animals
• Basking lamp at one end of a vivarium or terrarium
• Comparing how black, white and shiny surfaces absorb radiant heat
• Gently warming a greenhouse-effect model or a sample tray

Specifications

Why Choose LabEquip

Ecology and physics teachers use an infrared lamp because one heat source serves several practicals, from soil extraction to radiation experiments. LabEquip lists it in the General Lab Products range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the lamp safe to leave on overnight?

Only after a proper risk assessment and with the lamp firmly clamped well away from anything flammable. Many schools prefer a timer or thermostat and avoid unattended overnight use unless the set-up has been checked.

How far should the lamp be from a Berlese funnel?

Far enough that the top of the sample warms and dries gradually rather than scorching; start with a gap of several centimetres and adjust after feeling the sample surface. Too close, and the animals die before they can move down.

Why does a dark surface heat faster under the lamp?

Dark, matt surfaces absorb more of the incoming infrared radiation, while light or shiny surfaces reflect more of it. Placing thermometers on painted cards shows the difference within minutes.

Can the lamp be used to warm reptiles or other animals?

It can provide a warm basking area at one end of an enclosure, with a cooler area at the other so the animal can move away. The lamp must be guarded or positioned so the animal cannot touch it, and the temperature should be checked with a thermometer.

Does infrared light harm the eyes?

Staring into any bright, hot lamp at close range is uncomfortable and should be avoided. Aim the lamp at the target rather than at people, and use the switch instead of touching the holder.

What is the difference between an infrared lamp and an ordinary bulb?

Both give out light and heat, but a heat lamp is made to put most of its output into infrared radiation and to cope with high running temperatures, often with a built-in reflector. An ordinary lighting bulb is not designed for use as a heat source.

Last Updated: September 2026