Click flamguard upgrade strategy advice

[bolst3r]

we're currently running around 30 units in our house, they are LV 50w halogens with inline transformers and i've been wondering about converting them to LEDS.

I'm used to removing and replacing the internals as they tend to breakdown over time due to heat from the bulbs. I have a couple of spare fittings so i'm able to set up a small production line, changing one or two as I go.

Has anyone done this before, and can you offer some advice? I know i'll have to remove the transformers, and add an earth to the unit and perhaps swap the MR16 to GU10. How would people manage the earth?

Am I able to do a few at a time or do they all need doing at the same time? does it matter having a mix on the same switch?

 

[bolst3r]

to follow-up on this, I called Scolmore who manufacture the units to see if they had a conversion kit and interestingly their technical guy said as they're currently 12v whilst there is a saving switching to LEDS it's marginal, and might be wiped out by the upgrade cost. He said part of the upgrade argument is on longevity of the bulbs, however we have some that are 13 years old so i'm not sure this is a major concern for us...

Do people feel it's worth the hassle of switching?

 

[winston1]

Scolmore are talking to rubbish, 30 times 50w halogen is 1500 w. 30 times 5 w LED is 150w or a tenth of the power.

Swap MR16 to GU 10 is meaningless. MR16 is the size of the lamp in eights of an inch, nothing to do with voltage or base. Many GU10 are in fact MR16. GU10 is a type of base, nothing more.

 

[bolst3r]

Scolmore are talking to rubbish, 30 times 50w halogen is 1500 w. 30 times 5 w LED is 150w or a tenth of the power.

Swap MR16 to GU 10 is meaningless. MR16 is the size of the lamp in eights of an inch, nothing to do with voltage or base. Many GU10 are in fact MR16. GU10 is a type of base, nothing more.

Sorry, that was my typo/mistake. I meant swapping from GU5.3 to GU10. Perhaps this isn't necessary...?

The guy from Scolmore did say there would be a saving, but as they were low voltage and I wasn't switching from 203v there is much less of a saving. I guess my biggest issue if having to remove the LV transformer and adding an earth to each unit. It's not a straightforward bulb replacement job

 

[EFLImpudence]

I wouldn't bother calling the guy at Scolmore again.


The only reason for fitting LED lights is they use far less electricity; other than that they are a PITA.

There is no point fitting 12V ones; a Watt is a Watt.

 

[bolst3r]

I wouldn't bother calling the guy at Scolmore again.


The only reason for fitting LED lights is they use far less electricity; other than that they are a PITA.

There is no point fitting 12V ones; a Watt is a Watt.

yes, that's my dilemma. Do I stick with what i've got or try and convert my units to 230v LEDs. I am looking reduce electricity consumption, if it's cost-effective

 

[bolst3r]

My Dad did this to his, it was a real pain and the LEDS purchased have been awful and don't last very long at all. Clearly you get what you pay for but our bulbs generally last very well. So i'm not sure reliability is a reason to switch. Only the saving on electricity bills... i'm note sure how great that will be

 

[winston1]

Sorry, that was my typo/mistake. I meant swapping from GU5.3 to GU10. Perhaps this isn't necessary...?

The guy from Scolmore did say there would be a saving, but as they were low voltage and I wasn't switching from 203v there is much less of a saving. I guess my biggest issue if having to remove the LV transformer and adding an earth to each unit. It's not a straightforward bulb replacement job

He is a plonker. 12 v is not low voltage, it is extra low voltage. 240v is low voltage. The saving is 90%

 

[ericmark]

It depends on the transformer, there are two types, toroidal transformers can't be dimmed but will run LED or quartz without and changes, the electronic transformer however not only transforms the voltage but also the frequency, and often have a minimum output, it is the minimum output which is the main problem, also a problem with length of extra low voltage cable, they can become transmitters. But not all electronic transformers have a minimum output there are version which will go down to zero.

The other problem is what will work with electronic switches, and toroidal transformers are often too big to fit through the lamp hole.

In essence the large the lamp the more room there is for smoothing capacitors etc. So BA22d and E27 lamps no problems with electronic switches, and even if there was they are not that many per room, so smart lamps are an option, with GU10 it is on the edge, you can get smart lamps, but where there are 16 lamps in a room works out expensive.

My old kitchen when I moved out had a 22 watt replacement for a fluorescent tube which was ample, it now has 16 x 3.4 watt GU10's no brighter just uses more power, lamps shining down on a dark floor are not good.

So main thing is do you really want to stick with MR16 compatibles, the LED is often not really a MR16 as does not have a reflector. So no point correcting anyone calling a 12 volt MR16 and 230 volt GU10 as in the main that is also wrong, as no multifaceted reflector which is what MR stands for.

 

[winston1]

So no point correcting anyone calling a 12 volt MR16 and 230 volt GU10 as in the main that is also wrong, as no multifaceted reflector which is what MR stands for.

Yes there is. Neither MR16 nor GU10 have anything to do with voltage. As you know MR16 is the size of the lamp in eights of an inch and are commonly found in 12v, 24v, 120v and 240v. GU10 as you also know is a type of base and such lamps can be found in 120v or 240v maybe other voltages.

 

[ericmark]

Yes there is. Neither MR16 nor GU10 have anything to do with voltage. As you know MR16 is the size of the lamp in eights of an inch and are commonly found in 12v, 24v, 120v and 240v. GU10 as you also know is a type of base and such lamps can be found in 120v or 240v maybe other voltages.

You missed the point MR = multifaceted reflector and 16 as you say means the reflector is 16/8" across so this

fails on both, it does not have a multifaceted reflector and the light emitting part of the lamp is not 16/8" across. So it is not a MR16 bulb but it is a GU10. We could call it a MR16 compatible maybe, but not a MR16.

Yes there are some LED bulbs which still have a multifaceted reflector and also light emitting part covers whole area, I have some I bought from PoundWorld 0.58 watt, but there are very few.

In the lighting trade there is a tendency to call things after the item they replaced, we still call it a bulb, even if not bulbous, a transformer when it transforms both frequency and voltage although since it transforms still really the right name, and a ballast when it is also some switch mode device which replaces the original, at least they put the word electronic in front of transformer to show difference. But however much we feel it is wrong, and a new name should have been found, if the manufacturer gives it that name and prints it on the packet, we have no real option. Even things controlled by the international standards origination manufacturers get wrong, we have items clearly designed for the USA market which say low voltage, and in rest of World except USA they are extra low voltage.

 

[winston1]

if the manufacturer gives it that name and prints it on the packet, we have no real option. Even things controlled by the international standards origination manufacturers get wrong, we have items clearly designed for the USA market which say low voltage, and in rest of World except USA they are extra low voltage.

In the UK we do have an option, in that Trading Standards can tell them to withdraw the incorrectly labelled item and re-label it. Doesn’t seem to happen though.

 

[ericmark]

Other than @winston I am sure people know what is meant by a bulb. But if the government can have an advert on the TV which shows with smart meters clapping your hands will switch lights on and off, what do you think trading standards will do? Get real.