LEDs...

[Whitling2k]

Thinking of installing LEDs into my new study - 240v dimmable LEDs.

I'm pretty new to the LED thing - does anyone have any hints or tips? brands to avoid, configurations to aim for?

from 5 mins of dinner time research - I'm am thinking of speccing for:
- The ones that stop the spread of fire (below kids rooms)
- Mains voltages
- Dimmable
- Two additional switches (one upstairs dimmer at main entrance and switch near second exit)

Anything else to consider?

Cheers

Whitling2k

 

[Aragorn84]

Why LEDs? What type of LED's? Whats the study used for?

Whats there at the moment?

If your existing ceiling is not fire rated, downlights dont need to be fire rated either.

Downlights are pretty ****. Dont use downlights.

 

[JohnD]

if he's currently got a plaster ceiling, it will have some resistance to smoke, fire and sound. Cutting holes in it will degrade all of these.

 

[Fordy81]

Just LED bulbs, or new light fixings too?

If you want dimmable LED's, you need to buy specifically dimmable ones and use a trailing edge dimmer switch. Think the minimum load of the switches is 10W.

Get lamps with a minimum beam angle of 38 degrees.

 

[Whitling2k]

Thanks for the replies - a few questions have come up:

- Why LEDS? I think they are the future, I like the light that they emit - especially the warmer shades, and they require less power. I'm renovating the entire area; ceilings an'all - so have free reign on what I install. Please convince me otherwise - I'm all ears

- Just bulbs? No - complete new installation downstream of the rose in the room.

- Fire rated? They are puncturing skimmed 12.5mm plasterboard - below bedrooms - I would rather pay for the fire ratings now than ask why I didn't get around to putting the fire hoods on when it's too late.

- Dimmable? Is it possible to have one dimmer switch with the other two being toggle switches? Or is there any way of having two or more dimmers? (I would have thought not without going digital).

- Downlights? What's wrong with them? They fit the feel of the room, my desk area will have a spot-lamp and the reading area will have a floor-lamp. The rooms are only 2.3m tall - so wanted to avoid hanging lights where possible to avoid loosing too much height. Again - please conrrect me! I'm trying to understand my options and needs

Keep those thoughts coming peeps!!

Whitling2k

 

[jeds]

I can recommend JCC7s. Brilliant light, excellent dimming and not too expensive. The only drawback is that they are integrated units so when the LEDs fail the whole thing has to be replaced. But that is likely to be years and years and of the hundreds we've fitted in the last 12 months, we've not had one failure. Previous to these LEDs we used to fit compact flourescents. Which fail continually and are basically a load of carp.

 

[ericmark]

The GU10 LED tends to have a tight beam and as such where used the light needs to bounce off a light surface. In my bed room and bathroom I have the little 50mm GU10 and MR16 lamps in pods of different types but all allow me to aim the light where I want so I can aim at the light walls or even ceiling to get a good spread of light.

Same bulb in a fitting which is sunk into the ceiling can only point at the floor and often floors are dark and reflect little or no light into the room.

As to dimming I have removed most of my dimming switches and gone for multi lamps instead. At bedroom door three switches so I can select which lights to use. Although you can get slave dimming switches so lights are controlled from two places far easier to install two way switching and multi lamps.

these or similar can be aimed to bounce of a light surface likely losing no more than 6 inches of head room.

 

[SimonH2]

A mate has put quite a lot of Haler H2 units in - some dimmable, some not. They seem quite good - apart from being downlighters.

Downlighters are great if you want to light up what is directly below them - but that's normally the floor. So you end up with a well lit floor, and little else. They also cast harsh shadows if you do manage to get them pointed at whatever you want to light up.

 

[Taylortwocities]

A couple of thoughts

- Just bulbs? No - complete new installation downstream of the rose in the room.

Rose? but you won't have a rose, will you?

I would rather pay for the fire ratings now than ask why I didn't get around to putting the fire hoods on when it's too late.

It would be better to find space in your refurb budget to install a number of INTERLINKED smoke and heat alarms in the house. The smoke will get the kids a long time before the 30 minute ceiling burns through....