Replacing kitchen halogen downlights with LED

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evening all

This weekend I want to swap halogen spotlights with LEDs in the kitchen

I tried the easy option of fitting LED bulbs in existing fittings and they didn’t draw enough power from the existing transformers and just gave a dull flicker.

I haven’t yet taken down any of the existing lamps but would I be right to assume each halogen downlight has its own transformer?

Aware I’ll need to change the transformer to a new driver to convert the power for LED. Will I need a new driver per LED downlight? Assuming so.

Also any recommendations on screwfix for LED downlights and drivers would be highly appreciated.

James
 
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I tried the easy option of fitting LED bulbs in existing fittings and they didn’t draw enough power from the existing transformers and just gave a dull flicker.
Electronic transformers often have a minimum load.


I haven’t yet taken down any of the existing lamps but would I be right to assume each halogen downlight has its own transformer?
No.


Aware I’ll need to change the transformer to a new driver to convert the power for LED. Will I need a new driver per LED downlight? Assuming so.
Not necessarily. What you'll need will be power supplies suitable for the number of lights you've got. Multiple lights from one supply is more likely than 1:1
 
Using a transformer it is a straight swap, however with an electronic transformer not so straight forward, the problem is most of the LED replacement lamps are rated as 12 volt 50 Hz and the output from an electronic transformer is not 50 Hz.

So often best idea is to swap the gu5.3 12 volt fittings for gu10 230 volt fittings and get rid of the transformers.

However if swapping then next question is if even GU10 is the way to light a room, The 16 × 1/8 inch (2 inch) lamp is quite small, put cooling fins around the lamp and smaller still, so only way it can light a room efficiently is for it to be aimed at a white surface and for that to defuse the light. If not aimed at white surface then better to start with a larger lamp to start with, 5 inch will work far better, surface mount so cover the old holes.
 
Not so straight forward then by the looks of things !! :LOL:

I was hoping just to remove old transformers wire in new driver to convert power for LED and slot back in

I’ll try and pull one down today and see what’s going on up there.

Thanks for replies so far!
 
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Ok folks so this is what we have going on up there

Looks like main feed going into a transformer. Then going into something else and then to the halogen light fitting.

Any thoughts on easy fix to put LEDs in based on this setup?
 

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I tried the easy option of fitting LED bulbs in existing fittings and they didn’t draw enough power from the existing transformers and just gave a dull flicker.

The power supplies are rated at Sec 11.4V~eff 5 A

That ~eff means the output has the same effect as 11.4Volts but could be an output that averages to be 11.4 volts and may have high frequency pulses as high as 36 volts. The driver in the LED lamp will be "confused" by these high freguency / voltage pulses and wil not operate properly. An incandescent lamp will work normally as it will average out the pulses.
 
Thanks
Can you tell me why I wouldn’t use one of these as a direct replacement for the ‘switch mode’ and connect LEDs to that?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/halolite...va/48058#product_additional_details_container

The product you’ve sent a link to looks a bit too complex for me !!! and I wouldn’t know what to do to connect 6 lights to it

Appreciate the help

Because that is another switch mode power supply similar to what you have. It has a minimum load requirement of 20 watts (your LEDs will be no more than 7 watts) and the output will be in tens of kHz not 50 Hz.

You could use six of the transformers I linked to or use one and an electrician to wire it up.
 

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