Downlights

[BundyRoy]

We have the 35W halogen downlights in our house. They are around 10 years old now and we're starting to have to replace some lights as they blow. I thought I would replace them with led downlights instead. I bought some cheap led downlights (just the bulb part) at bunnings that fit. When I put the bulbs in they worked fine for a while and then after a few days the lights would work for a while then blink and go out then come back on for a while then blink and go out again (and then the process keeps repeating). So the bulbs aren't blowing but they are not staying on either. I have since replaced them with halogen bulbs.


Do you need to have a special type of transformer for led lights rather than halogen lights. The transformer is 50W and the led lights were 13w (i think but don't hold me to it). The led lights seemed to get a bit warm. Nothing like the halogen lights but warmer than I was expecting. My thoughts were that the transformer just converts the AC to 12V and should be the same for both but was just checking. Maybe I should have bought the better quality led downlight bulbs.

 

[scamper]

The transformer is just ac 12v the 50w is the max rating of the transformer, so that is not an issue.
The LED downlights do get hot and some of them are larger than normal as they have a great big heat sink on them.
Led downlights mostly cannot handle dimmers so if you are using a dimmer it will cause dramas.

That being said, usually the led globes will work fine, but I too have had some brand new that fail and others that I have had for many years with no dramas.

 

[Fing]

I have electronic dimmable transformers with dimmable led down lights replacing the original halogen
They sometimes flicker and fail to turn on this is caused by the LEDs not drawing enough current to "start" the electronic txs I'm lead to believe putting two or more LEDs on the one tx solves this ????
Cheers
Fing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BundyRoy]

My downlights aren't dimmable so that's not the issue. Must just be a dodgy brand I bought. Thanks for the replies.

 

[David_AVD]

Some (mainly older) electronic transformers don't run correctly with a much lower load than they were designed for.

You may have to replace them with ones that are more suited to LED lamps.

 

[buzzdude]

Some (mainly older) electronic transformers don't run correctly with a much lower load than they were designed for.

You may have to replace them with ones that are more suited to LED lamps.

I found exactly as David has stated when I started replacing all my mr16 12v halogens with leds. The transformer was the problem. I bit the bullet and went to beacon lighting and bought gu10 240v inserts\surrounds , then bought 9w leds off ebay. Replaced every globe in the house. Haven't looked back, love em. I swap some of the globes over at Christmas with the colour changing ones... just for fun.

 

[Roosta]

LV led downlights are so cheap these days, much better off replacing the complete fitting.. Just got to hope the sparky used plug bases (unswitched powerpoints) in the roof that the downlights plug into..

 

[firebug]

Any advice or links for someone who is looking to install led down lights from scratch? We did renos a while ago and just chucked up some normal batten holders as a temporary measure until we got some other things finished. I dont want to put lights up and find I have put in too many or not enough. Our ceilings are 2.8m high and have hardwood floors. Any recommendations on what lights, how far apart etc?

 

[buzzdude]

Hi Firebug


This is how my house in setup.

Both the lounge and family rooms are 4 x 5.5m and I put 4 x 9W Cool whites on dimmers. I have tiles in the family and carpet in the lounge. I centred the lights in a square, 1m in from the short sides (2m gap between the lights) and 1.8m in from the long ends with 1.8m between, centred... hope that makes sense. They are nice and bright, from the centre, though I have a slight dark edge around the floor close to the walls. So I could have widened the gap, slightly, though I did not want the light hitting the walls. 6 would have made the room light up like the MCG, so happy with four.


When I bought them, 9w was about the maximum. Now you can get 12w, 15w or 18w, so I only have to replace with a higher one.


The links are similar to what I purchased.


http://www.beaconlighting.com.au/twf-gimble-downlight-frame-in-white.html


Beacons led globes were very expensive at the time, don't know what they are like now.


Globes I bought on ebay, pack of 10




http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AU-Dimmable-9W-3x3W-E27-MR16-GU10-LED-Down-Light-Warm-Cool-White-Spot-Lamp-Bulb-/151476013884?var=&hash=item2344ac8b3c:m:mTuyz2l52-d5aakoFqcAmvQ


In both the bathroom and en-suite, have four and 3, so it's nice and bright, the light really shines up the chrome taps and off the tiles, it's really surprising how everything sparkles. Though still really need something over the mirror.


Kitchen I have LED's over the counter tops, 2 benches L Shape are 2.5m in length each and I have 4 LED's evenly placed. Another 2 infront of the fridge and cupboards. The 6 are plenty bright and these are the ones that are on every night of the year, for a couple of hours. I have only replaced one faulty one, since I have have them, from early 2014.


Master bedroom, same as the family room, I have 4 leds.


The only florescences, in the house are in the 2 kids rooms and the laundry. 32W cool white, round.


Hallway - length of 6.3m, has 4 LEDs, .5, from each end, then 2.7 spaced, ie, .5, 2.7, 2.7, .5. The reason .5 in because it's centred in the door way of each end.


I spent a long time working out where to put them and their brightness, plus their beam angle, I went for 60 degrees (wider angle), most available seem to be 45 now.


And just to keep in the theme, outside all lights are the 30W floods.


Hope that helps and doesn't do your head in, like it did mine. Though I tend to over think everything, but I am very happy with the outcome.


Oh... and I went 240V as I wanted to remove the transformers so, there was one less thing to go wrong, and also the expense.


Shane

 

[firebug]

Thanks Shane. We were discussing the house lighting again tonight and went back through this thread. Then realised I never replied. Please excuse my rudness...