anyone help her indoors wants downlighters in bathroom. just fitted new flat roof to my shower room its only 2mx2m the rafters are only 125mm is this enough space to fit low voltage d/lighters the ins is celotex and the plaster board has not been fitted yet.can i make loft caps from p/board and if so how big do they need to be.
low voltage down lighters
- Thread starter xspurt
- Start date
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You'll have to consult the manufacturers instructions. But I'd always say downlights in a flat roof is a bad idea, because you'll never get the same insulation with them in too.
By the way, low voltage downlighters use more energy and are more hassle than mains voltage.
By the way, low voltage downlighters use more energy and are more hassle than mains voltage.
Oh no they arn't. 
The superior light quality is far worth the little bit of extra installation.
Anyway, a 125mm void really is not a lot of room for downlights.
The superior light quality is far worth the little bit of extra installation.
Anyway, a 125mm void really is not a lot of room for downlights.
1) There is no way that you'll be able to keep the required thickness of insulation if you fit those lights, therefore you will be making the roof less compliant with Part L than it was before, therefore you will be in contravention of the Building Regulations Part L.
2) As it's in a bathroom you must install a sealed cover over the lights (firehoods and/or fire-rated downlighters will not do) otherwise you will get warm moist air from the bathroom entering an unconditioned space and condensation will result. That would contravene the Building Regulations. Since the only way you can seal a cover over the hole is from above, and you can't do that now the roof is there, if you install these lights you will be in contravention of the Building Regulations Part C.
3) Both 1 & 2 will be significant contraventions because lights like that are so bad at lighting a room that you'll have to have lots of them, and unless you have a friendly BCO he may rule that the mere presence of lighting which can take non-energy efficient lamps is in itself a contravention of the Building Regulations Part L.
4) Installing lights in the room is notifiable, so even if the BCO isn't bothered about (3) I very much doubt he would let you go ahead because of (1) and (2).
Basically you cannot have this type of lighting - if you wanted them then you should have planned it much earlier so that you could have built a deeper roof and sealed the holes while you still had access from above.
Whether your wife likes it or not it is now too late.
5) FYI - the IEC definitions of voltage bands are:
2) As it's in a bathroom you must install a sealed cover over the lights (firehoods and/or fire-rated downlighters will not do) otherwise you will get warm moist air from the bathroom entering an unconditioned space and condensation will result. That would contravene the Building Regulations. Since the only way you can seal a cover over the hole is from above, and you can't do that now the roof is there, if you install these lights you will be in contravention of the Building Regulations Part C.
3) Both 1 & 2 will be significant contraventions because lights like that are so bad at lighting a room that you'll have to have lots of them, and unless you have a friendly BCO he may rule that the mere presence of lighting which can take non-energy efficient lamps is in itself a contravention of the Building Regulations Part L.
4) Installing lights in the room is notifiable, so even if the BCO isn't bothered about (3) I very much doubt he would let you go ahead because of (1) and (2).
Basically you cannot have this type of lighting - if you wanted them then you should have planned it much earlier so that you could have built a deeper roof and sealed the holes while you still had access from above.
Whether your wife likes it or not it is now too late.
5) FYI - the IEC definitions of voltage bands are:
- Extra Low Voltage: AC below 50V and DC below 120V
- Low Voltage: 50 - 1000V AC or 120 - 1500V DC
- Medium voltage: 1kV - 35kV
- High voltage: 35kV - 230kV
- Extra-high voltage: >230kV
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S
sparkyspike
Can you lower the ceiling?
I wonder at what point that would create another "discussion" with the BCO about a Part M contravention.....
About 7 feet?I wonder at what point that would create another "discussion" with the BCO about a Part M contravention.....
A 230v downlighter is a mains supplied (230v a.c.) downlighter and is also classed as a low voltage downlighter....
EDIT - I should have read the whole thread then I would have seen that BAN had already corrected you.
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