Low voltage lighting and competent electrician

Sickboy · 8 Oct 2010

Hi

I had an electrician come out to fit some 12V downlights and he left without them working.

I supplied the fittings below
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/81219...und-Polished-Chrome-12V-Low-Voltage-Downlight

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LTYT105.html

He fitted some MR16 bulbs (I had some in the drawer) and when the lights didn't work he said they were the wrong bulbs. He said they needed to be MR16 GU5.3 not just MR16. Correct me if I am wrong but aren't these the same thing? They were 12V MR16 lamps and they fitted in the holders so surely they must be the right ones? I am wondering if the electrician has a clue what he is talking about.

Since he has left I checked the wiring and there is supply to the transformers so I not sure why they aren't working. Any thoughts?

Thanks guys
John

londonboy · 8 Oct 2010

Make him come back with the correct bulbs. Obviously he will charge for that, if his bulbs don't work, tell him to do one

Sickboy · 8 Oct 2010

Is there more than one type of MR16 bulb though? Do they even exist or are they all GU5.3? Seems to me that if they are 12V bulbs and they fit then they should work!

ban-all-sheds · 8 Oct 2010

Sickboy said:
He fitted some MR16 bulbs (I had some in the drawer)

Are you sure that they work?

Correct me if I am wrong but aren't these the same thing?

OK - consider yourself corrected.

You are wrong - they are not the same thing. MR16 is the specification of the envelope, it means it has a metallised reflector and it is 16/8" in diameter.

It does not imply any particular design of base or pins. For example virtually all GU10- and GZ10-based lamps also have MR16 envelopes.

But in this case...

They were 12V MR16 lamps and they fitted in the holders so surely they must be the right ones?

If they really did go in OK then they must have GU5.3 bases.

I am wondering if the electrician has a clue what he is talking about.

Neither of you do.

Any thoughts?

As said, get him back.

You may be about to find out why it can be a bad and expensive idea to supply your own materials for an electrician to fit. He could probably have got you those lights for less than you paid in Screwfix anyway.

Sickboy · 8 Oct 2010

OK I'll get him back.

My concern was whether I should find another electrician. Clearly I am not qualified to do this work and I wouldn't try but if I have a pack of lamps with MR16 12V written on it and they have 2 straight pins which are 5 mm apart and fit in to the fitting then why would he suggest I have the wrong bulbs.

ban-all-sheds · 8 Oct 2010

Ask him when he returns.

skenk · 8 Oct 2010

You mention competent in the title of your original post, was this an electrician registered with a scheme provider (eg NICEIC)?

Have you paid him yet?

crunchynut · 8 Oct 2010

John, you say you are getting 230V between L&N. So could be dodgy trannys/lamps. How did you check it? What did you check it with? Did you possibly check for 12V after trannys?

B.A.S. You remind me of two people I know; one is a regular and pedantic client (who I like a lot), the second is my best mate who annoyingly knows everything (I tell him often he is not actually clever he just has remarkable powers of recall!)

The following made me laugh out LOUD!!!!

Quote:
I am wondering if the electrician has a clue what he is talking about.

Neither of you do.
[/quote]

BRILLIANT!

Sickboy · 11 Oct 2010

OK, so i checked the wiring on the transformers over the weekend and my electrician had wired them incorrectly. Each transformers had a pair of terminals for supplying 2 lamps on the 12V side and he had matched the pairs up the wrong way round (1 light in to both +ve terminals and 1 light in to both -ve terminals). There was a wiring diagram on the transformer which couldn't have made it any simpler!

I completely agree with the Part P regulations which are intended to make it safer and avoid diyers making dangerous mistakes but it is frustrating the regulations make me pay for someone who is recognised a competent but doesn't seem to be any more competent that the next guy off the street. For the record, the company is approved by NICEIC.

holmslaw · 11 Oct 2010

ban-all-sheds · 11 Oct 2010

We might have had the same surgeon - you know, the one who did your thinking bypass.

diynot

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Low voltage lighting and competent electrician

holmslaw

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