Halogen ceiling light - blown transformer?

[WillyShatsWig]

Hi there,

I know NOTHING about electrics, so please be gentle.

Since moving into our house a year ago, enough halogen bulbs in the sitting room's ceiling light have blown (or whatever halogen bulbs do!) to make the room noticeably darker.

The light takes 12 halogen bulbs. I bought 2x 20w 6 packs from Homebase to replace the 5 that had blown.

Once the new 5 had been seated the room was the brightest it had ever been, with all 12 bulbs working.
After 90 mins the bulbs all suddenly dimmed and went out completely.
Nothing tripped in the electrics.

I took the shell down from the ceiling and saw that the transformer (BSY-8150R - Baon Shin Ya) inside states 50W - 150W on its label.
With the 5x 20W and 7x what must be 10W bulbs, the total on the circuit would have been 170W.

I have tried taking all bulbs out except one, but still nothing.
I have tried putting the original 7 bulbs back in, and nothing.

Have I blown the transformer? Or has it just "tripped"?

 

[chivers67]

You need a multi meter really to be 100% sure. If it is shot you can pick transformers up that easily from an electrical wholesaler - take the old one if you aren't sure. The aren't expensive either which is a good thing

Also in future I'd avoid buying cheap lamps they are false economy most of us have learnt the hard way

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It sounds like the transformer has gone and was under rated for the load.
The reason will likely be that the ones you replaced where originally 10W, so there was no overload on the transformer originally, but the replacements being 20W, this has then overloaded the transformer.
So your requirements are to use lamps rated no higher than 10W or increase the the rating of the transformer. But a new transformer is likely to be required.
If you start replacing with 20W lamps, the demand could be increased to 240W and the transformer will require to be rated about 10% or more, higher than that.

 

[securespark]

This is what you need, although they are out of stock at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/AU-RD150-50-150W-Round-Electronic-Transformer/dp/B002Z5UN00

 

[Taylortwocities]

Does it work OK if you take a few lamps out? Some transformers shut down if there is an overload.

Or there may be a fuse in the output. Have a good look.

Per the above, it does sound like it is meant for 10watt lamps, not 20watt.

 

[Iggifer]

This is what you need, although they are out of stock at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/AU-RD150-50-150W-Round-Electronic-Transformer/dp/B002Z5UN00[/QUOTE]

http://www.discount-electrical.co.u...rminals-50w-va---150w-va-dia----76mm-x-h-25mm