Low voltage uplights for bathroom?

[Skiny]

Are there any uplights available, that could be used in the bathroom? I want to have a spotlight, lighting up a stone wall just behind the bath, but obviously want it done safely (but not battery).

It would sit on the floor of the bathroom, between a freestanding bath and the wall.

 

[JohnW2]

Are there any uplights available, that could be used in the bathroom? I want to have a spotlight, lighting up a stone wall just behind the bath, but obviously want it done safely (but not battery). It would sit on the floor of the bathroom, between a freestanding bath and the wall.

Just to get it out of the way - someone is bound to tell you that, per the technical definitions used by electricians, "Low Voltage" means 50V - 1000V (i.e. including 'mains' voltage) and that what you are talking about is, technically, "Extra Low Voltage" (no higher than 50V AC)!!

Having got that out of the way, have you considered using the sort of lights which are designed to be used outdoors (in the rain!), recessed into paths and patios etc. (maybe recessed into your bathroom floor).

The greatest problem might be in getting power to the light in an acceptable fashion, rather than finding an appropriate light - you cannot, for example, have a socket within 3 metres of a bath/shower or most sorts of switch within 600 mm of a bath/shower.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

With a low-draw LED lamp, you should be able to run a feed to the fitting off the secondary side and site the tx outside the bathroom (eg. in a cupboard somewhere) without too much volt drop. Then the entire uplighting installation within the bathroom is SELV.

 

[JohnW2]

With a low-draw LED lamp, you should be able to run a feed to the fitting off the secondary side and site the tx outside the bathroom (eg. in a cupboard somewhere) without too much volt drop. Then the entire uplighting installation within the bathroom is SELV.

Indeed - that's the sort of think I was thinking of when I suggested that the wiring might not be totally straightforward. Indeed, if the lamp/fitting were such that one could use a constant-current driver, then voltage drop should not be an issue.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

These are suitable for use with most 12V transformers*

https://www.ledsmiths.com/products/...=18668625157&gclid=CK6CpOP8ltACFSQz0wodRW8IIA

Looking on TLC's volt drop calculator page, if you used T&E in a thermal wall, a 5W 12V load (0.42A) run at anything up to 26.1m would be OK on 1 milli cable. This would give 0.5V volt drop (4%).
At a more realistic 5m cable length, the volt drop is 0.1V (0.8%). At this shorter length, you could also use 1 milli flex.


*apologies to winston (not)

 

[winston1]

These are suitable for use with most 12V transformers*

https://www.ledsmiths.com/products/...=18668625157&gclid=CK6CpOP8ltACFSQz0wodRW8IIA


*apologies to winston (not)

No need to apologise. That supplier clearly has no idea what he is talking about. He refers to those lamps as MR 16 when they don't have a multifaceted reflector. He also refers to them as low voltage which we all know is wrong as explained in post 2.

 

[winston1]

With a low-draw LED lamp, you should be able to run a feed to the fitting off the secondary side and site the tx outside the bathroom (eg. in a cupboard somewhere) without too much volt drop. Then the entire uplighting installation within the bathroom is SELV.

A tx is a transmitter. I'm sure that's not what you meant.

 

[securespark]

It can mean transmitter.

It can also mean treatment, in a medical scenario.

It can also mean transformer.

I apologise for using shorthand that could confuse DIYers.

 

[JohnW2]

It can mean transmitter. It can also mean treatment, in a medical scenario. It can also mean transformer.

Indeed, and a myriad of other things as well (e.g. 'transplant', as well as 'treatment', in medical circles). In this case, there is no question of 'correct' and 'incorrect' - all are 'correct' and most sensible people can usually understand the meaning by virtue of the context (as with your recent use of the abbreviation). 'Nuf said!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Skiny]

Thanks for the replies!

I considered some sort of outdoor lighting, but like you say, I'd still have to bring power to it. Which is why I thought an extra low voltage setup would be far better.

The light would go on the floor, right next to (behind) a freestanding bath, so of course needs to be completely safe. I'm not really sure how to go about it though.

Would something such as this work?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TD8SAMU/ref=psdc_248795031_t3_B00JB12M50
+
https://www.amazon.co.uk/30W-Driver...0041B3US8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8


It's just to light up an old stone wall, but it would be nice to be freestanding (or at least adjustable), to get the angle and effect just right.

 

[stillp]

A tx is a transmitter. I'm sure that's not what you meant.

What's Texas got to do with it?

 

[JohnW2]

What's Texas got to do with it?

Or 'Thanks'!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Nick Smith]

No need to apologise. That supplier clearly has no idea what he is talking about. He refers to those lamps as MR 16 when they don't have a multifaceted reflector. He also refers to them as low voltage which we all know is wrong as explained in post 2.

Hi Winston1,

I felt compelled to get involved when you called me out, I happen to be the owner of the business (LEDSmiths.com) and you claim that I don't know what I'm talking about. As the website is a website that faces the general public that aren't electricians or lighting professionals, yes we have terms such as MR16 (Multifaceted Reflector, 16/8ths of an inch diameter) on the website to describe what the general public need to know to replace the lamp that they would be holding in their hands. I should know, I also worked for a major UK manufacturer and designed the lamp stamps that went on to the old halogen lamps. Not only did I spend time working on the halogen lamps you would have worked with in the past, I then moved onto being the LED Development manager of this particular company and designed and specified the LEDs that hundreds of thousands of people now have in their homes.

So what would you call it? You can't call it a GU10, because that would be wrong, GU10 refers to the base of a GU fitting that is 10 mm apart (you might have seen it as nail heads protruding from the bottom of the lamp). You can't call it a PAR16, because that in your eyes (you've already poo-poo'ed MR16), stands for Parabolic Aluminium Reflector, 16/8ths of an inch diameter. Can you just call it a spotlight? Or is that far too generic because that could refer to a PAR10, a PAR16, 20, 38, 56 or an R39, R50, R63, R80, R95 or R125 or a GU10? No the only thing to describe it to the general public for them to understand because they are holding in their hands and reading the lamp stamp is MR16 and I do apologise if this doesn't live up to your high expectations but as I've also (before my LED Development days) ran one of the leading online lamp retailers for 8 years, every person that doesn't understand lamps calls these particular 'bulbs' (note I'm using the term bulbs, shock horror!) MR16 and any voltage that is lower than 240V is then also called 'low voltage'. Again I apologise that this might not meet the high standards of electricians around the country but in order for the public to receive the correct LEDs they need 'laymans terms' to make sure they land in the right spot.

Back on the topic of the discussion, what securespark mentioned is spot on.

 

[winston1]

Why not call them what they are, a GU5.3 12 volt LED spotlight?

Incidentally it has pins, not nail heads.

 

[Nick Smith]

Why not call them what they are, a GU5.3 12 volt LED spotlight?

Incidentally it has pins, not nail heads.

Sorry, I was refering to the fact that some websites in their infinite wisdom even call the GU5.3 a GU10, because they think the GU10 refers to the shape, so the description is GU10 low voltage 12V LED. Shocking!

The GU5.3 does indeed have 2 sharp pins (sorry was talking about the GU10 and the reference above, I should have made that clear), but I can tell you from speaking to probably thousands of people on the phone about lighting, non-LED and LED, not a single one understood the term GU5.3, most thought this was a batch code.

Here is a classic example, the best, without comparison LED manufacturer (Philips) - http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/01...aster-LED-MR16-Boxes.jpg?12710110198946751636, unfortunately it seems to have transpired within the lighting industry that the term MR16 now refers to the shape of the lamp. It is the same reference in the EU directive that banned the halogens in the first place, they are also described as 'MR16'.