Down lights

[d.l.rob]

Does anyone know of a brand of LED down lights where in the manufacturers data, there is no minimum space they have to be installed away from joists and can be covered by thermal insulation? I have a potential job where installing any of the brands I am familiar with will be impossible to comply with?

 

[jackhammerJIM]

any which have an insulation cap . for example the aurora m series .

 

[d.l.rob]

True. But they have to be installed 50mm away from joists. On this particular structure I'm not going to be able to achieve that

 

[d.l.rob]

I'm losing hope such a brand exists haha

 

[joehat]

Why the cap? Surely the air cap covers for heat/ air cap? And if you used leds what would be the issue??

 

[d.l.rob]

In the real world there probably would never be an issue with LEDs. Although if anything happens (slim chance, but possible) and they pull the manufacturers data out in court, you have had it. It's mainly out of curiosity that I'm wondering if a model exists. I'm going to try and suggest something else as there is virtually no free space between the joists. If another electrician wins it and puts such lights in that's up to him/her

 

[Octopus]

Walk away?

 

[sam400]

Aurora enlites can be covered in insulation. Not sure about joist proximity though

 

[joehat]

What's the point in the metal surrounding/ fire rated surround Ect if it still needs a gap between it and the joist? Surely it's overkill, maybe a different make don't insist if this cap?

 

[markc123]

More chance of the joist catching fire than the insulation, that's why they're separated. That's the key element here, the joists, literally don't worry about the fibreglass. Infact insulation is incredibly difficult to burn, it just melts, even at ridiculously hot temperatures.

Fire rated lights with LED lamps - i'd be able to fit them nearer a joist than manufactures recommendations and sleep easy at night. These are just recommendations, and yes if anything went wrong you'd be bent over a caldron, but, the office boys that right these recommendations don't live in the real world, and occasionally, your professional judgement will override.

 

[rich.250]

An LED fitting itself should be ok next to a joist, it's the driver that is the potential heat source.
Something with a remote driver may do the job. Photonstar Spring to mind.
I will have a look.

 

[rich.250]

Doesn't mention joists, but the insulation may cause an issue.

 

[Andy78]

Doesn't mention joists, but the insulation may cause an issue.

It shows the dimensions of the required airspace. A joist would encroach on this airspace. A significant amount of heat can come off the back of an LED fitting. You can tell this because they all have large aluminium heatsinks to dissipate the heat. The driver is not the highest potential heat source.

 

[rich.250]

It shows the dimensions of the required airspace. A joist would encroach on this airspace. A significant amount of heat can come off the back of an LED fitting. You can tell this because they all have large aluminium heatsinks to dissipate the heat. The driver is not the highest potential heat source.

I take that back,
I have always been told and from how I interpreted instructions the driver was the heat source.

 

[Andy78]

I take that back,
I have always been told and from how I interpreted instructions the driver was the heat source.

I have known of drivers getting hot to the touch, generally happened in a batch of cheap garbage ones I lumbered myself with once. Decent ones that I have fitted generally run just slightly warm to direct touch.