Help with led problem!

[hoppy]

Hi

I have been to replace 2 bathroom wall lights from mr16 to 2 new led lights, however due to wiring issues, I have had to put the transformers in the loft. The lights will not
work and I believe it is due the the length of the existing 12v cables and the fact the new led lights do not draw enough current to make them
work. When I put my voltage testers across one of the transformers in the loft, the light it feeds works.
is there anything I can get to make these lights work, and would I fit it at the transformer or the fitting itself?


thanks

craig

 

[GEOFF S]

Hi

I have been to replace 2 bathroom wall lights from mr16 to 2 new led lights, however due to wiring issues, I have had to put the transformers in the loft. The lights will not
work and I believe it is due the the length of the existing 12v cables and the fact the new led lights do not draw enough current to make them
work. When I put my voltage testers across one of the transformers in the loft, the light it feeds works.
is there anything I can get to make these lights work, and would I fit it at the transformer or the fitting itself?


thanks

craig

Hi

Transformers or drivers?

Cheers

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Is there no way you can change them to GU10's? What sort of cable is sticking out of the wall, a piece of small 2 core flex or 1mm T&E and what CSA is it? How long is the run from loft to where the lights are? Plus, as above are you using a transformer or LED driver?

 

[Simonslimline]

Hi

I have been to replace 2 bathroom wall lights from mr16 to 2 new led lights, however due to wiring issues, I have had to put the transformers in the loft. The lights will not
work and I believe it is due the the length of the existing 12v cables and the fact the new led lights do not draw enough current to make them
work. When I put my voltage testers across one of the transformers in the loft, the light it feeds works.
is there anything I can get to make these lights work, and would I fit it at the transformer or the fitting itself?


thanks

craig

What kind of voltage tester is it out of interest?

 

[marc8]

what location was the original transformer, have you come of the secondary of the transformer or have you come of the mains?

if you have come of the secondary how far have you extended the cabling ?

 

[davesparks]

Change the transformer for a constant voltage driver.
Or fit a dummy load such as the danlers resloade

 

[Lagentium]

Also check if the driver/transformer requires them to be wired in series or parallel

 

[davesparks]

Also check if the driver/transformer requires them to be wired in series or parallel

The op suggests that they are 12V units so obviously they would need a constant voltage supply and be wired in parallel.

Constant current supplies require the loads to be connected in series

 

[Lagentium]

Obviously Dave, you my friend are the Spark God

 

[davesparks]

Obviously Dave, you my friend are the Spark God

Not at all, but when it's something that needs basic knowledge taught in secondary schools then it should be obvious to anyone

 

[Lagentium]

I bow down to your superior knowledge, I'm sure it has caught many people out before though

 

[davesparks]

I bow down to your superior knowledge, I'm sure it has caught many people out before though

My knowledge on this should not be superior, any working electrician should have this kind of knowledge!

 

[NDG Elecs]

You do have a brilliant ability to remember everything DS! That's a compliment by the way. The series/parallel bit is obvious to me in this instance though.

I have a mate whom, like yourself, can recall detailed facts about everything he has pretty much ever read about/learned.

 

[davesparks]

You do have a brilliant ability to remember everything DS! That's a compliment by the way. The series/parallel bit is obvious to me in this instance though.

I have a mate whom, like yourself, can recall detailed facts about everything he has pretty much ever read about/learned.

I don't think so, I would say I have more of an ability to refrain from posting on threads when I don't know the answers, which makes me appear more knowledgeable than people who post up guesses and wrong answers

 

[Leesparkykent]

I don't think so, I would say I have more of an ability to refrain from posting on threads when I don't know the answers, which makes me appear more knowledgeable than people who post up guesses and wrong answers

Take it as a compliment Davesparks .

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Take it as a compliment Davesparks .

What is the square at the end of the sentence Lee?

 

[Leesparkykent]

What is the square at the end of the sentence Lee?

Winking smiley face on tapatalk classic. Obviously doesn't come through properly on the forum then.

 

[Dave OCD]

To the OP, this may seem silly but are you absolutely certain that the new fittings don't have integrated drivers in them ?

 

[JD Hogg]

I would change them to GU10's, even if the LED MR16's work sometimes you will find that unless you change the transformer to a LED driver they flicker.

 

[NDG Elecs]

I don't think so, I would say I have more of an ability to refrain from posting on threads when I don't know the answers, which makes me appear more knowledgeable than people who post up guesses and wrong answers

Haha! Yeah defo a good policy to keep quiet sometimes. However your electrical knowledge, along with numerous other members on here, is excellent, and just shows how complicated electrics can be in my view. When I first started the CG 2330 approx 11 years ago, I never anticipated that the breadth and depth of electrical theory/practical work would keep me feeling like I know very little still! That is partly why I find forums like this can be fascinating.

 

[hoppy]

Hi, sorry, been mad busy!

thanks for the replies.

the cables from the loft are a 2 core aluminium or steel conductor with a clear sheath, I wouldn't want to put 230 down them.
the new lights have built in drivers, but as I didn't want to put 230 down the existing cables, I took the drivers out of the fitting and located them in the loft! There are each light is wired separately from the loft, and each has its own driver. The first lights cables are about 800mm long and the second lights cables are about 1500mm long.

my voltage tester is a megger.

thanks

craig

 

[sparksburnout]

Hi, sorry, been mad busy!

thanks for the replies.

the cables from the loft are a 2 core aluminium or steel conductor with a clear sheath, I wouldn't want to put 230 down them.
the new lights have built in drivers, but as I didn't want to put 230 down the existing cables, I took the drivers out of the fitting and located them in the loft! There are each light is wired separately from the loft, and each has its own driver. The first lights cables are about 800mm long and the second lights cables are about 1500mm long.

my voltage tester is a megger.

thanks

craig

Do you think you could repost this when you have sobered up?

 

[davesparks]

Haha! Yeah defo a good policy to keep quiet sometimes. However your electrical knowledge, along with numerous other members on here, is excellent, and just shows how complicated electrics can be in my view. When I first started the CG 2330 approx 11 years ago, I never anticipated that the breadth and depth of electrical theory/practical work would keep me feeling like I know very little still! That is partly why I find forums like this can be fascinating.

Would it make you feel better or worse to know that I started the 2330 (and consequently my apprenticeship) at around the same time?

 

[davesparks]

Hi, sorry, been mad busy!

thanks for the replies.

the cables from the loft are a 2 core aluminium or steel conductor with a clear sheath, I wouldn't want to put 230 down them.
the new lights have built in drivers, but as I didn't want to put 230 down the existing cables, I took the drivers out of the fitting and located them in the loft! There are each light is wired separately from the loft, and each has its own driver. The first lights cables are about 800mm long and the second lights cables are about 1500mm long.

my voltage tester is a megger.

thanks

craig

So you took the fitting apart and put a longer cable between the driver and LED than it was designed to have?
It could be that the added impedance of the cable is the problem.
Or the fact they come on when you apply the test probes could mean the terminations are loose and only make good contact when pressure is applied.

 

[sparksburnout]

He's from Tel's neck of the woods he's nicked em and now they won't work.....

 

[NDG Elecs]

Would it make you feel better or worse to know that I started the 2330 (and consequently my apprenticeship) at around the same time?

Worse, much worse!! You must have had a better boss to learn from! Mine was pretty carp TBH.