Downlighters - does this sound right?

[jgtr]

Hi, had some sparks round to quote to fit some lamps but neither wanted the job (amazingly!) and second one told me what to do, I'm a plumber so know a little (which can be quite dangerous!!). Could someone see if this all sounds ok?

I've wired 8x50w 240v fire rated downlights (bedrooms above) in my lounge, 4 running off each pendant which I have replaced with 15a terminal strips in choc boxes. Both switch wires go to one 400w dimmer and it's all run in 1.5 T&E. Terminals are big enough for 2 wires on lamps so I have daisy chained them directly to each other.

In my kitchen I have 8x50w 240v fire rated downlights running off a pendant which I have replaced with a specialist downlight box (maintenance free apparently as it will be hidden away). Again all run in 1.5 T&E. Instead of daisy chaining I ran a feed front to back of room and wired 2 lamps on 4 "spurs" coming off this feed.

All connections are 15A terminal strips in choc boxes.

I now have max 1600w of lamps downstairs which equates to approx 7A on the existing wiring (all 1.5 T&E) which should be ok by my calculations?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And is 7A more, or less, than the rating of the circuit breaker?

Anyway - 1.6kW of lighting just downstairs?

You are raving mad.

 

[Taylortwocities]

which equates to approx 7A on the existing wiring (all 1.5 T&E) which should be ok by my calculations?

It is OK unless you are a polar bear sitting on an iceberg that is melting because half the world are using 1.6Kw of electrical power to light three rooms.
Before downlights you would have been happy with a pendant in each room, that is 3 x 60watts.

Are you crazy? How much money do you have to pour down the drain??????


/end of rant/

PS. Those terminal blocks must remain accessible. A bit like a central heating pump. You know you would not hide one under the floor in case you need to fault find, or maintain it.
The same goes for screwed terminal junctions.

 

[jgtr]

Thanks for the replies. We've only been in the house for a few weeks and the previous owner liked those lamps that have 3+ GU10s in one fitting. I have 150W just in the closet downstairs toilet!! We have 4 lamps just in
our hallway if you include the wall light

The kitchen had 6 spots originally and where I've taken a wall down I've had to add 2 more and the lounge is really dark so hence I've fitted 8 lamps.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So you're continuing the insanity of the previous owner.

Did you not stop for one minute to think that if you needed to use 8 lights to replace 2 that maybe that was because you were choosing lights that weren't actually any good at lighting up the room?

You had all the upheaval of knocking down a wall and you didn't take the opportunity to replace the ceilings?

 

[jgtr]

What is your problem?

Are you just one of these people that like to moan?

There's nothing wrong with what I've done, it's very common and I like the look and the light provided by downlights. My rooms are very big and only have a window at one end which are both obscured by a conservatory. Modern LED downlights are too expensive at present, like most Eco friendly things price is the limiting factor. I'm lucky in that I have 7 rooms downstairs including the garage hence the large number of lights.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What is your problem?

Are you just one of these people that like to moan?

No - I'm one of those people opposed to the lunacy of trying to light rooms by using lights which were specifically designed to be no good at lighting rooms.

There's nothing wrong with what I've done,

Apparently not, in the eyes of someone who thinks that having to use 1.7kW of lighting is OK.

it's very common

Becoming less so, becoming a negative factor for more and more buyers, and facing extinction via banning of the lamps used.

and I like the look and the light provided by downlights.

Hope you like the large bills too.

Modern LED downlights are too expensive at present, like most Eco friendly things price is the limiting factor.

Hope you like the high running costs of your low-cost lights.

Anyway - the problem is not the lamp technology, it's simply that 2" torches sunk into the ceiling do such a carp job of lighting up the room that you need to use loads of them.

I'm lucky in that I have 7 rooms downstairs including the garage hence the large number of lights.

Hopefully you're lucky enough to have a correspondingly large CU. You need to split that lighting circuit - you've got too much on it for 1.

 

[bernardgreen]

Under floor heating comes free of installation costs when downlighters are installed under bedrooms and bathrooms.

Electricity suppliers secretly love downlights as it means they get to sell more electricity

Buy 30 downlighters and get air conditioning at a discount cause you will need it.

They are old jokes but still valid though I am not so sure No. 2 is a joke.[/quote]

 

[jgtr]

Well I've no plans to move and I pay the bills do its my descision at the end of the day. You are one very rude man, I do appreciate your points and may reconsider what I have done/change the bulbs/fittingdto reduce the load but seriously you need to cheer the **** up, you could have said everything you needed to in a positive or informanitive manner and actuallt be helpful rather than being a bit of an arsehole. No point you even being on this forum if you are going to be a miserable sod!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm quite cheerful, thanks.

I don't take mad lighting design choices made by others personally.

 

[jgtr]

I'm quite cheerful, thanks.

I don't take mad lighting design choices made by others personally.

Could have fooled me! Must be a "happy on the inside" kinda guy

Like I said I had 2 sparks round who didn't say anything or seem to have a problem with what I was suggesting, one told me what to do. He did say 35w bulbs but the lamps I brought only came with 50w bulbs. Rather than just wire them up I did some research regarding load and wire size and it came out as ok. The reason I have so much wattage is that the previous owner fitted lamps that take multiple bulbs do even our utility room which is approx 2m x 2m had 200w of bulbs!!

What would you suggest, the lights are all fitted now and ceiling has been replaced. Change the bulbs to lower wattage? Change the multiple lamps to conventional single lamps, I have some energy saving bulbs.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Like I said I had 2 sparks round who didn't say anything or seem to have a problem with what I was suggesting,

You'll find sparks like that here too.

one told me what to do. He did say 35w bulbs but the lamps I brought only came with 50w bulbs.

So you asked an electrician what to do, then didn't do it.

Rather than just wire them up I did some research regarding load and wire size and it came out as ok.

Came out as OK? It came out at 7A. Is that more or less than the rating of the breaker?

The reason I have so much wattage is that the previous owner fitted lamps that take multiple bulbs do even our utility room which is approx 2m x 2m had 200w of bulbs!!

If you replaced the light with one of your 50W downlighters, would the room be well lit?

What would you suggest, the lights are all fitted now and ceiling has been replaced. Change the bulbs to lower wattage? Change the multiple lamps to conventional single lamps, I have some energy saving bulbs.

I'd suggest not throwing good effort and money after bad, I'd suggest gritting your teeth and being prepared to replace/repair the ceilings again and I'd suggest installing lights which are meant for lighting rooms, rather than spotlights which are designed to not light rooms.

If you want unobtrusive recessed lighting in kitchen/bathroom/WC/utility/etc then fine, but go for larger diameters - 8"-ish ones using PL lamps, 12"-ish using 2D etc.

There are thousands of different lights out there, probably millions of different designs, covering all price brackets.