downlighters 240v or 12v?

[snowy]

Hi guys, i touched on this last night but still can't make my mind up. I am installing 27 downlighters in a house, half up, half down on existing lighting circuits. What are the arguements for using 240v or 12v downlighters. Surely 240 is easier and cheaper? They will be fire rated and I will probably have to upgrade the mcbs to 10A, that's ok yeh?:clover:

 

[mogga]

halers evolveled sorted

 

[vernam616]

Use the search function, this topic has been covered many many a time

My personal preference is 12v because of the better light they emit, however ask the customer what they would prefer a clean crisp light(12v) or a yellowy light bulb sort of light (240v)

 

[tuckermot]

All so remind the customer having all those downlighters aint cheap to run and thats a lot of lamp changing when they blow !!!! all so really expensive to repaire holes if going back to normal lights !! I do not encourage fitting these i have fitted 12v and 230v make sure youdo not use cheap transformers or you will be keep getting called back when they go normally after 12 months just a thought !!!

 

[DaveyD]

halers evolveled sorted

^ With you on that, east to fit. Better get a good deal though on 27!

 

[robsparky1975]

LEDS expensive to buy but over a 10 year period £££ savings on leccy,you can print off a comparison form on halers website,i was impressed with the savings,one person i quoted for 60 would have recouped the cost of installation in under 2 years,probably dont want to fork out the money and cant blame them,but they need to see the bigger picture,energy prices going up a lot next month.Time for me to hunt down a new energy deal.

 

[Darkwood]

Yes agree that this argument has been coverered before but recommendations are changing because the goal posts have moved, with the phasing out of filament lamps the obvious alternatives to fit in the 12v and 230v have to be considered and at the moment the 230v are looking more future proof due to electronic transformers on L/V fitting not recognising Led fittings and in some cases refusing to work, this is due to the electronics requiring a minimum load connected to operate and with led's its under that thresh-hold. 230v downlighters (gu10) dont have this draw back and will move with the times without this problem.
Ive now stopped recommending 12v as it used to give better lamplife and protection etc and now edge towards the 230v gu10's if asked, im sure the market will catch up and a suitable replacement for the 12v lamp will emerge but at the moment its dependant on which electronic transformer you have and whether its compatable with LED technology.

 

[mogga]

THE hALERS WEBSITE COMPARISON TOOL IS CRACKIN YOU ADJUST THE PARAMETERS TO SHOW HOW MUCH OF A SAVING CAN BE MADE ITS A NO BRAINER FOR COMMERCIAL INSTALLATIONS BUT DOMESTIC ITS NOT AS EASY A SELL DUE TO LIGHTING NOT BEING ON 24/7 AND THE INITIAL COST BEING PROHIBITAVE ALSO MANY HOME OWNERS REPLACE THEIR OWN LAMPS SO THAT ELEMENT OF HALERS COSTS CAB BE ELIMINATED AS WELL

 

[AlanWirral]

I've just changed the 10 elv lights in my kitchen to 4w LED's. They cost me £15 (£150) a piece inc the lamp and new white fitting and they literally use a quarter of the energy the others did. Sure 8w would be brighter and i will update at some point but they will do for now.

Really wanted the new JCC ones but £55 a go is laughable IMO

 

[Timbo_1975]

Whcih does the customer want? More expense from the Electrician in labour and materials to fit the 12v MR16's or the constant blowing and poor yellowey light from the GU10 's ???

I only fit the 12v flavours, as IMHO the other bulbs dont last 10minutes !

Energy consumption is a differnt matter of course though...

 

[Inteificio]

~Are there any good LED modules out there yet?

I know this stuff normally takes a couple of years to catch up, but 50lm/w for their top unit?!

FFS the lights I built myself a couple of years ago run at ~140lm/w!

As the major concern for LEDs is heat, the 50lm/w will give out approximately 3x as much heat for the same light output.

Shocked people classify this as modern tech.

 

[urchy107]

I would go with gu10 lts with led bulbs, you can get good deals on the bulbs if you bulk buy, plus you save on not buying transformers which at some point will need replacing, also they dont give off heat, are modern and give off nice light. Bonzerrr

 

[bobcat1]

I've had too many jobs where all I've had is changing transformers. While some of you might think this is great, because more work. I see this as bad all round because generally the customer waits for several to go before fixing it, is without as much light as they like and waste money getting me to change it when if it was GU10 bulbs it would be a trip down tesco and a new bulb sorted. For this reason I only do 240V GU10s and attempt to convince them to go LED.

 

[Nitroneil]

Got to say LV, BUT, make sure you fit good transformers and good quality dimmer, I fitted JCC transformers and Lutron dimmers 8 years ago through several rooms in my own home and have barely change a lamp and not one prob with transformers. GU10s may be "future proof" but the lifespan of lamps is laughable. Maybe LEDs are better but need convinced.