Lighting layout in bathroom with half sloping ceiling and dormer window

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Hi,

I’m looking for advice on the led layout in the diagram linked below. It’s a bathroom in an Edinburgh Victorian flat. Ceiling is flat for approx half the length, then slopes down at 45 degrees to a dormer window.

I’ve read here that general advice is to have Dow light no closer than 600 from wall. But what about a loping ceiling? I was thinking 300 from that point as a sort of compromise. The diagram shows 250 and 500, but perhaps 300 and 600 would be better.

So in the flat part of main ceiling there would be a light in each corner - 600 and 600 in the two right hand corners and 600 and 300 in the corners where the flat ceiling meets the sloping ceiling. Should I also add a fifth spot centred between these 4 lights?

I also plan to add one spot in the ceiling of the dormer window section.


Thanks
Ian
 
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422.3.1 Except for equipment for which an appropriate product standard specifies requirements, a luminaire shall be kept at an adequate distance from Combustible materials. Unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer, a small spotlight or projector shall be installed at the following minimum distance from combustible materials:
(i) Rating up to 100 W 0.5 m
(ii) Over 100 and up to 300 W 0.8 m
(iii) Over 300 and up to 500 W 1.0 m

That's the rules, but seems no one bothers with them. Or we would not have down lights, in real terms we no longer have 100 watt lamps, so no real problem with 3 watt lamps, but look at GX53 extra, does not need to be let into ceiling any more.
 
My first comment is ... don't use downlighters :rolleyes: IMO they are by far the worst possible option for lighting a room, especially for functional lighting in somewhere like a kitchen or bathroom. It's a pet hate when I stay in hotels - having bathroom lighting that highlights the top of my head (and thus accentuating the lack of hair), while providing little light where it's actually useful.
The fact that your drawing shows six lights in a room that's about 10ft square is a good indication that you don't expect them to be very good.

A "bulkhead" fitting will be much better on many grounds. Firstly, you can get much more powerful lights (e.g. a common format uses a 28W 2D fluorescent tube), so need less of them. And unless you go out of your way to pick a bad design, they put a relatively diffused light out in all directions and so avoid the above mentioned problem of having all your light where you don't want it and none where you do.
Or perhaps look at some of the modern LED alternatives to the old fluorescent tube fitting. Some of these are quite low profile, but again will give you the sort of diffuse light that would avoid harsh shadows where you actually want light.

If using bulkhead fittings, I'd suggest on the flat ceiling close to the sloping bit - about where the left hand downlighter is in the top sketch. And either one centrally (a 28W 2D flouro, or LED equivalent, should be adequate for that size of room), or two, one up near the hand basin end, and one down towards the bath end.
For LED strip lights, again in the flat ceiling not far from the sloping bit, and (depending on their length and light output) either one centrally, or two spaced apart along the room.
 
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Would two 2000 lumen led dome/bulkhead ceiling lights provide enough light for this space (9 sq m)?

Thanks
Ian
 
Would two 2000 lumen led dome/bulkhead ceiling lights provide enough light for this space (9 sq m)?

Thanks
Ian
Mmmm …. That wouldn’t work since one of the lights would be over the shower area. The shower is 1200 x 900, where the 900 is part of the 2700 width of the bathroom. I would need to go with one light in the middle of the flat part of the ceiling .
 
You don't say what sort of shower enclosure you have - according to the drawing there's 350mm between shower and the sloping ceiling, so room to fit "something" there.
You probably want two lights. If there's nothing inline with the dormer then you'll get shadows in there, and if all you had was one (e.g.) bulkhead inline with the dormer then the shower/bath end of the room could be a bit dull.
There is always the option of buying a light fitting and seeing how it works out by just putting a flex and plug on it. If you don't spend too much, then you've not lost much if it's not to your liking - and you might find another use for it elsewhere.
Another issue with most downlighters is that you have to cut big holes in your ceiling. Depending on how much room you have and choice of fitting, that can compromise both the insulation (especially a problem where there's no attic so you have to hack a big hole in the insulation) and any moisture barrier.
Not for much longer, 2D fluorescent lamps and other compact fluorescents will be gone from February 2023.
All T5 and T8 tubes gone from August 2023.
That's a bit of a bummer given that flouros are by far the best option for many situations - and as pointed out in a different thread, they tend to give notice before failing rather than just leaving your in the dark.
 
Unlike most of the other lamps being removed because they were inefficient compared to LED, fluorescent tubes are going because they contain mercury.
 
The flat ceiling part is approx 2.7m x 1.6m. The shower will be 900 x 1200, with the 900 being under the 2.7 width (so to speak) and the 1200 being under the 1.6m part of flat ceiling.

I now realise that I should be ok with IP44 rated lights since the ceiling will be in zone 2 above the shower. So i could position 2 bulkhead lights 675mm from walls, with 1350mm in between them.

I think this is the best compromise, given the awkward shape. The ceiling will be a drop ceiling, that’s only partly built just now. There is a gap above that of about 200mm, then 25mm PIR insulation board over the original lathe and plaster ceiling. Above that is an insulated roof space.
 
Follow up ….. bought two cheap ish Sylvania 18w / 1550 lumen surface lights from Screwfix to try out for size and brightness. The brightness is spot on. They are a bit on the large size though , but will do for a while. I’ll probably look for something a bit more stylish in the future.
 

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