Halogen Capsule lamps

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Have a couple of those desk lamps with a transformer in the base that take a 35 watt 12v halogen capsule.

Is there a decent LED replacement? Last replacement halogens I bought seem to have a very short life.

[Lobster]

On 31 May 2015, "Dave Plowman (News)" grunted:

I have one of those (from LEDHut) fitted in a special downlighter; it's been there for a year or so with no issues.

I also have a lamp like the one you describe and was thinking along similar lines; however the LED suppliers (including LEDHut) always give a disclaimer saying they don't guarantee they'll work with ordinary transformers (presumably due to the tiny current they draw), which has put me off trying it out (given that the LEDs are relatively expensive).

I've never actually tried using LED lamps wit non-LED transformers, and have no idea what the likelihood actually is: would be interested to know.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Not which will give same light output.

Highest LED 12V capsule replacement is around 2W, which is going to struggle to match 20W filament.

It's presumably mounted sideways in the reflector? In that case, finding an LED capsule which directs the light sideways will win over a multi-directional one which bounces off the reflector.

Kosnic used to do a very nice 2W disk with LEDs on one side and pins sticking out the edge which would fit in to many capsule luminares, where the light was needed from one side of the lamp. (If necessary, you can remove the luminare's reflector for more space as it's not used. Part number is KLED02CIR/G4 with suffix -W30 for 3000K and -W60 for 6000K (which is about 14% brighter if you don't mind the blue-white colour). You may find some stock in retailers, but Kosnic sadly stopped making them about a year ago.

Verbatim still do a single LED equivalent, which is lower power, although it might be more efficient (I haven't tried it). Maplin stock them (well, if you're lucky, a store might have just one). Being a single lensed LED, it's probably much narrower beam angle than the Kosnic, which is quite wide-angle.

The other thing is that your 35W ones are probably 6.3mm pin spacing, whereas any LED retrofits will be for 4mm pin spacing, but the sockets and pins are usually sufficiently flexible to work anyway.

You can buy dedicated LED desk lamps where the more powerful LED is properly thermally bonded to the luminare and these could in theory match 35W output, although I can't point you at a specific one. Another option is to buy a desklamp intended to take a GU10 mains halogen, and fit a mains LED GU10 which can probably match

35W capsule. Choose one which provides good ventilation for the GU10 lamp.

[ARW]

Could you give the part number and tell us what it costs?

There is a reason for asking.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Thanks Andrew. Explains why I couldn't find them at the usual suspects, like TLC.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Mine have real transformers by the weight, and the only reason I can think of that a high current cheap transformer will put out more voltage on less than the correct load. Which I'd have thought the electronics in an LED should cope with - given the very high prices.

An 'electronic' transformer is a different matter. It may well need a minimum load to work at all.

[Lobster]

On 31 May 2015, "ARW" grunted:

Actually now I think about it the lamp has two of these fitted, not one (both are OK)

Sure, see:

Mine are the "Warm White" version A quid cheaper than a year ago, too!

No doubt...

[ARW]

OK. You see that orange tab on the right hand side of the page? The one with "In the trade" on it?

Click it and sign up.

Your £4.99 lamp is now £2.65 plus VAT (ie £3.18 in real money).

I have never bought from LEDHut but I did try this with another poster and we cannot find a problem with using the orange tab.

They do not ask for any ID, they just offer a discount for clicking the orange tab.

[Andy Burns]

Maybe they send you *even* more junk emails of special offers?

[ARW]

And?:-)

Is that any different to harrys posts?