Halogen lights and loft space

[Nobby1974]

Hi fellas

I posted a similar question in the 'floors and lofts' forum, but guess they are mostly floor-and-loft types over there so I've had no replies. I'm hoping some bright spark can help though... (pun intended!)

Mrs Nobby and I bought a bungalow earlier this year, which has halogens fitted throughout. I think they're all fire rated GU10s, but I've not checked all of them. These were fitted during a refit just before we bought the place. The loft insulation (pink rockwool) was 'fixed' by simply pulling the insulation back away from the lights.

Now it is getting colder outside, the house is leaking heat like crazy. I'm planning to add some extra insulation, and am aware there are gadgets for creating air gaps between light and insulation...

but

as well as adding more insulation I'd like to board part of the loft for storage, which would mean covering some of the lights. The lights sit in plaster board suspended from 3"x2" joists, which are 18" apart (centre-to-centre). Would it be okay to board straight over the lights, which would effectively seal them into boxes with rockwool at each end (about 10" away), 8" either side to the joists, and then about 2" to the underside of the board?

Any advice of tips you can give would be really appreciated as I've 350 quids worth of boards and insulation in the garage ready to lay (yep, you guessed it, it hadn't occured to me that this might be a problem!)

Cheers in advance folks

Nobby

p.s. I don't need to worry about wires going over joists and between the boards as the ones leading to the lights in question all run parallel to the joists.

 

[Cremeegg]

I'd be more concerned about only having joists that are only 3" x 2"; put your weight plus the weight of (presumably) chipboard boarding plus the insulation and whatever you will store in the loft and I'd be looking at getting some Acrowprops in to support it all before I started worrying about heat from downlighters.

 

[Adam_151]

Consult the manufacturers of the fittings as to the required clearnaces, but I doubt very much that 50mm above will be sufficent

Recessed TH lamps are this decades polystrene tiles

 

[DESL]

Recessed TH lamps are this decades polystrene tiles

Bit like decking

Roll on the phasing out of incandescent lamps

 

[Steve]

Agree with cremegg - i wouldnt go boarding that loft, it sounds like prefab roof trusses, which with 3x2 ceiling beams, weren't designed for supporting weight other than a ceiling.

 

[alpcon]

don't do it you know it makes sense

3 x 2 joists not suitable for any additional load so that relieves you of the problem with your downlighters. If I may give you some advice.

I wouldn't even be going into to loft with joists that size and I would definitely not store anything too heavy up there otherwise the ceiling could end up in your wifes lap

Nick the builder

 

[Nobby1974]

Thanks for all the replies fellas.

I must admit to feeling a dumb, joists are 4x2.5... duh!

Only plan on boarding an area about 5 feet wide, running wall to wall and about 2 1/2 feet either side of the central supporting wall.

I got an answer from the other thread re the heat - it has been suggested that it will be sufficient to keep the insulation safely away from the lights (as at present) and then drill a hole 30mm wide immediately above the light (I'd do this before fitting the board though so I can see what's what).

Provided I don't then put anything directly on the hole does that sound like a viable option? It seems to make perfect sense to me. There's over 2.5 inches between the back of the light and the underside of the board.

 

[rjb]

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=A354593&ts=75258&id=32998

Have a look at these. They are LCD replacments for 230v halogens. They run very cool. Probably not as bright as Halogen.

Give them a call and ask for the Candela rating.

 

[securespark]

Is that Nelson Candela?

 

[rjb]

Yes. In fact if the bulbs turn out to be very, very dim then there would be protests up and down the country with people crying out.....(wait for it)

THREE NELSON CANDELA.

(I thank you )

PS. That was the best light bulb joke since I bought long life G9 bulbs for all of you following my kitchen light follies.

 

[Cremeegg]

No where near as bright and a very different colour - some may like them - most don't. Try one and see.