Low wattage same as low voltage lights for building control?

[RRRRRR]

Hi- told I need low voltage (down)lights by building control. I want to get
LED's, but MR16's with cost of transformers (20 of them), its very expensive. GU10 LED's don't need a driver, so cheaper, and also only 3W each, so does anyone know if low Wattage would be as acceptable as low voltage? Thanks!

 

[pjcomp]

Where are these "low voltage" downlights intended for? In strict electrical terms, 240V is "low voltage", a term that covers anything between 50V and 1000V, below 50V is "extra low voltage" or ELV. Sounds like the LABC man doesn't really know what he's talking about - suggest you ask him for clarification.

PJ

 

[RRRRRR]

Hi- thanks for this- it's just a standard domestic garage conversion, and I believe the BC guy is spot on with latest regs in this case. If noone knows a definite answer, you're probably right that I should contact him direct. Can't see a problem though as 3W per fitting exceeds LV (12v) halogen even with 20W MR16s. Thanks.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi- told I need low voltage (down)lights by building control.

I'm certain that you were told to get low wattage, not low voltage.

I want to get
LED's, but MR16's with cost of transformers (20 of them), its very expensive.

If you use lights designed to light rooms, rather than 2" torch-like lights specifically designed to not light rooms then you won't need nearly so many.

GU10 LED's don't need a driver, so cheaper, and also only 3W each, so does anyone know if low Wattage would be as acceptable as low voltage? Thanks!

Low wattage is what they want.

BUT - they will probably insist on lights which cannot take ordinary lamps, so GU10 fittings won't be allowed, even if you put LED lamps in them.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi- thanks for this- it's just a standard domestic garage conversion.

Unless you are the Sultan of Brunei you do not need 20 fittings to light up a garage-sized space.

 

[pjcomp]

As BAS says, most likely he's asking for low wattage - he could have been asking for (extra) low voltage if it was a bathroom, but not in a garage conversion. Refurbs and new builds are supposed to have a percentage of low wattage light fittings, which means fittings that can only take low-watt lamps, not ordinary fittings with low watt lamps that can be changed for high watt lamps.

PJ

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

...fittings that can only take low-watt lamps, not ordinary fittings with low watt lamps that can be changed for high watt lamps.
PJ

I haven't really got this for some time. I thought these 'high watt' lamps were no longer available, because of EU legislation. So any holder would be fine surely?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You can still get GLS lamps up to 60W. In fact, I think 100s are still on sale - it's only shops that have stopped putting them on the shelves.

And of course 50W MR16 lamps are everywhere.

 

[Taylortwocities]

[quote="RRRRRR";p="1791022"- it's just a standard domestic garage conversion, and I believe the BC guy is spot on with latest regs in this case. .[/quote]

This "conversion". Are you extending the floorspace and extra rooms as part of this conversion?

I believe that the legislation was (pre October 2010, and that will be under the regs that your BR was agreed) that you must have 25% low energy = 40 LUMENS PER CIRCUIT-WATT of all additional lights. But that count only applies to additional floor space (extensions, etc).

I believe that under BR L1B (2006) if all you are doing is converting your garage space into rooms then you can tell the BC guy to take a walk re low energy lights.

 

[RRRRRR]

OK.Thanks guys. It is just a biggish domestic garage- 10 of the lamps in there.

I have just put 4 fire-rated 12V MR16's at 20W each in the smallish 'Utilty Room' too (old end of garage). Hopefully these meet the not too clear requirements.......

I wonder if BC are concerned about what's being fitted in garages in parallel worlds.....probably lighthouse lamps.

 

[TicklyT]

Your BCO probably meant low energy lamps. That's generally accepted as lighting giving better than 40 lumens per watt, significantly more than the average tungsten or tungsten halogen lamp.

Unfortunately installing recessed tungsten halogen spotlights could fail on two fronts:- the holes in the ceiling compromise the thermal insulation, and the lights themselves don't meet the BCOs energy efficiency requirements.

However, if that's what your BCO has asked for, and he's the one signing off the job......

 

[RRRRRR]

Thanks for this, but is this definitely right? The lights are 90 min fire rated which I thought was more than enough as the fire door only has to be 30 minutes fire rated.

You're right on the insulation which can't be around the fitment/ cables, but then what sort of light fitments are acceptable? Isn't there room for small compromise here if whole of rest of ceiling is insulated (with room above)?

 

[RRRRRR]

So 12V 20W lights are considered unacceptable? Is this really the case? I hope not.........

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why do you hope not?

They are unacceptable for reasons which ought to make them unacceptable to you anyway...

 

[pjcomp]

But the 20W lamps could be replaced with 50W lamps. The thing about the low energy fittings - two-pin or four-pin - is that the lamps can't be replaced by high energy ones. And if you're trying to make sense of these rulings, don't, it's more about bureaucracy than real life.

PJ