Fairly new to all this, outside lighting help needed

[cueball664]

Previous tenants of the house had a plug going from the kitchen to an outside light and had no issues with it. I swapped the old light for a new 400w halogen floodlight. All worked for a day or so and then the bulb blew.
The bulb reads:

J118/220-240V/R11/W45
I cannot find a bulb with the same spec online that has R11. What does this mean and can i fit an R7 instead please?

 

[Spark123]

I think the R is referring to the end caps of the lamp, normal linear 400w halogen J118 (118mm long) are usually R7s.

Can you upload a pic? Is it a reputable brand or a cheap Chinese one? Did you touch the lamp with your fingers or otherwise get it contaminated? Halogen quartz jackets don't like getting anything on them as it creates a hot spot and then it blows. Cleaning with IPA can help if they are accidentally touched.

 

[stillp]

Cleaning with IPA can help if they are accidentally touched.

Tha's iso-propyl alcohol by the way, not Burton's India Pale Ale!

 

[Spark123]

Good old TLA's

 

[cueball664]

No didn't touch with fingerprints, inserted bulb with a cloth. Would imagine it was a cheap brand as it came with the light from b&q. Unfortunately I cannot upload a pic at the moment. So you think an R7 wouldn't be any good because of the way the ends differ? Does it matter that the outside light is on a flex cable connected to a plug, 5amp fused? I've heard it's not ideal but the light before worked??

 

[Spark123]

I haven't a clue what an R11 is so can't say if it is different.
Doesn't matter electrically that it is fed off a flex on a plug, aesthetically it may not be that pleasing.

 

[stillp]

Isn't there a restriction on the use of 400 W lamps these days?

 

[winston1]

Previous tenants of the house had a plug going from the kitchen to an outside light and had no issues with it. I swapped the old light for a new 400w halogen floodlight. All worked for a day or so and then the bulb blew.
The bulb reads:

J118/220-240V/R11/W45
I cannot find a bulb with the same spec online that has R11. What does this mean and can i fit an R7 instead please?

You don't need to find a replacement. Take it back to B & Q. A bulb is expected to last longer than a day.

 

[Porque223]

Check that the voltage is within range. A 10% overvoltage gives 1.1^(-14) = 0.26 = 1/4 the life.

Check for excessive vibration at the fixture or bad connections that cause the bulb to quickly heat and cool.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Isn't there a restriction on the use of 400 W lamps these days?

I believe so.

 

[cueball664]

What do you mean there are restrictions to using 400w?

 

[securespark]

Good old TLA's

True Love Always?

 

[stillp]

What do you mean there are restrictions to using 400w?

I was hoping someone with more certainty would answer you, but there's a restriction in one of the Building Regulations to 150W.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

External lighting is classed as a Fixed Building Service, and the law (The Building Regulations) requires that they:

(i) are energy efficient;
(ii) have effective controls; and
(iii) are commissioned by testing and adjusting as necessary to ensure they use no more fuel and power than is reasonable in the circumstances.


The official guidance on how to comply with the law is:

Where fixed external lighting is installed, provide light fittings with the following characteristics:

a. Either:

i. lamp capacity not greater than 100 lamp-watts per light fitting;

and

ii. all lamps automatically controlled so as to switch off after the area lit by the fitting becomes unoccupied;

and

iii. all lamps automatically controlled so as to switch off when daylight is sufficient.


b. Or

i. lamp efficacy greater than 45 lumens per circuit-watt;

and

ii. all lamps automatically controlled so as to switch off when daylight is sufficient;

and

iii. light fittings controllable manually by occupants.

So good luck in trying to show that you've not broken the law by installing a 400W halogen light.....

 

[Porque223]

>45 L/w eliminates incandescents.

Unlike some places in the NEC the posted citation is unambiguous.