Downlighter hole solutions needed!

[David]

Dear All

The months of building work are nearly at an end and we are at the painting, carpets and no money stage.

We are also at the stage where we notice things which could have been done a little better. In this category are the downlighters in the bathroom. These are held in by two springs and to change the bulbs or paint the ceiling, you pull them down into the room. Problem is, each time we pull them through, the springs cut a little further into the plasterboard. This will eventually leave them hanging loose.

My question is, does anyone know if metal rings exist that can be pushed up into the hole in the plasterboard (or pushed down into it from the loft) and then fixed, making a rigid, stable hole into which the downlighter can be pushed? Failing this, does anyone have any creative solutions / great inventions?

Thanks

David

[John]

When you put them back (after painting) rotate them a little therefore the wear will be on a different part of the PB. Or do as I do and only pull them part way out and then squeeze the springs with your fingers so they no longer touch the PB.

HTH

John

[John]

Invention Opportunity for someone. Good idea!

[auctions]

That's not the way they usually work. There is usually a removable inner ring in the metal fitting which comes out, leaving the main fitting attached to the plasterboard. The bulb then drops down for replacing. Is it possible yours work like that? Can you post a picture somewhere?

A

[John Rumm]

I have seen both sorts. The IP rated ones are often as you describe, but with some of the cheaper ones you need to remove the whole fitting.

[dennis]

Its a bathroom so he should have the sealed IP rated ones. They are dirt cheap too, about £3 each at toolstation.

[auctions]

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Are you sure? All the cheaper non IP rated ones I've seen have a little metal spring clip in to hold the bulb back. Even the ones for

50p or less. I've never come across one that required removing completely - that would be a daft design surely? A

[john]

I happened to be painting the kitchen ceiling yesterday (Dulux, silk emulsion, white). In it there's 9 brass finish 12V downlighters to paint round and knowing how yucky careless painting looks, I thought about knocking up a steel strip pliers type extractor arrangement to allowing pulling each of them out 10mm or so, while being painted around. Fortunately laziness prevailed and I simply masking taped the fitting edges. Only a couple of mm of metal to stick to but the tape did a fine job.

[John]

That's not the question the OP is asking. He doesn't want to replace the lamp / bulb but remove the WHOLE fitting for decorating purposes.

John

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's a poor design where the fitting has to be removed to change the lamp. Cheaper types often have a spring clip holding the lamp in place or there is this one from TLC where the lamp is in a ring which has a sort of bayonet fitting:-

regards removing for decorating - just how often do you decorate? ;-)

[Arfa Daily]

No. He said " ... and to change the bulbs". All of the ones I've got are of the removable ring type. I'm glad I haven't got any of the other type, because if the retainer springs on them are anything like the ones on mine, I certainly wouldn't want to keep pulling them back out of the plasterboard every time I needed to change a bulb ...

Arfa

[Mark]

Lucky you. I got to the "no money" stage way before the painting and the carpet stage.

Can't you change the bulbs without dropping the whole fitting out?

[meow2222]

drop the fitting, paint PB edges with dilute PVA. When dry, paint edges again with 50% PVA. When dry, replace fitting. Or... replace fitting!

NT

[readthisbot]

Dear All

Thanks for all the suggestions.

The slight rotation with each extraction is a good workaround and will do until I purchase the tuit for - Paint PB edges with dilute PVA - Thank you! I'll go with this.

There is unfortunately no removable inner ring. Full removal is needed. Wish I'd known this before I bought them. They are zone 1 rated. Ah the dangers of hasty purchases!

How often do I decorate - as seldom as possible....

Actually, I can get at three of them from the loft for bulb replacement, but two others, It's pulling the whole thing down.

If by any chance I come across any drop in metal rings, I'll let you know.

Ta

David