Lights go out intermittently

[mk2phil]

In our kitchen we have 6 downlighters. After about 10 minutes of being turned on, the end 2 simply go out (sometimes flickering before they do so). If you leave the lights off for about 30 mins then turn them back on again, they all light up fine, but 10 mintues later that last 2 go out again. I've changed the bulbs and its still happening.

They're using 50W GU10 bulbs so I know its not a transformer playing up. I'm assumiong there either 'daisy-chained' or linked via a junction box. All I can think of is that the connections are loose or the connections on the top of the light fitting is knackered.

Any ideas greatly welcomed.

Thanks in advance

 

[the_jinj]

Like you mentioned I would be checking for bad/burned connections etc

 

[Job_n_knock]

Modern low voltage transformers have inside them thermistors or small thermocouples which switch off the supply if they get too hot and this is whats happening in your case I think. Remove the fittings and check to see if there is lagging around the fitting/transformers and move it out of the way allowing some space. I once went to a blokes house where this was happening and found that apart from each light going on and off, the plastic connector blocks which were used had melted into soft round blobs of sticky plastic and the copper connectors inside had stayed apart so not shorting out.

 

[RF Lighting]

Modern low voltage transformers have inside them thermistors or small thermocouples which switch off the supply if they get too hot and this is whats happening in your case I think.

Try having a read of the OP

They're using 50W GU10 bulbs so I know its not a transformer playing up

 

[Job_n_knock]

Read it too quickly...fair enough not a tranny prob. I stand corrected.

 

[securespark]

Are they old fittings? Lampholders fail with time.

Or a bad connection as has been mentioned. You say "the end two", and "10 minutes", so I assume there is a poor connection before the cable that feeds the end two.

It could be that 10 minutes is enough time to heat up and expand the metal bracket and move a loose connection to disconnect the lights. When it cools down, the connection makes again.

 

[mk2phil]

thanks for all the advice guys - turned out to be a dodgy connection into one of the lights - becuase they've been daisy-chained its a tight fit into the connector and one had come loose. All fixed now.

Thanks again