we recently moved house where there are 2 x 12v 50w downlights in the bathroom.We recently had the loft insulation increased a couple of days later both lights packed up.I changed the bulbs.....no joy. I got my brother in law who is a builder to look in the loft in case the light wiring had been disturbed only to find it all was intact.I asked him to find the transformer to see if replacing it would rectify the problem,he could not find a transformer at all even after taking all the insulation back out.Please can somebody shed some light as to what is going on ?
bathroom 12v downlighters packed up....
- Thread starter papah61
- Start date
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But seriously.......
If the lamps are 12volt then there WILL a transformer, somewhere.
It is only a matter of following the wires from the downlights and it will be somewhere.
Mind you, if its under 250mm or rockwool then its probably a shrivelled lump.
By the way, what has gone over the downlights to give them breathing space?
If they are 12V there will be 1 or more transformers somewhere.
If the transformer or fittings have been covered with insulation then it likley the fittings or transformer have overheated and failed.
You may need to replace the transformer(s) or the MR16 tails.
If the transformer or fittings have been covered with insulation then it likley the fittings or transformer have overheated and failed.
You may need to replace the transformer(s) or the MR16 tails.
the wires have been followed across the entire loft with no success There is nothing on top of the lamps themselves or within 10 inches so they won`t overheat. Each light unit has a small black box actually attached to it,am i right in guessing these are just connectors not transformers.they are only about 2cm x 3cm .
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Just termination boxes. The tranny(s) will be somewhere.
If the lamps are 12 volt there will be transformers somewhere. Could the bathroom ceiling be a false ceiling, so the transformers are in the void?
The first step would be to confirm if the lamps are 12 volt or 230 volt, since there seems to be some doubt that there are transformers.
The first step would be to confirm if the lamps are 12 volt or 230 volt, since there seems to be some doubt that there are transformers.
the bulbs which had worked for the 5 months we have been here were 12v 50w so that tells me it must be a 12v set up. The entire area above the bathroom and the bedrooms has been scoured for this/these elusive transformer(s).How large is/are the unit(s) I`m looking for and whereabouts in the circuit should they be?
found it at last, screwed to the back of a rafter with a newer piece of wood hiding it from view, as a result the insulation had been laid over it. would this be enough to make a transformer pack up,and if so do I need to replace the lamps as well?
I am afraid it is impossible to answer from afar without any testing.
Generally if the wiring is intact then there are three possibilites.
The lamp itself has gone.
The ceramic lamp holder has cracked.
The transformer has gone.
Since both lights went out I would say the transformer is your place to start. It sounds as though one transformer covers both lights so when you replace it make sure you get one that covers the necessary wattage range - say 60/250. Or something like this
http://www.screwfix.com/p/halolite-50-150w-electronic-transformer/51565
So you have rafters which aren't in the loft?
You must have, because:
Ahh well, nobody's perfect
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