Spot lights in new annexe

[akist]

Hello,

For our garage conversion to an annexe I was thinking of installing dimmable spot lights, LED or not, and was wondering how many are "plenty" and how many would be "too few". I presume that each spot light bulb type has its own beam angle and brightness and it all depends.

The ceilings are at 2540mm. I would just like a rule of thumb as to how many we need in each room or how far apart at least so then I can count.

Thanks

 

[ericmark]

I found over around 5W in some cases 3W the MR16 type LED is not in fact 16/8ths of an inch across because of cooling fins, one is lucky to get one square inch of light, so if you consider 3W lamps then 230 lumen each, in out living room we have around 4000 lumen, so looking at around 18 lights, which makes the room look like a planetarium. Although you can get 7W versions, to use the light it needs reflecting of a light surface, or directing through a defuser, size does matter, when light hits a dark surface it is absorbed and turned into heat.

Having a direct-able spot aimed at pictures on the wall, or counter tops, great, but to light whole room, it just says I don't know what I am doing. Move from 2" to 6" and the number required drops, it is not a case of add the lumen's but consider how bright the light needs to be to get those lumen's.

Note:- MR16 refers to reflector and size, since LED lights often have no reflector they are not true MR16 lamps, it has nothing to do with voltage or type of electrical connector.

 

[Taylortwocities]

What is in the ceiling of your garannexe? If its stuffed full of kingspan, etc, how will you make a void for the downlights without compromising the thermal qualities of the construction?

 

[JohnW2]

... I presume that each spot light bulb type has its own beam angle and brightness and it all depends.

Indeed. Just a 'warning' about some of the views you might see being expressed here....

... some people who are very 'anti' small downlights seem to have their minds stuck in the era when they were all 'spotlights', with bulbs/lamps having beam angles typically of around 20° (sometimes less, rarely more than 30°) - and they rightly say that (with such 'bulbs') one is trying to light a room 'with a pile of torches'. However, small LED lamps/bulbs with beam angle of 110° or 120° (perhaps more) are now readily available - and that changes the whole situation!

Kind Regards, John

 

[akist]

I also like the LED idea as it is 5W compared to 50W, a huge saving in wasted heat and energy.

I am not sure about being dimmable though. In addition I am slightly worried about the quality and longevity of the 12V LED drivers/main adapters as I have bought at least a dozen for my aquariums' LED strip lights (on ebay), and 50% seem to fail over time without being loaded too much.