Halogen to LED- Transformers?

[slingshot2000]

Also, the fitting may need replacing with Fire-Rated ones, so a combined fitting and 240volt LED may be the best / cheapest option?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Also, the fitting may need replacing with Fire-Rated ones,

Why do you think that could be necessary?

 

[slingshot2000]

I think they "may" need to be Fire Rated as the ones shown in the OP's original photographs are open backed and there maybe accessible living accommodation in the room/s above that ceiling. Remember a plaster board ceiling has more then one function; the original one was to stop the transmission of noise, but more lately it is to stop the spread of fire.

 

[Midwest]

Why do you think that could be necessary?

To replace the fire rating of the plasterboard that has a hole in it,

 

[Taylortwocities]

Remember! Fire-rated fittings are only necessary where a fire compartment has been breached ( by someone making Swiss cheese out of a ceiling for downlights).

Ceilings in normal dwellings are not fire barriers and do not have any quoted fire resistance. It’s not needed, it’s pointless.

If it’s a double thickness plasterboard ceiling, or constructed from the pinkun then it’s s different matter.

Take a look at a standard house, there is a huge hole between the downstairs and upstairs. The staircase. That’s the bit to worry about.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Take a look at a standard house, there is a huge hole between the downstairs and upstairs. The staircase. That’s the bit to worry about.

I can personally vouch for that.
Fire started downstairs and burnt its way up the stairs.
All that happened with the downstairs ceilings was the lining paper peeled away.

 

[Midwest]

Remember! Fire-rated fittings are only necessary where a fire compartment has been breached ( by someone making Swiss cheese out of a ceiling for downlights).

Ceilings in normal dwellings are not fire barriers and do not have any quoted fire resistance. It’s not needed, it’s pointless.

If it’s a double thickness plasterboard ceiling, or constructed from the pinkun then it’s s different matter.

Take a look at a standard house, there is a huge hole between the downstairs and upstairs. The staircase. That’s the bit to worry about.

The plasterboard is put up not to just look nice, but protect those wooden things in the ceiling. And now with the 18th, those plastic cable clips.

You've told us about the stair thing before, thats why we have doors.

 

[Midwest]

And RSJ's. ​

 

[GBDamo]

Bit of a thread resurrection but been doing a trade counter straw pole on this one and the findings are that no-one seems to know what the he'll I'm on about.

They just sell MR16 LED lamps, never had any back and don't recommend transformer replacement.

Now, the caveat is that your average trade counter staff is not always that knowledgeable but you'd expect they'd remember getting a slew of returns.

In my reactive maintenance role it doesn't really matter that the lamp might not last, typically it lasts longer than the staff, typically they last longer than the halogen they are replacing.

I can see why the domestic lot would rather replace for GU10s and it make sense.

 

[Midwest]

Well I've never tried an LED MR16, in a fitting fed by a transformer, as opposed LED driver.

So I can't comment.

 

[EDMOND MATOSHI]

The starting load of the transformer is 20w so replacing halogen with LED that is rated let’s say 5w won’t work as the minimum staring load is not met. In this case you would need a minimum of 4 LED’s connected to one transformer for them to work. I personally would change them to fire rated GU 10 LEDs connected to 230v supply

 

[Shoei]

Important to distinguish between electronic 12V inverters and wound toroidal (or other) transformers. Electronic inverters can become unstable if the load is too small, so fitting a LED can result in flickering or premature failure of the inverter. Wound transformers typically shove out 12VAC or so regardless of load so work fine even running the lighter load of one or more LEDs.

Older 12V LEDs used to be a bit rubbish but newer ones have good light output and are a useful option to upgrade 12V halogens.

 

[Chris_4AC]

Thank you. Just to be sure I understood right, for someone with MR16 halogen bulbs as in the attached picture who wants to go LED, you'd recommend getting rid of the old transformer and installing a GU10 lamp holder? That seems much simpler than installing a driver for MR16 LED bulbs, indeed.

Bit of a thread resurrection but been doing a trade counter straw pole on this one and the findings are that no-one seems to know what the he'll I'm on about.

They just sell MR16 LED lamps, never had any back and don't recommend transformer replacement.

Now, the caveat is that your average trade counter staff is not always that knowledgeable but you'd expect they'd remember getting a slew of returns.

In my reactive maintenance role it doesn't really matter that the lamp might not last, typically it lasts longer than the staff, typically they last longer than the halogen they are replacing.

I can see why the domestic lot would rather replace for GU10s and it make sense.

 

[Chris_4AC]

Thank you. Just to be sure I understood right, for someone with MR16 halogen bulbs as in the attached picture who wants to go LED, you'd recommend getting rid of the old transformer and installing a GU10 lamp holder? That seems much simpler than installing a driver for MR16 LED bulbs, indeed.

Bit of a thread resurrection but been doing a trade counter straw pole on this one and the findings are that no-one seems to know what the he'll I'm on about.

They just sell MR16 LED lamps, never had any back and don't recommend transformer replacement.

Now, the caveat is that your average trade counter staff is not always that knowledgeable but you'd expect they'd remember getting a slew of returns.

In my reactive maintenance role it doesn't really matter that the lamp might not last, typically it lasts longer than the staff, typically they last longer than the halogen they are replacing.

I can see why the domestic lot would rather replace for GU10s and it make sense.

 

[Shoei]

It's largely personal preference, you can get good results using a 12V LED and a separate driver or using mains GU10. All LEDs are low voltage internally so in effect a GU10 is equivalent to an MR16 with an integrated driver.

The decision is usually made for convenience and aesthetics. It may be easier to swap out halogens with MR16 LEDs if you particularly like the light fitting, if they're hard to replace without damaging the decor or if the wiring is inaccessible.