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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 17, 2020 20:15:09 GMT
Following on from MartinT 's experience of changing to LED bulbs. Seems like a no brainer to reduce electrical noise We need to rejig our lights so wondering what wattage and colour everyone has played with, what rooms, applications Soft back ground lighting to bright task lights Plus anything else ! |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 17, 2020 20:34:43 GMT
I have already replaced a ton of downlighters in the kitchen, bathroom, study and bedroom with MR16 LED bulbs, hallway lights with G9 LED bulbs, and now starting with upright lights with bayonet LED bulbs.
They are mostly low power 5W or so soft white, so the power savings when you do a large number of them is significant.
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Post by Slinger on Sept 17, 2020 20:50:37 GMT
I replaced every bulb in my place with either straightforward LED bulbs or LED smart bulbs some time ago. I've even replaced the fluorescent tube in the kitchen with an LED tube; there's no buzzing when you switch on and instant light rather than that fluorescent *pause* before anything happens.
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Post by petea on Sept 17, 2020 20:54:10 GMT
I have a mix of warm while LEDs and halogens although it is shifting to the former. The one thing you need to watch out for is the LED spotlights that aren't. Many of the cheaper units just take a spotlight fitting (eg G10) and stick the LEDs on the front and so there is no focus / concentration of the light. This type are better and work pretty well. www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DJ196BK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1Similar issue of you want to put a G4 into a spotlight housing - make sure it is short enough to work with the reflector. Watch out for the LED replacements for the linear halogen bulbs. We had two burst into flames at work! I've not trusted them since. I bought some interesting, and very effective, flame effect LED bulbs a while back for a project with some old lanterns for the garden. Although they have an ES 240V fitting, I wanted to run them on 12V and so took them apart. This proved to be very simple as the lamp just popped out of the base revealing the transformer / driver and a nice set of live terminals. It wasn't even glued / bonded and a child could easily have opened it (indeed it could easily come off while inserting the bulb into a holder). I have a suspicion that the CE certificate might have been a fake! Made for an easy conversion though! These were not the ones (which appear to no longer be available: I wonder why!), but give the same effect. www.amazon.co.uk/Lemonmax-Flame-Effect-Light-Bulb/dp/B082632WC5/ref=sr_1_6?crid=B8P5AHF7KLSM&dchild=1&keywords=flame+effect+led+bulb&qid=1600375694&sprefix=flame+effect+led+%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-6 |
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 18, 2020 8:57:30 GMT
I have already replaced a ton of downlighters in the kitchen, bathroom, study and bedroom with MR16 LED bulbs, hallway lights with G9 LED bulbs, and now starting with upright lights with bayonet LED bulbs. They are mostly low power 5W or so soft white, so the power savings when you do a large number of them is significant. Our downlighters in the ceiling go through a transformer and I was told I would have to replace the transformers as the power is so low with LEDs Fortunately we don't use them much. 5w is less than I thought so that's useful ! Good timing for us as we have very few spare bulbs and need to buy anyway |
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 18, 2020 9:01:51 GMT
I have a mix of warm while LEDs and halogens although it is shifting to the former. The one thing you need to watch out for is the LED spotlights that aren't. Many of the cheaper units just take a spotlight fitting (eg G10) and stick the LEDs on the front and so there is no focus / concentration of the light. This type are better and work pretty well. www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DJ196BK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1Similar issue of you want to put a G4 into a spotlight housing - make sure it is short enough to work with the reflector. Watch out for the LED replacements for the linear halogen bulbs. We had two burst into flames at work! I've not trusted them since. I bought some interesting, and very effective, flame effect LED bulbs a while back for a project with some old lanterns for the garden. Although they have an ES 240V fitting, I wanted to run them on 12V and so took them apart. This proved to be very simple as the lamp just popped out of the base revealing the transformer / driver and a nice set of live terminals. It wasn't even glued / bonded and a child could easily have opened it (indeed it could easily come off while inserting the bulb into a holder). I have a suspicion that the CE certificate might have been a fake! Made for an easy conversion though! These were not the ones (which appear to no longer be available: I wonder why!), but give the same effect. www.amazon.co.uk/Lemonmax-Flame-Effect-Light-Bulb/dp/B082632WC5/ref=sr_1_6?crid=B8P5AHF7KLSM&dchild=1&keywords=flame+effect+led+bulb&qid=1600375694&sprefix=flame+effect+led+%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-6Thanks. Our transformers supply the bulbs and I was told the power draw is so much less there would be problems. Are yours in the bulb or what have you done to get around that ? The flame effect looks interesting and I bet there are other effects around that could well be worth a look |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 18, 2020 9:50:37 GMT
Our kitchen is all 12V MR16 and the transformers have been fine so far.
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 18, 2020 14:10:44 GMT
Can't remember what I was told would happen, but I was put off, helped by the small amount of use they get.
The transformers are somewhere in the ceiling - No idea where
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Post by petea on Sept 18, 2020 14:49:41 GMT
Yes some lighting transformers are not compatible, but most DC output ones are.
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 18, 2020 15:24:38 GMT
Thanks
Will leave the downlighters for now and concentrate on the ones I can easily change
Need a mix of background and task lighting
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Post by MartinT on Sept 18, 2020 16:46:15 GMT
Just swap one in, Mike, and see what happens.
The Earth won't ignite!
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Post by petea on Sept 18, 2020 17:21:34 GMT
But if it does, it'll be ALL YOUR FAULT!
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 18, 2020 19:14:28 GMT
Just swap one in, Mike, and see what happens. The Earth won't ignite! This is me and tech you know ! |
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Post by Firebottle on Sept 19, 2020 7:26:24 GMT
I used to work at an emergency lighting company so speak from experience.
If the transformer is a regular wound transformer (usually a toroidal transformer) then there is no problem.
If the transformer is an electronic transformer these have a minimum loading rating, under which they don't work correctly. For instance a 105W electronic transformer has a minimum load rating of 35W.
If you can find where the transformer is under the floor/in the ceiling, if it is a largish box with some weight to it it will be a standard wound transformer, if it is a small unit with virtually no weight it is an electonic transformer.
Hope this helps.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 19, 2020 8:36:54 GMT
Yes, mine are wound transformers, the barn conversion is about 15 years old and LEDs work fine.
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 19, 2020 10:44:07 GMT
I used to work at an emergency lighting company so speak from experience. If the transformer is a regular wound transformer (usually a toroidal transformer) then there is no problem. If the transformer is an electronic transformer these have a minimum loading rating, under which they don't work correctly. For instance a 105W electronic transformer has a minimum load rating of 35W. If you can find where the transformer is under the floor/in the ceiling, if it is a largish box with some weight to it it will be a standard wound transformer, if it is a small unit with virtually no weight it is an electonic transformer. Hope this helps. Thanks Alan Will go looking. Some may be built into the ceiling behind plasterboard. Whoever it was I spoke to years ago said there was or was likely to be a minimum. Installed 2009 if that gives any clues.... |
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Post by Firebottle on Sept 20, 2020 6:46:02 GMT
Mike it was 30 years ago that I worked in emergency lighting (gulp..) so they have been around a long time.
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Post by ChrisB on Sept 20, 2020 7:31:23 GMT
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 20, 2020 9:52:14 GMT
Ah, thought. but he is so popular .... snigger |
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