? about low-voltage lighting wiring

[David Nebenzahl]

On 7/27/2010 4:10 AM John Grabowski spake thus:

[some unattributed person wrote]

Well, that's not very helpful, now is it?

I mean, no way in hell would my clients here (I'm the OP) even consider such fixtures. And the woman of the house is someone who knows lighting and has taught classes on the subject.

I have no doubt that such overpriced fixtures are available, no doubt the type specified by architects for certain projects.

There must be something in between this gold-plated stuff and the Malibu crap one finds at Home Despot and elsewhere. Anyone have any specific suggestions? Yeah, I know I could do a web search, but it'd be nice to hear from someone who has some knowledge of the subject and a reason to recommend a particular line of fixtures.

Just to be specific here, the fixtures my clients have, the little round surface-mount Malibu 7 watt lights, don't look bad. The main problem is that they have crappy sockets and take those little wedge-base bulbs. Something more substantial, perhaps a bayonet base or something similar that positively locks the bulb in, would be a big improvement.

[Robert Neville]

You need to draw a distinction between what Home Depot stocks in their retail locations (I agree - Malibu is crap) and what they sell through their web site. They no longer show the Progress Lighting fixtures I bought, but I'd stack the quality against any other mid grade brand.

[Robert Neville]

It's quite a bit more expensive here, but this will give you an idea about what's available. They still use the bayonet mount bulbs, but I've not had a problem in 24 months.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 7/27/2010 8:03 PM Robert Neville spake thus:

Thanks. But those fixtures are still pretty expen$ive ($130).

And I was saying that bayonet-mount bulbs are *better* than those little wedge-base thingies; at least the bayonet socket holds the bulb securely under spring tension.

[jamesgangnc]

I like bayonet. I put marine grease on the bayonet bulbs in my motorcycle. That solves the corrosion issues. I thiink you can use other greases as well, just that I have marine grease around for the boat. I think the base of the wedge ones would get too hot to do this.

[Robert Neville]

Correction - wedge mount.

[Robert Neville]

Yes - but they are available for much less - you just have to search. When HD online stocked them, they were $60 and they had a sale for about 1/2 that.

My mistake - these are the wedge type bulb mounts. But in almost 2 years I've not had a problem.

[jamesgangnc]

The wedge mount bulbs do eventually develop connection problems. The contact area is small. A little emory board or fine sandpaper fixes them. Unfortunately I think they get too hot at the base to use any sort of grease on them. I don't know why none of them use bayonet bulbs.

[Tony]

If it's too hot maybe a synthetic high temp grease would work? As far as the electrical connection, most any grease will work. The bulb makes connection and the grease keeps the moisture and oxygen out of it.

[jamesgangnc]

Yea but some grease is not designed for water exposure. That's why they have marine grease. I'd expect a pure high temp synthetic to handle the water. Not sure what the max temp is on those wedge bases is though. I know the higher watt bulbs are hot if you take one out while illuminated. I usually stick with the 4 or 7 watt bulbs but they don't make as much light. I wonder of someone is making an led replacement? That would not have the heat issues.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 7/28/2010 6:16 AM jamesgangnc spake thus:

Well, I guess it's nice that "they" have pretty much standardized the type of bulb used in those fixtures. It's just too bad they decided to use an inferior mounting system as the standard.

Makes 'em easy to replace for the homeowner, though.

[gfretwell]

There is nothing to keep you from installing quality edison base lamp holders, wired to chapter 3 wiring standards and hooking it up to 12v with RV bulbs in the sockets. From what I have seen most low voltage stuff is just crap. Cheap plastic housings, poor ways of making connections and lamp holders that fail prematurely.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 7/28/2010 12:22 PM [e-mail] spake thus:

Well, you're talking (OK, writing) about lamp holders. Thing is, my clients want light *fixtures*--you know, with shades and all, something more than a bare nekkid light bulb. Something small enough to go alongside a set of steps, which rules out most Edison-size bulbs, except maybe those little stubby spherical ones.

The lights my clients have, those little Malibu surface-mount ones, do come in a metal version that's much better than the cheapo plastic ones. But they have the same sockets, take the same wedge-base bulbs.

[gfretwell]

I was thinking about fixtures but if size in the problem you are probably out of luck