Can anyone tell me in what circumstances i would need to chose either low voltage of mains voltage.
These are ceiling spot lights for my bathoom at home. I can't work out whether to go with low voltage or mains voltage. i.e what circumstances mean which to use
Can anyone give me a bit of input. TIA
Low Voltage: 50W IP65 MIRRORED GLASS 12V SHOWER DOWN LIGHTS Mains Voltage: 50W IP65 MIRRORED GLASS SHOWER DOWN LIGHTS
The general consensus is the low voltage ones are much preferable in all circumstances.
Owain
I would go for the low voltage if I had the option.
LV light bulbs should last longer because the filament is thicker and thus is more durable for the same power than the mains versions. The "transformer" should also limit (to some degree) inrush current and the thermal shock problems that ensue from slapping 230V onto a cold filament with very low resistance and low mass.
HTH
Steve.
If youre looking at halogens, 12v has longer life, higher efficiency and is more robust than 240v. For all other lighting types 240 is the way to go.
NT
Does this make any difference to the installation if i chose low voltage ones.? Do i then need a transformer in the loft?
Low Voltage seems to be the concensus
Not really, and yes.
Owain
12v halogens give a much whiter light than the 230v halogens.
Adam
Interesting. I've always felt the 12v halogens give off a poor light compared to the 240v.
I put 12v halogens in a lowered bathroom ceiling for my parents and the buzz off the transformer is quite irritating. This coupled with the poor light the system gives out, I wasn't that impressed at all. So when I came to do my ceiling, I put 240v halogens in with a dimmer and it is just right.
R.S.
I have never heard an electronic dimmer buzz
This coupled with the poor light
It was not one of those five lights with one transformer setup by any chance?
Adam
I never installed an electronic dimmer. It was the transformer that was buzzing
It was a three light set up. I'm not sure what size of bulbs it can accept but remember thinking at the time, the fittings had the maximum size allowed already in them and the lighting was poor. My parents don't mind it but it certainly wasn't bright enough for me.
transformer fault
transformer fault might be causing lower than ideal voltage, but poor lighting and halogen are no strangers to each other, so who knows. LV halos do have better efficiency though.
NT
With the 12V you also have the option of dichroic bulbs that have a better colour spectra, and less forward heat projection. Some may find the whiter light more clinical though.
I think he was actually referring to an electronic "transformer" rather than dimmer. These are in reality small high frequency switched mode power supplies, and should be pretty much silent in operation. Older iron cored transformers however may buzz at mains frequency though - especially if paired with an inappropriate dimmer switch.
Something definitely wrong there. LV lights will give noticeably more brightness per watt than mains ones. I would suspect incorrectly matched transformer and switch types or perhaps even cable type. (there is also a more obscure possibility that has been seen to happen with a small minority of electronic transformers that run very high frequency outputs)
Likely cause is that LV can produce a much more controlled beam with less spillage, so it's going to light just the floor under it, and the rest of the room depends on the reflectivity of the floor. A mains lamp, having a much large filament, cannot generate such a controlled beam, and you will get significantly more spillage onto walls, which will make the room look much brighter. Using only downlighters to provide general lighting in a room is normally completely the wrong thing to do. The fact that the less optimum downlighters give a better result is confirmation of this incorrect lighting design. Take the hint, and don't try providing general room lighting with downlighters.
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