Downlights

[doug3030]

Just wondering if the collective wisdom of the forum may be able to assist me.

I have 16 downlights in the house, all had 50 watt bulbs in them which is very expensive to run when you live in a household where nobody but me seems to understand the concept of switching off a light.

LED downlight bulbs have recently become available with the same brightness as the old 50 watt ones rated at only 5 watts. I bought four packets of four LED bulbs, reducing the power consumption when all 16 need to be on (24/7 around here it seems) from 800 watts to 80 watts, resulting in a significant power saving.

Problem is - I have only been able to change the bulbs in 12 of the 16 downlights. I cannot get the bulbs out of he others. 12 of these downlight fittings are identical in appearance. the other four have pivoting heads because the are mounted in a sloping part of the ceiling. these are not the four that I cannot change.

Of the 12 that appear identical, I can not get the bulbs out of four of them, all in one row. I notice that bunnings etc sell downlight mountings in four-packs, so I have come to the conclusion that the four offenders are all from the same packet and though they look like all the others they do not open up like the others. The ones I can open just need to have the centre of the fitting containing the bulb rotated anticlockwise and the centre just drops out into your hand and the bulb can be removed and replaced before sticking it back in and rotating clockwise to lock.

Of course the four I cannot replace are all on the one switch and are the most common ones used being in the kitchen.

Hopefully someone will read this and know how the other four will open up and let me know.

Cheers

Doug

[Fuzzie]

A picture would be helpful. I have some downlights that are bit*hes to replace globes in as the receptacles seem to have welded themselves together. (Cheap white painted alloy)

I think if your globe retaining ring has 3 noticeable lugs on the inside of the ring, then they should come out. I resorted to taking a scrap of wood that fitted into the ring and bares against the lugs so I could get enough leverage to turn the ring and get the globe out.

[Handyjack]

I occasionally come across this problem in my work as a handyman.
Some times a few taps will loosen the fitting otherwise plan B is called for with a little bit of risk.
Plan B requires removal of the fitting from the ceiling. This needs to be done carefully as there is a risk of tearing the plaster ceiling as the spring clips are extremely strong. Once the fitting is down you should be able to loosen the globe holder and change as per normal or replace the globe from "the inside". Carefully replace the fitting on the ceiling.
Hope this helps.

[doug3030]

Plan B requires removal of the fitting from the ceiling. This needs to be done carefully as there is a risk of tearing the plaster ceiling as the spring clips are extremely strong. Once the fitting is down you should be able to loosen the globe holder and change as per normal or replace the globe from "the inside". Carefully replace the fitting on the ceiling.
Hope this helps.

Thanks Handyjack.

Plan B did the trick. I didn't know that the fittings were held just by two spring clips. Armed with that knowledge that you provided me made it easy.

As it turned out, the metallic leaf spring that holds the bulb in the fitting was getting caught on the spring that holds the fitting in the ceiling and that was what was making it impossible to turn the fitting the full amount to get the bulb out.

Now I have reduced the power used when the lights are on by another 180 watts

The forum only lets me hit the "thanks" button once, so thanks again. Take two days off for Christmas on me!

Cheers

Doug

[Master Splinter]

When playing with downlights and ceilings, keep in mind that here is no pain quite like the pain of one of the downlight spring clips springing shut on the nail bed of your finger...