GU10 Lamps

[Mr.Simple]

I had a look at some fire rated GU10 downlighters today for a friend, as they said that the bulbs were blowing frequently. I think this is just an aspect of GU10's that we have to live with. However I was astonished when I pulled the unit out of the ceiling how hot it all must have gotten. The feed to the lamp was via 1.0 T&E but this had become very brittle for a 6in (15cm?) length back along the cable. So much so that when bent it cracked and the conductors became visible.

Has anyone else encountered this & is it a wide spread problem?

I will try an post some pictures when I figure it out.

Thanks

 

[Octopus]

Not surprised about the heat and the cable damage!

 

[Silly Sausage]

Throw all Halogens in the bin and use LEDs.

 

[HandySparks]

Has anyone else encountered this & is it a wide spread problem?

Yes. See pic just over half way down this page:
Andrew Neish, Electrician and Handyman

 

[danzor]

Yes. See pic just over half way down this page:
Andrew Neish, Electrician and Handyman

Got to love some sparks, was changing a light fitting at a job the other day. Was getting 240 from N>E. Checked CU, someone had swapped the main switch but reversed polarity.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Got to love some sparks, was changing a light fitting at a job the other day. Was getting 240 from N>E. Checked CU, someone had swapped the main switch but reversed polarity.

Not sure if this absolutely correct but... (using Free Translation)
Polish for Live is 'Na żywo', so someone may have got confused!

 

[HandySparks]

Got to love some sparks, was changing a light fitting at a job the other day. Was getting 240 from N>E. Checked CU, someone had swapped the main switch but reversed polarity.

Yes. One of the more dangerous faults.

You switch off the breaker and the light goes out, so you think 'great I've isolated the correct circuit'. Only you've just broken the neutral. So if you cut through a cable, there's nothing between your snips and the DNO's 100A fuse!

 

[overskilled]

I've got an annoying one at my parents place...supply polarity is alright....however there is a hidden JB in the floor void under one of the bedrooms where the polarity for the upstairs lighting circuit has been messed up...been like that since....probably 1988....
"spark" who replaced the fusebox in 2010..didn't spot this fact....and in fact extended the feed for the circuit to the new CU location (which despite being all new cable...is a dogs breakfast...yet this bloke is seemingly flat out busy all the time and charges premium pricing.....the mind boggles...)

 

[Silly Sausage]

I've got an annoying one ...........

That's because you haven't got Part P and Self Certification North of the Border.

 

[overskilled]

Could be can't trust time served men...whats the world coming to....
annoying solely as I can't find the fsking thing, hunted high and low and nothing short of lifting the floor in sections is going to find it...according to my mum, when i described a jb to her..."oh there's loads of them under one of the front bedroom floors..."

 

[D Skelton]

Yes. One of the more dangerous faults.

You switch off the breaker and the light goes out, so you think 'great I've isolated the correct circuit'. Only you've just broken the neutral. So if you cut through a cable, there's nothing between your snips and the DNO's 100A fuse!

Or if you're extremely unlucky and someone has jammed a nail between the carrier and the fuse, nothing between your snips and a potential 630A fuse at the TX!

Tasty!

 

[Hawkmoon]

Yes. One of the more dangerous faults.

You switch off the breaker and the light goes out, so you think 'great I've isolated the correct circuit'. Only you've just broken the neutral. So if you cut through a cable, there's nothing between your snips and the DNO's 100A fuse!

Good reminder for those who may think that carrying out full 'safe isolation procedure' is a bit ott