replace Kitchen down lights

[katypoo]

hi

i have 5 recessed kitchen down lights wired to a transformer behind all the wall units.

they have been faulty for a while and i want to replace the G4 halogen with G4 LED bulbs. I have bought 5 new down lights, which have been delivered with two very short cables (was promised 1 metre cables). They have click connectors attached but with so many different types i have not found it possible to purchase the male connectors to fit to my existing cabling so i can just plug them in.

Can i cut off the click connector and join the 2 cables from the 12v transformer to the lights with another connector and which are recommended?

Connectors seem to be rated in amps. am i correct in thinking from ohms law i need:
Watts = Volts x amps so
Amps = watts ÷ volts

Amps = 20 ÷ 12 = 1.66 amps

Am i barking up the right tree or creating a fire risk!!

Also, do i need any additional LED transformers?

any help appreciated

 

[Taylortwocities]

What sort of driver do your LED lamps require?
They may need a constant current or constant voltage driver.
Your existing transformer may not be suitable.

All of this should be in the manufacturers instructions.

 

[katypoo]

Recomended for use with constant voltage LED driver.

Is this compatible with the 12v Halogen transformers installed? If not then i will stick to halogen but still need to know how to connect the wires.

thanks

 

[katypoo]

I have the problem that i cannot access the hidden transformer(s) as behind wall units somewhere and i don't have time or energy to remove my 5 wall units to locate and replace them!

I have read that the problem of LED requiring constant voltage can be got around by keeping one halogen bulb in the circuit. I was only planning on replacing 3 for now anyway due to cost of the LED bulbs. i hope that 3 3w LED and 2 20w halogens will still save me money!

i have some LED GU10 bulbs in the house too, but they did die after only one year. i am able to access the wiring for these - what do i need to change to get the full life from the LEDs?

Also some MR16 LEDs directly connected to old halogen transformers did not last very long - i can access these transformers to are there any recommended LED transformers to use that are not pricey.

Not penny pinching but with a new build house installed with around 100 50w halogen spots i have a huge and costly task on my hands to reduce costs.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

a new build house installed with around 100 50w halogen spots.

How on earth did that get past Building Control?

 

[katypoo]

it was 2005 so before the energy surveys etc. No building control problems that i know of - should there have been then?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Oh yes.

Either Building Control were asleep at the wheel and believed the lies the builder told, or they were taking bribes.

 

[Chri5]

a new build house installed with around 100 50w halogen spots.

How on earth did that get past Building Control?

In 2005 our bc asked for a modest 10% of the new floor (loft) to be Es type.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

This was a whole new house, with 5kW of lighting when the law required that

Reasonable provision shall be made for the conservation of fuel and power in dwellings by providing lighting systems with appropriate lamps so that energy can be used efficiently.

Who wants to argue that when building a new house a reasonable provision of efficient lighting consisted of 100 50W spotlights?