How Do Halogen Bulbs Connect in Makeup Mirrors?

[KingNothing]

I am trying to replace a halogen bulb in an old makeup mirror. The bulbs has two metal prongs coming down. The mirror has some funky wiring which i assume is some sort of power inverter, but anyway...where it attached to the bulb, there is one black wire going to the bulb which seems to be connected to both prongs, while another red one seemingly has no place to connect to?

How do halogen bulbs work...is it just a ground and a power that gets connected, like in normal bulbs?

 

[Danger]

How do halogen bulbs work...is it just a ground and a power that gets connected, like in normal bulbs?

Halogen bulbs work like any other gas-discharge device, the same as a neon sign. It sounds to me as if you bought the wrong kind of replacement. There are several different electrode configurations to fit different types of fixtures.

 

[pervect]

Halogen bulbs are just like incandesent bulbs, not gas discharge. They usually don't have any fancy circuitry, but tend to run hot and require special heat-resistant fixtures.

If you meant a fluorescent bulb by some chance, those ARE gas discharge devices, and they may have some associated circuitry with them (usually called ballast).

 

[Danger]

Halogen bulbs are just like incandesent bulbs, not gas discharge.

Somebody slap me right now. Even while I was reading and typing 'halogen', I was thinking 'fluorescent'. There are different pin configurations though, for different applications.