Electric light transformers

[stuali10]

Hi, hope someone can help. I want to replace some ceiling spotlights for colour changing ones. The problem I have is that my electrician who installed the existing ones installed transformers for each bulb, attached to the wooden joists, before the plasterboard was fitted. They cannot therefore be removed (unless I take the ceiling down, which won’t be happening!) so I need to find colour changing ones which can be attached to the 2 wires coming from the transformer. I bought some and connected the 2 wires, but they’re not working. Is this because they already have transformers built in? Or shouldn’t this matter? If this is the reason can anyone please advise?
Photos show the new ones I’ve connected, followed by the original brass coloured ones.

 

[Murdochcat]

Fixing the existing transformers to the joists was a daft thing to do IMHO

Unless you can get your hand in the downlight hole (with the lighting circuit OFF) and get the transformer out I suspect you are stuck with what you have.

BTW did the replacement light fitting come with a transformer/driver?

 

[ericmark]

I have not seen colour changing extra low voltage lamps, I am sure you can get them somewhere, but at what price? So in real terms need to move to low voltage lamps (230 volts) and get rid of the volt droppers. Or at least out of circuit, even if still in the ceiling space.

So the question is how to disconnect the volt dropper, and how to get a low voltage supply (low voltage = 50 - 1000 volts AC) I say volt dropper as there are many ways to converter 230 volts 50 Hz to 12 volts zero to some kHz range. It could be a toroidal transformer so output 12 volts 50 Hz, but it could also be an electronic transformer which is 20 - 60 VA (think of that as watts) and in the kHz range, and can't be used with diodes, or you would be building a radio transmitter, and the majority of MR16 compatible lamps, (not really MR16 as no reflector) are only 7 watts or fewer, so will not work with a 20 - 60 VA power supply.

As said, pictures help.

 

[ebee]

Why would anyone be daft enough to place them securely in such a (relatively) inaccessible place anyway? Insanity, get your money back!
What happens if one goes faulty and needs replacing, for example.

Mind you I have seen dafter things done though.

I mentioned one on here once or twice too!

 

[trojanhawrs]

Find out the voltage of your existing bulb, it'll likely be 12 or 24 VAC. Then you need to find a suitable replacement at the correct voltage (make sure it's VAC not VDC.

If you can get cables between the downlights I'd recommend connecting 4 or 5 downlights to one transformer, the LEDS take vastly less current than their halogen counterparts and the transformers normally have a minimum current which can cause buzzing and flickering if feeding a single LED

 

[Jurassicspark]

Is this kitchen part of an extension?

Does this kitchen have a floor above?

If so, you can lift the floorboard above and inspect the specifications of the transformer.

I may be wrong - but the “new ones”, connected right now” have colour coded wires denoting brown and blue.

Could it be that the downlight you’re connecting up is rated for 240V input?

Show a picture of the specifications for the new downlight.

 

[pete01]

Post a pic up the hole, maybe you can cut the mains (power off obviously) and pull the wire down leaving the old transformer where it is.

 

[trojanhawrs]

Post a pic up the hole

Let's keep it civil.

 

[pete01]

Let's keep it civil.

Lol, I did wonder when I wrote that

 

[flameport]

(unless I take the ceiling down, which won’t be happening!)

That will be happening, because at some point those transformers will fail and require replacement.

Perhaps not today or tomorrow, but it's inevitable.

The only choice is whether you do it now and end up with the lighting you want with a bit of planned disruption.
or wait until things break and then have to do it at the most inconvenient time.

 

[SUNRAY]

?

 

[Bear2Biker]

Looks like the old fittings are halogen so being fed AC from the transformers, the new ones are LED DC only without a power supply, so the Op needs A: a rectifier unit, or B: pull ceiling down or make holes where TX's are & replace with suitable power supply. or C: other as advised on here shortly!