Florecent "1000w" floodlights - Wiring to lighting

[dhutch]

My turn to do some asking now!
Im currently planning to replace the failed floodlights around my house with new ones.

Currently they are 150w and 500w halogens and, wired off the upstairs lighting circuit but I want to replace then with 40w florecents which a designed fit into '1000w' fittings due to there size.

Is there any issue with using these as a replacement? Obviously with the lighting circuit on a 6amp MCB if you where to removed the florecent lamps fit 1000w lamps to the three fittings you would trip the lights out, but it would be remain electrically safe.

The other upstairs lights 7 rose fittings (3bedrooms and landing) and 5 50w downlighters and a 40w fan in the bathroom.

Preposted CFLs
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Low-Energ...813?pt=UK_Garden_Lighting&hash=item588c4b10e5

Thoughts on the matter?

Daniel

 

[ban-all-sheds]

How are they switched? Are they on PIRs or photocells? Not all of those will work with fluorescent lamps. And for PIR "security" applications they may not light up quickly enough, particularly in cold weather.

Also, they may physically replace them but in terms of light output there's not a hope in hell that a 40W fluorescent will replace a 500W halogen, let alone a 1000W one.

 

[Aragorn84]

Given your going to have to replace the light fitting anyway, why not look at fittings that are designed for fluros?

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...light_Index/Floodlights_Smartflood/index.html

Alternatively, depending on what your actually using the lights for, you might want to take a look at metal halide. I've recently installed a metal halide light to illuminate my driveway, and for what i use it for its perfect.

If its rapid on-off lighting controlled by a PIR you want they arent much use, but if its lighting you tend to run for an hour or more while your working outside or whatever they're perfect.

 

[dhutch]

I fully realise that the 40w CFL will not replace the light output of a 1000w halogen and that light output will be reduced in colder weather as well, however I am only aiming for low-leval light to allow navigation to-from car/garage/bins/etc so am expecting it to be ok. When I have got one up i'll let you know how it went!

They will be PIR controlled but as the fittings are rated for 1000w halogens from cold I dont expect the startup current of the 40w CFLS will cause an issue.

Obviously the other option is to run a new feed in from the CU for the floodlights but clearly that is far more work than reusing the existing wiring even if you surface-wired on the exteror which I would want to avoid.


Daniel

 

[ban-all-sheds]

They will be PIR controlled but as the fittings are rated for 1000w halogens from cold I dont expect the startup current of the 40w CFLS will cause an issue.

It's not the startup current which is the problem. Some just don't (officially) work with fluorescent loads.

SIAS.

 

[dhutch]

Given your going to have to replace the light fitting anyway, why not look at fittings that are designed for fluros? .

I did look at metal halide which are great, except as you say, for use with a PIR.

Orignally when i bought one of the CFLs I thought it was the correct size for the 500watt enclosers I already had, which not only mean less work but would give the option of going back to a halogen (could be a 300w one say) if they where crap. As it is, i bought a diffrent one than i first looked at and it does fit anyway. So you might be right that the best thing if to send it back and start again with a floro based enclosure!

Like everything else in life, when rushing it one evening, it is rairly as simple as it should be.


Daniel