What type of downlight to use..

[rodney12]

Hi guys,

Quoting fora job, 8 downlights in a kitchen, but i must admit i'm not up to date on all the different new types that may be about, the customer asked me to quote for R60 fittings, anyone know what he means as i've not heard of them


This brings me to my next question, what type of downlights are all you guys fitting now, is everyone still using GU10s??

Thanks in advance

 

[rocker]

Well whatever you do, remember to put a flower pot on it

I THINK an R60 is a small, screw fitting such as the type you would find on a small reflector bulb, but don't quote me on that.

Due to the prohibitive cost of LED lighting at the moment, I think everyone still tends to use GU10s or MR16s

 

[sparks1234]

R60's are a bit old hat, GU10 are getting better but they are still not as good as Low voltage dichroic, the light is whiter on the LV fittings.

As for the flower pot. do yourself a favour and fit fire rated fittings instead.
Most of the fire rated are acoustic rated as well so satisying sound and fire transfer

 

[Markc]

I would also factor in the future proofing of the fittings. R60 in their current format will be phased out for low energy types. R60 also old hat now. I prefer to go down the GU10 low energy route now even over low voltage. The Phillips LED is GU10 is going to replace these I would say (amongst the others they produce) but until the cost comes down not every one will be able to afford it.
Low energy warm up is a problem but getting better in my experience. I will not fit anything else other than fore rated now. No cost difference unless you’re pricing against B&Q for example!

 

[rocker]

Hi just want to clarify I was only messing about saying to put a flower pot on (see long-running earlier thread) and I always use fire rated.

I would like to know where you are getting your fire rated downlighters from, though, if you are getting them for the same price as non-rated. The absolute cheapest I have been able to come across are about 6 quid, and that's only on a bulk order. I could get non rated ones for less than a quid each!

 

[rodney12]

Cheers for the replies, i'm just going explain to him that R60s are old skool and just quote for some GU10s as usual, fire rated of course

 

[Markc]

I would like to know where you are getting your fire rated downlighters from, though, if you are getting them for the same price as non-rated. The absolute cheapest I have been able to come across are about 6 quid, and that's only on a bulk order. I could get non rated ones for less than a quid each![/QUOTE]

Most of the wholesalers we use. Nationals and independents. Time you allow for junction box (small 20amp or new click plug type, decent transformer (not a £2 special) and fitting low energy comes to just about the same. Can get fire rated low energy for under £10 now. Not megaman lamps but I don’t rate them anyway. To many failures. We now use Regent lamps (7wt) we must now be over the 300 fittings mark and no one single lamp failure and the warm up is half that of other said lamp.

 

[sparks1234]

We use Aurora kits which is lamp / fire rated fitting / transformer for about £13 and then a J501 junction box, dont forget that installing the old round junction boxes through the downlighter hole is illegal

 

[Markc]

Not if junction box is fixed to joist. But I take your point if passed through the downlighter hole.

 

[elpnr]

See below complaint sent to supplier re. JCC/Megaman downlights:

Dear Sir/Madam

I would like to bring to your attention my serious concerns about the performance of your Megaman/JCC GU10 CFL downlight luminaires.

Over the course of 2009-2010, we purchased 67 of these units from Denmans (Loughborough Branch) at a total cost of approximately £1300 as part of our building project fit-out. Recently, we received a Home Energy Monitor from our energy supplier (NPower), which I am using to assess various loads around the building. Upon measuring our lighting circuit loads, I was shocked to discover that these units are consuming 25-35W each, rather than the stated power rating of 11W.

Furthermore, we have experienced an excessive failure rate of these units, around 15 having failed over the past 6 months after usage far below the stated lifetime of 10,000 hours. Although approx 30% of the units are dimmerable, which account for the majority of failures, non-dimmerable units are also failing, despite low duty levels. Furthermore, despite the stated 18 month guarantee period for the Megaman GU10 CFLs, Denmans (Loughborough) have now stated that they will refuse to replace failing units from this point forward, and have referred us direct to Megaman, thereby contravening the Sales of Goods act 1995, which places the responsibility of replacement of faulty goods with the vendor of the equipment.

As you will understand, if my data is correct, remedial action needs to be taken ASAP, not only for my own sake, but for that of the industry as a whole. Given my professional role within the industry, I am concerned regarding the impact of such apparent mis-selling on our efforts towards carbon emission reduction, both from an energy in-use perspective as well as the embodied energy wasted in failed units.

Prior to taking this matter further via legal and other channels once my measured data is validated on site by more accurate means than a home energy monitor, I would like your views on the matter.

Finally I must say that I appreciate the measures taken by NPower, who should be congratulated for providing me with an Energy Monitor free of charge, without which my concerns may never have come to light.

Regards,