Protecting ceiling boards from downlight springs

[Psyclist]

Evening all,

Just wondered if anyone knows if you can get some kind of guard or seat for sprung downlights.

The ones my electrician put in our kitchen have to be removed from the ceiling to change the bulbs and I'm just worried that over time, taking them out and putting them back in every time a bulb goes is going to slowly break up the edges of the hole cut in the plasterboard in which they are mounted.

Any ideas?

 

[ricicle]

How often do you expect the lamps to fail ?

 

[sparkwright]

You shouldn't normally have to remove the fitting from the ceiling to replace lamps. If there are covers over the fittings they should unscrew or pull off. GU10 lamps can be tricky to remove without the little rubber sucker.

If the fittings are 12 volt the fittings will be pulled out to replace the transformers when they fail, sometimes even the lampholders if they burn out.

Pulling the fittings out of the ceiling can cause damage to the ceiling.

No one has yet dreamt up of a design where a slimline surround can stay in the ceiling while the rest of the fitting can be removed.

I have heard apply a coat of varnish around the edge of plasterboard will strengthen it.

 

[holmslaw]

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[holmslaw]

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[EFLImpudence]

Cue skenk

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[sparkwright]

No one has yet dreamt up of a design where a slimline surround can stay in the ceiling while the rest of the fitting can be removed.

Numerous companies have, and millions of them have been specified and installed over the past 30+ years.

I cannot think of a downlighter where you can remove the main fitting, the transformer and the junction box whilst leaving a surround fixed to the hole in the ceiling.

Could you please point me in the right direction.
Many thanks in advance.

 

[Taylortwocities]

syclist. I think maybe you do not understand how the lights come apart for lamp changing. It should not be necessary to remove the fitting from the ceiling.

Can you take a picture of one of the downlights - and one of the lamp you use - every downlight I have installed has an easy lamp removal facility.

 

[ChrisRogers]

I'd never seen fittings that you had to remove to change a lamp before.. however one of my new customers had. Awful design and resulted in the ceilings getting trashed.

Customer spent a lot having 50 + removed and replaced....

I'd suggest employing a decent electrician that doesn't fit cheap crap

 

[kai]

Have you considered using LED GU10 type lamps in the fittings??, I've put them in my kitchen's ceiling fittings, and they work wonders, instant startup, they run much cooler, and my power bill is much lower than before.
I bought them from B+Q for GBP 12 a pair, they'll cover their cost during the first year of service.

 

[sparkwright]

If you send a photo of the lights, without pulling them out of the ceiling, we may see a better way of replacing the lamps.

If you really do have to pull the entire fitting out to replace the lamp I would suggest throwing them away and get better fittings, so they are user friendly.

 

[adugga]

Evening all,

Just wondered if anyone knows if you can get some kind of guard or seat for sprung downlights.

The ones my electrician put in our kitchen have to be removed from the ceiling to change the bulbs and I'm just worried that over time, taking them out and putting them back in every time a bulb goes is going to slowly break up the edges of the hole cut in the plasterboard in which they are mounted.

Any ideas?

I wondered the same thing so thought I would post my suggestion.

Take a piece of plasterboard and a large cutter. Drill till the cutter is half way through. Take the cutter for the size of hole you want. Drill out the center. Drill out the remaining outer circle so you finish up with a ring.
Cut the ring in half but leave a hinge of paper so you can fold it in half.
Take one tube of no nails and glue on one side . Fold in half and post through your ceiling hole then unfold and pull down onto ceiling to stick the ring to the ceiling.
Once it is set you can install the down light and when you try to remove it again it will only damage the upper ring.

 

[EFLImpudence]

May be too thick for some lights.

Why not do that with a piece of plastic?

Old thread.