GU 10 Vs. Mr16

[t0m4]

Hi All,

What are you suggesting to your clients for downlighters ?

I think it was better to install a low voltage downlighters, because the 35w 12V bulb made as much brightnes as the 50w 240v.
And then its a big difference between 50w 12V and 50w 240V.
So If the client could afford to spend a bit more, I was always suggesting the low voltage downlighters.

But nowadays, when the LED get cheaper and brighter, if you have a 240V fitting, then you just simply change the halogen to a LED bulb.
But who has low voltage fittings, they must change all the transformers for LED drivers (or rewiring the circuit, but that could cost more then change the transformes), + LED bulbs. So on the end they will pay more..

Questions:
1. What would you recommend to your client ? (MR16 or GU10)
2. Any particular fittings ?
3. How are you connecting together the fittings ?
(I'm using the blue "Clicks" connectors, but I just saw here the "Line Enclosure" + "Wago" combination,
I will try it, could be done faster, and the price is similar)


Kind regards,
Tom

 

[telectrix]

GU10s every time. simple to change lamps for LED and no trannys to fail.

 

[Octopus]

GU10s every time. simple to change lamps for LED and no trannys to fail.

or annoying connector cables to fail

 

[Silly Sausage]

or annoying connector cables to fail

Those MR16 lamp holders are one of the crappiest things ever invented.
I've replaced all mine with GU10 LEDs, no more problems.

 

[Strima]

GU10, but not those crappy mini ones, complete pain to change and blow quite often.

 

[Flyingsparks]

I would recommend using dedicated LED fittings if the budget will stand it, and if not GU10 fittings with LED lamps
The problem with GU10 fittings is that the customer can whip out the LED lamps and revert back to the energy guzzling 50W GU10 lamps.

 

[Dunc]

If the customer wants a halogen fitting then MR16 every time due to better lamp life and higher efficacy. If they're worried about running costs then GU10 with LED lamps or full blown LED fittings like the Halers ones is my recommendation.

 

[D80]

GU10's every time. The MR16 stuff was going the right way with the IRC stuff a 20W lamp would be around the same as a GU10 50W. LED's came along though and that quickly became old technology.

Even if customer insisted on halogens, I'd still fit GU10's. When they come to their senses that changing a pendant to about 8 50W lamps is gonna cost them a bomb, they can change the lamps to LED's and save a fortune.

The fittings cost peanuts generally, but beware that the twistlock & fire rated type may not be able to take all LED lamps - the twistlock stuff for sure will need a retrofit LED lamp, the likes of most of the 6Watt stuff will stick out and look silly.

I used the LINE enclosures these days.

 

[D80]

Generally fault finding with Downlights:
GU10 - change the lamp. Will sort vast majority of issues.

MR16 - change the lamp. Fiddle around with lampholder. Change it as well. Hunt around for new transformer in van, and replace it as well. Look for the dimmer that's **** itself, replace with suitable size and type of dimmer - may require a 2nd visit.

Thinking about it more as a business man, the MR16's could be a little on running cash cow. With all this LED long lasting lighting, the upkeep of down lights may not be an earner too much longer.

 

[J&M Electrical]

GU10 Everytime, and the majority of the time we use Fire Rated...mainly because they are better quality and have better, safer, and usually connections that are fixed to the actual fitting.