12v Outside GU10 LED SOFFIT SPOTLIGHT WIRING ???

[respec24]

I have bought all the following kit in a flurry of enthusiasm but now am not sure how to wire it up to my front roof soffits from within my garage :

A - 6xGU10 IP65 spot-holders & 6x12v 1w LED bulbs
B - 1xPhotocell 230v IP44
C - 1x12v Transformer 'Landlite DE-20-12DL' with a very light-guage mains supply cable with a strange clamp rather than a wire to wire into my fused spur & 6 funny 'plugs' in a row to feed my GU10s

I was hoping to feed the transformer from a fused spur, then feed the 12v ouput outside into the photocell then up to each GU10 in series, in a big loop & back into the transformer, SIMPLE !

* If i swap this transformer are there any available where i can wire directly from my fused spur & also simply have output ports to feed the GU10s in sereis ? As if i feed each one individually i'll need miles of cable to reach across my top soffit roofline.

* Are 12v photocells available ?

* Should i feed it all from the lighting or power circuit in my garage ?

* Do i need any MCB or such device ?

* Do i need an LED 'driver' due to the very low 1 watt bulb power consumption ? (6w consumption in total )

* Can anyone suggest where i can buy a cheap 66mm holecutter ? 64mm seems to be widely avaiable, 66mm must be standard in Kazikstan or somewhere !?

* I hoped this configuration would work almost forever with no problems or costs at all, is this a realistic assessment ?

 

[Steve]

* If i swap this transformer are there any available where i can wire directly from my fused spur & also simply have output ports to feed the GU10s in sereis ? As if i feed each one individually i'll need miles of cable to reach across my top soffit roofline.

Make up your own LV cables using 1mm flex or cable.

* Are 12v photocells available ?

Use the 230V one you have, or else the Tx will be running all the time.

* Should i feed it all from the lighting or power circuit in my garage ?

Plug it into a convenient socket using a BS1363 13 amp plug and a 3 amp plug top fuse.

* Do i need any MCB or such device ?

Not if you plug it in

* Do i need an LED 'driver' due to the very low 1 watt bulb power consumption ? (6w consumption in total )

No, the LED lamps should contain all nessecary controllers

* Can anyone suggest where i can buy a cheap 66mm holecutter ? 64mm seems to be widely avaiable, 66mm must be standard in Kazikstan or somewhere !?

Use 64mm and file the rest out? Chances are, it only needs to be 66mm in a couple of places where the springs are.

* I hoped this configuration would work almost forever with no problems or costs at all, is this a realistic assessment ?

6 watt hours, average 11 hours per day, 365 days per year:

0.006 * 11 * 365 = 24 units of electricity per year = £2.89 per year at £0.12 per unit.

What wattage is the transformer?

 

[respec24]

Many thanks for your excellent advice. You are right i never even thought about measuring the back of the GU10s ! & its only 58mm except for the springs ! I'll keep the mains photocell then, fantastic. £2.89 a year, i'm happy with that ! I'm just stuck now on the transformer & wiring.

I have no idea on the transfomer wattage, it says :
PRI:220~240vac 50Hz 25VA SEC:12vdc 1.67A Max.20VA
On the back it says "WARNING - the supply cord can't be replaced"

Is the supply cord the mains in lead or power out ? What do you mean "Make up your own LV cables using 1mm flex or cable" ? What is LV cable ? How do i wire up each GU10 ? Why use a plug ? i thought a fused spur would be just as good & leave the socket clear ? Why is the input cable SO lkightguage, the same as the output !?

 

[Steve]

Are you able to post up a picture of the transformer, showing the input and output sides, and the connections on the lamps? This way we will be able to tell you what sort of connections they are. In hindsight it may be better if you had bought the components seperately with a view to making up the circuit yourself! The kits are suited to very few situations and dont make for a professional job!

Is the input wire similar to that found on portable TVs and bedside lamps? (normally 0.75mm² 2 core)

LV cable doesn't exist, you just have to size the cable appropriately to handle the current, in this case very little, about half an amp (6 watts at 12 volts). 1mm² cable or round flex will be fine.

On ELV transformers like yours, you often end up with bigger cable on the 12 volt side, since when you decrease the voltage, the current goes up, power stays the same. This is why the input cable is very small, it only has to handle 0.08 amps! (20 watts at 230v).

It will be best for you to site the transformer as close as you can to the lamps, since it sounds like fairly long cable runs are called for.

Using a plug top would be easier, but if you want to use a fused spur, go for it.

And a word of advice: Fit the photocell where it wont be affected by the lights, though if you haven't thought of this by now, you really shouldn't be doing the work!!

 

[respec24]

I have taken pictures but can't add them to this forum, i can email them ?

I've forgotton now why i didn't just go for mains LED lights & save all the hassel of the transformer. What advantage do i get using the ransformer ??

I was going to place my transformer in the garage in the dry. There will be a fair run to the lights, the furthest light will be around 15 foot up & then 25 foot across.

 

[breezer]

posting a picture info is in forum information

 

[respec24]

I emailed the pics but to no avail !?

I just want to run from the first to last light with no 'loop or return wire, just like the 2 packs of LED garden lights i have just discovered in my garage ! 2 packs of 3 LED mini posts & each with a 12V 840 mA 10.08va transformer. So if one transformer will feed all 6 garden light posts then i have 1 spare transformer for this project !! And it simply plugs in & has a 2 pin output port ! Wow please say this transformer will work !!! Is it the solution to all my problems !?

Like most people Amps, Ohms, Volts etc etc are another language !

I have also found a transformer marked - "12~3A 36va"

Also yes i do have a fair run, furthest light is 15 feet up & then 25 feet across i think, will this mean i need an LED driver or more Amps, current, flow or something ? Is 1.5mm2 lighting cable too heavy ? If the above transformers are no good & i return my origional "funny" transformer, what transformer do i need or should i just revert to mains !? I have forgotton now why i bothered with 12v in the first place !!

 

[DIYnot]

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