Which is the best choice for ordinary domestic downlighters - GU10 (240V) style or MR16 (12V & requiring a transformer)?
Beam angles vary a lot. So the basic choice seems to be between lots of fairly closely spaced narrow angle lower powered units or more widely spaced but higher power units. What is usually preferred?
TIA for any help experience.
With the higher power 240v LEDs, you need to ensure the lampholders allow cooling air to rise past the lamp. The sort that can be swivelled have the necessary space. See my reply to 'uncle jim' above.
Jim Hawkins
When it comes to ceiling mounted downlighters, the choice is very clear. None! Whoever decided to 'expand the market' for lamps that had been optimised for shop window displays should be strung up as an example to other like minded idiots (such as that pair in Intel's R&D department responsibe to promulgating USB, an interface designed specifically to boost CPU sales).
Spot lights have their uses but GLS in fixed ceiling mounts is most definitely not one of them.
Having stated my view, if you've been 'rail roaded' into fitting such lighting, you'd be well advised to use 12v lamps with "transformers" unless you like demonstrating your lamp changing prowess on a 2 or 3 month basis.
"Fixed"? Not necessarily. Those in our bathroom are flush-mounted in the ceiling but can be tilted and swivelled.
FWIW we had six 240V halogen downlighters installed in 2004. In those ten years, there have been only two failures.
240V GU10. Much better range of LED products available. As another poster said, try to get fittings which are well ventilated, although that might conflict with needing a fireproof ceiling.
There are also dedicated LEDs (not GU10 or MR16 retrofits). These are much more expensive, but come in higher power ratings, although you probably don't need higher power ratings for this application. They may be your only option if you need a fireproof ceiling.
They will be good for task lighting such as worktops (more will reduce shadows), but they are useless for general lighting - design something else to provide the general background lighting in the room.
Your mains voltage must be low. I had a pendant with ten 240V halogens. We had so many failures I ripped the bloody thing out after six months and fitted something else.
Bill
Interestingly in the days before CFLs, I was replacing roughly one bulb a week, which I put down to *high* mains voltage (and the sheer number of bulbs: about 50). I've just plugged a mains monitor in and it says
246.3V.The downlighters are on a dimmer switch. As it happens the dimmer normally stays on maximum and is clicked on/off in the normal way, but I wonder if somehow the dimmer circuitry provides a soft start. It would be good if it did.
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