ELV lighting transformers

[The Medway Handyman]

By which I mean the ones that drop 230v to 12v to run GU10's.

When the transformer fails, does it drop in voltage or just stop completely?

[Nick]

I would think it would be stone dead. Any particular reason for asking?

[ARW]

GU10s ARE 230V lamps:-)

[Andy Burns]

But they last *so* much longer when run on 12V :-)

[The Natural Philosopher]

never had one do anything but stop completely.

[The Medway Handyman]

Been a long week.... I mean MR16's :-)

>

[Bob Minchin]

Well apart from the 12v ones that you can buy!

eg

[Matty F]

I used to rewind transformers and saw many burned out ones, and some that simply corroded inside because of cheap insulation containing sulphur. There's no way I would put a transformer up inside a ceiling, and especially not if surrounded by insulation to make sure it overheats.

[rbel]

A couple of suggestions - the Varilight range of electronic transformers Have served me well for a number of years without problems and I mount them on a piece of plasterboard which I fix to the top of a joist.

[The Natural Philosopher]

mine came in steel cans with thermal cutouts.

[Stephen]

Now that you can get 3 to 4 watt GU10s that produce far less heat, I question what advantage you gain from a transformer/switch mode PSU and

12v LED MR16's......

I can see that 12v MR16 incandescents would last a lot longer than GU10's but I don't believe this is the case for LED equivalents.

[dennis]

The part number is a 230V one.

[Bob Minchin]

OIC Rightly or wrongly, google seemed to find numbers 12v GU10 lamps and that link was just one of them.

[Andrew Gabriel]

That product makes no sense, given GU10 lampholders are rated 2A max.

[Andrew Gabriel]

+1

There is a much larger ramge to 230V LEDs than there are 12V ones, because in most cases 12V LEDs won't work as retrofits on 12V halogen transformers (and don't yet match the light output of 12V halogens).

I would never have fitted GU10 mains halogens, always used 12V halogens instead. However, LEDs kind of reverse this decision.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Some electronic types are designed to fit through the hole for the fitting

- which makes for easy changing if one fails. If you fix it to a joist that might be difficult.

[gremlin_95]

+1

We've had 10 LED GU10s in the kitchen for nearly 2 years now, we used to have to replace the standard ones every few months.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Is it a real transformer or an electronic power supply? (Transformer is usually heavy, PS light.)

I suppose it is possible for either to produce low volts - but not common.

[ARW]

I have seen failed electronic ones give a reading on the LV side when tested with a volt stick (there is not really 230V there but it still lights up the stick).

[Brian Gaff]

Erm, well, usually dies with a blown fuse and a nice smell of hot plastic and other noxious materials, well thats been my experience. Brian