Down lights

[alisonol]

I have had down lights installed for about 12 months.I have eight lights installed in the kitchen/dinning room. Four lights on one switch four on another.

In the last 2 months I have replaced the same globe 3 times and two others keep going of and on at will. Since they have been installed they have never really been that bright either.

Does this sound like a transformer issue? Or could it be a wiring issue?

What is a good brand of down light transformer?

[another termite]

It could just come down to the quality of your globes are you buying a good brand or something from woolies... silvania and phillips are both decent brands that i have had no trouble with. The ones going on and off could be due to heat (this is the most common cause) are they electronic transformers or are they the wire wound (these are a lot bigger and heavier and also generate a lot more heat) Probably more a transformer issue than a wireing one, wireing tends to just stop (tho not always) Are they actually low voltage lights or are they 240V style?
As for a good brand tranny i have used Actel and atco with very little trouble....maybe 1 in every 500 if that

[alisonol]

I am using Phillips globes.

They are low voltage lights.

As for the transformer I have no idea. I will have to get up into the ceiling on the weekend and have a look.

I have that spray/blow in type insulation in the ceiling at home. Maybe its too close to the transformers.

[another termite]

I have that spray/blow in type insulation in the ceiling at home. Maybe its too close to the transformers.

That is a good place to check try for at least 100mm around the tranny and globe or sit them on a piece of wood above the insulation.

[TheDocta]

Could potentially be a transformer issue. If I were to recommend a new transformer it would be an ATCO possum or ATCO speedy. You can get them from any electrical wholesaler. Also I would think seriously about also installing a dimmer. By reducing the output of the globe by 10% it will significantly increase the life of the globe, in some cases by double with no real noticeable difference in light.

[atregent]

We had downlights put in the master bedroom nearly 2 years ago. The units were $35 for the fitting, globes and transformers, so I'm guessing they're not the highest quality parts. But, we've also got a clipsal dimmer on them, which does a soft start as well as dim, so perhaps that may indeed be the answer.

I forgot to mention, we haven't had to change any of the globes yet (touch wood...)

[me3_neuralfibre]

Replace them with CFL downlights. Save money & environment. Not the pretend ones, the normal sized downlight ones, you'l hvae to cut your holes bigger, but will get more and better quality light.

Paul

[luckysack]

As already said you definately need to get in your ceiling and ensure your transformers have good ventilation to prevent them from overloading. You'll probably find that they're 50W to match your 50W globes. The older 'coil' type transformers were always prone to fluctuations and can therefore reduce the lifespan of your globe. The newer solid state transformers are heaps cheaper and work a hell of a lot better therefore getting maximum life out of your globes.
There will be nothing wrong with your wiring. Your globes are obviously blowing for a reason and I suspect heat/overload. Check your transformers for ventilation and if you doubt their integrity replace them.
If you are not a licensed sparky you WILL have to get someone in though.
Good luck.

[Bloss]

As Paul (me3_neuralfibre) said you should look at replacing them. Low voltage does not mean low energy - these are very inefficient lights.

See my reply in this thread:

http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=55031

but . . . if you really want the dimmers then as has been said check transformers have clear air space and is not covered by ceiling insulation, that there is also clear space around the fitting itself, and use brand name bulbs.

[Bloss]

. . .
If you are not a licensed sparky you WILL have to get someone in though.
Good luck.

They are using a transformer so it is most unlikely that a licensed electrician will be needed. Of course if they were 240v then and electrician would have to be used, but they are low voltage so have a transformer.

The 240v input side of the transformers are usually plugged into a standard socket in the roof space rather than being hard-wired (if the 240v input are hard-wired then electrician is needed - I have never seen this) so can be unplugged and a new one plugged in - no different to plugging in any appliance except the power outlet is sitting in the roof space.

The 12v output side is low voltage and anyone can do that wiring. This usually involves simply unscrewing at a terminal block at the light fitting or sometimes directly from the back of the bulb (depends on the age and type) - just as one does to change the bulb.

[nigel123]

I have recently discovered a couple of really efficient 12V halogen downlights. Both are energy savers and produce very good light in our Victorian house with 3m ceilings.

1) Osram Decostar ES 20W 12V 36d
2) Philips Masterline ES 20W 12V 36d

Both: -

Produce 1000 candales lumination
last 5000 hrs,
produce approx 40% less heat (save on air conditioning)
Last 5000 hrs (double normal 12V halogens)
work well with the current range of electronic transformers. You can wire two lights per transformer saving you even more
cost approx $7.00/globeOnly trouble is most mass consumer lighting stores have little or no knowledge of these lights...they only want to sell you cheap inefficient product. May be able to access from Rexel Electrical or like minded chains.

[MrFixIt]

Hi

Replace them with CFL downlights. Save money & environment.

AND light output! The light from CFL is no match for halogen downlights!

Sure they ARE cheaper to run but the quality of light and the light temperature is DIFFERENT. CFL output is not *my* preferred light quality but it doe suit some people :)



Not the pretend ones, the normal sized downlight ones, you'l hvae to cut your holes bigger, but will get more and better quality light.

IMHO, absolutely NOT more and Better quality AND you have to wait for them to "warm" up for the maximum light output.

I don't say there is anything WRONG with them, just not MY preferred light output! :) :)

Paul

[juan]

Replace them with CFL downlights. Save money & environment. Not the pretend ones, the normal sized downlight ones, you'l hvae to cut your holes bigger, but will get more and better quality light.I intend to fit one to my bathroom renovation. It takes the standard ES Low wattage flouro bulb . The one I saw fits a normal downlight hole size but does not have a glass cover over the bulb. The ones with the glass cover had a larger hole size. This way you can fit one ($13) and try it and if you do not like the light then put back a halogen downlight into the same hole.

Cheers

[taurus]

hi there if you are wondering still it is your transformers that make light go on and of by them selves they are wire wound and they have a bi metalic heat switch in them that turns of when it gets to hot cheap sparky should have used good ones if you have no dimmers on circuit i suggest that you use atco possum transformers

[Buggermedumplings]

I have recently discovered a couple of really efficient 12V halogen downlights. Both are energy savers and produce very good light in our Victorian house with 3m ceilings.

1) Osram Decostar ES 20W 12V 36d
2) Philips Masterline ES 20W 12V 36d

Both: -

Produce 1000 candales lumination
last 5000 hrs,
produce approx 40% less heat (save on air conditioning)
Last 5000 hrs (double normal 12V halogens)
work well with the current range of electronic transformers. You can wire two lights per transformer saving you even more
cost approx $7.00/globeOnly trouble is most mass consumer lighting stores have little or no knowledge of these lights...they only want to sell you cheap inefficient product. May be able to access from Rexel Electrical or like minded chains.

I'll second the Osram Decostar globes. My mate and I bought over 200 of these when we were both building and have not had any blow in nearly 3 years. Importantly leave enough breathing space around your downlights! Tranny has not made a difference as he is using Telbix and I have Atco Possum's. You can get the globes from Australia Lighting stores.

[familyguy]

I do a lot of pre-sale and rental maintenance and thought that I might share what I have found with low voltage downlights, I have found them to be a high maintenance item second only to dripping taps.
When you pull the old globe have a look at the contact pins they should both be bright and shiny, if either is a dark colour then you may have a socket with a faulty/poor connection, I believe that the bad connection causes localised heating between the socket and contact pin, the heat gives rise to oxidisation of the pin causing the dark/black colour and eventually a failed contact.(The sockets carry about 4 amps and it doesn't take much of a bad connection to cause localised heating. Compare this to a 240v 60w lamp which only draws about 0.25 amps). A bad contact would explain the 'going on and off at will'

A new globe may be a temporary fix until that too goes the same way as the previous globe. In this case you need to replace the socket as well as the globe, if the socket is one of those with grub screws that hold the globe then replace it regardless they are a major cause of trouble. You don't need a sparky to replace the socket as only a low voltage circuit is involved.
You can buy the 12v sockets at bunnies or most larger hardware stores. My local bunnies sells a non dimable downlight set consisting of ceiling fitting, globe, socket and switchmode transformer for about $8.00 or so.

Also a trap for those that may have a problem and want to measure for the presence of 12v at the socket. Many switch mode transformers (these are smaller and much lighter than the older magnetic type) will NOT startup without a load which in this case is the globe. If you try to test for the presence of 12v and there is not a working globe attached the voltage will measure 0v even if the transformer is good.

I have also come across a NZ made transformer labelled 'de-lights' with an integral fuse on the 12v side of the transformer, I've found bad contacts in the fuse holder and also broken connections.

[AV Elec]

I have that spray/blow in type insulation in the ceiling at home. Maybe its too close to the transformers.

You should definately look into this area. Try this - http://cgi.ebay.com.au/1-LOT-OF-10-X-ISOLITE-DOWNLIGHT-GUARD-COVERS-ONLY-SML_W0QQitemZ140211282367QQihZ004QQcategoryZ106199QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[autogenous]

I have that spray/blow in type insulation in the ceiling at home. Maybe its too close to the transformers.

Just ripped a roof off a house with the same blow in product. The owner said he was told to put 100 pvc pipe over the fitting so air could get them to outlet the heat.