Need advice recess lights keep blowing

hudhastings

need advice
Inside my kitchen I have 10 spot lights on the ceiling below a timber floor I have to constantly change them I think due to vibration. I changed 1 bulb to an led after getting advice that it wudnt be as flimsy with the vibration. Anyway the thing lasted 2 weeks just like the other lights exept it was alot more expensive any1 any advice. Or should I change the spots on the ceiling to maybe 4 fluorecent fittings.

Randyleprechaun

Are your existing fittings GU10(230V) or are they MR16(12V)

hudhastings

There GU10's why. What do ya think

Randyleprechaun

Only my opinion but;

I think GU10's aren't great. If I had a €1 for every time I was asked why they keep blowing, I'd be a rich man.

I've wired alot of houses in my time, and I've never installed even 1no GU10 for anyone. I'd refuse point blank.

I've always put in the MR16 with the 12V transformer. I have 23no through out my own house, some there for nearly ten years, some for about 5 and I've never had a blown lamp yet.

Even using MR16's is getting a bit out dated now as LED's are taking over. I'm very surprised that your LED lamp blew after only 2 weeks.

It's hard to say why without seeing the installation etc.

Only my opinions

awnow

I would agree and avoid GU10's if possible. My preference is PL or CFL fluorescent downlighters, if you have the depth for them in the ceiling void. Also, they will be physically bigger in diameter but there is a superior "punch" from them! Plus the lamps will last a long time.

evosteo

led should have a warrenty with it, return it to the wholesaler and ask for either a refund or a replacement

r0qi4162fux9kg

hudhastings wrote: »

need advice
Inside my kitchen I have 10 spot lights on the ceiling below a timber floor I have to constantly change them I think due to vibration. I changed 1 bulb to an led after getting advice that it wudnt be as flimsy with the vibration. Anyway the thing lasted 2 weeks just like the other lights exept it was alot more expensive any1 any advice. Or should I change the spots on the ceiling to maybe 4 fluorecent fittings.

Who put them in? Electrician?

How many GU10's/ other lighting do you have down stairs? Are they all mains or low voltage? What wattage are the various bulbs?

What I'm getting at here is what the total load is on your lighting ring.

johnam

I have 6 gu10's in my sitting room, one of them kept blowing. After around 5 bulb changes over 6 months, I took down the fitting to discover one of the wires in the fitting had been pinched in the spring loaded section that allows you to change the bulb. Not knowing much about the lights I went to the local light store to try buy a new one, and was sold the bulb holder for a euro or two. 5 minute job to replace the bulb holder in the fitting and problem solved.

Is it only one fitting that keeps blowing or is it all of them?

COB MGV8

Hope I'm not jumping in here - I have MR16s with the transformer at each fitting. My problem isn't the bulbs blowing - something is overheating and fusing wires together in either the transformer or the connector that leads to the bulb. I'm told that its to do with heat from the insulation in the ceiling recess.....any Ideas ? I was going to replace with GU10s - now not so sure having read this !

meercat

COB MGV8 wrote: »

Hope I'm not jumping in here - I have MR16s with the transformer at each fitting. My problem isn't the bulbs blowing - something is overheating and fusing wires together in either the transformer or the connector that leads to the bulb. I'm told that its to do with heat from the insulation in the ceiling recess.....any Ideas ? I was going to replace with GU10s - now not so sure having read this !

its the heat from the bulb thats causing the problems
the transformer and leads should be placed as far away as possible from the bulb(dont let connectors and leads lie on the bulb)

gu10 leds are the way to go
this thread may help
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055642753

Dardania

meercat wrote: »

its the heat from the bulb thats causing the problems
the transformer and leads should be placed as far away as possible from the bulb(dont let connectors and leads lie on the bulb)

gu10 leds are the way to go
this thread may help
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055642753

If possible, I'd stay away from GU10 LEDs (as they all have a trafo built in, so are more complex/have more heat to dissipate) and look at MR16 LEDs, like these:

http://www.ecat.lighting.philips.com/l/master-led-lamps-lv/lp_cf_mstledlv_eu_fa_aa_lp_prof_atg/cat/aa/

COB MGV8

Thanks for this - I'll check out the options and see what works

2011

I would agree, avoid GU10s. This issue has come up several times before here.

Lilah Juicy Gourd wrote: »

What I'm getting at here is what the total load is on your lighting ring.

Lighting is generally not wired in a ring. The total load of a circuit is not going to affect the lifespan of a GU10. Excessive vibrations, high ambient temperatures, voltage fluctuations will.

Regardless of how they are installed I have always found the lifespan of GU10s short. I am also not impressed with their light quality or efficacy (lumens/watt output).

M cebee

hmm
i think his issue there is possibly fitting an led along with the halogens

if i recall ?this should not be done

2011

M cebee wrote: »

hmm
i think his issue there is possibly fitting an led along with the halogens

if i recall ?this should not be done

Why not?

M cebee

i could be mistaken
i can't seem to find any info to back it up

Dardania

you might be thinking about the loadings problem with LED not presenting sufficient load to traditional trafos? Often times the solution is fit a halogen to bring the load up...or else get a trafo that can handle the lower loading...

Carlow52

M cebee wrote: »

i could be mistaken
i can't seem to find any info to back it up

I had this problem and posted it here: it seems the 'power surge' for the GU10's fried the Leds

I fitted 2 leds in a set of 4, the other 2 were GU10's: the leds lasted a week

whizbang

it seems the 'power surge' for the GU10's fried the Leds

someone is winding you up.

bring the leds back and then same thing next week, and next week, etc until you realise cheap leds really are not worth it either.

but please check the sockets first. there is a major amount of sh*t out there regarding GU10s. As mentioned previously, you can replace them easily.

M cebee

whizbang wrote: »

someone is winding you up.

bring the leds back and then same thing next week, and next week, etc until you realise cheap leds really are not worth it either.

but please check the sockets first. there is a major amount of sh*t out there regarding GU10s. As mentioned previously, you can replace them easily.

http://www.futureled.ie/en/content/2-legal-notice

paragraph 5

DO NOT OPERATE LED LAMPS WITH DIMMER (unless sold as dimmable lamps) OR SOFT START SWITCHES OR MIX HALOGEN AND LED LAMPS ON THE SAME CIRCUIT AS THIS WILL DRAMATICALLY REDUCE THE LIFE OF THE LAMP INVALIDATING ANY WARRANTY

Bruthal

Id say they mean dont mix halogens and led`s on the same switch wire, as switching them on at the exact same time every time they are switched on would be the problem. Maybe it is per circuit though.

This still means using the halogen to bring the load to above the dimmer level seems not a good idea.

M cebee

ive done it myself
wonder is it a major issue

there was a similar warning against mixing magnetic and electronic trafo iirc

2011

M cebee wrote: »

http://www.futureled.ie/en/content/2-legal-notice

paragraph 5

DO NOT OPERATE LED LAMPS WITH DIMMER (unless sold as dimmable lamps) OR SOFT START SWITCHES OR MIX HALOGEN AND LED LAMPS ON THE SAME CIRCUIT AS THIS WILL DRAMATICALLY REDUCE THE LIFE OF THE LAMP INVALIDATING ANY WARRANTY

Interesting, I have never seen that before.
Not suprising really as I have never used LED GU10s (I am not a fan).