downlighters

[reply]

Hello,

I'm not a big fan of down lighters but there are two in the en suite and I figured tat I'd keep them for now. However, they both look a bit tired and the one near the shower has bubbles under the paint as if it is rusting.

I was thinking of buying some new ones. I see Toolstation sells a no-name and a Sylvania; the Sylvania is twice the cost (I'm looking at the IP56 ones because of the shower).

Is it worth paying extra for the Sylvania or do Sylvania have little to do with the design and manufacture of them; are they just rebadged?

Thanks, Stephen.

[Roger Mills]

Can't comment on makes but, for the least fuss, you'll need: a) lamps which need the same size of hole in the ceiling as the existing ones, and b) lamps which operate at the same voltage as the existing - i.e. either

240v or 12v with a transformer [1][Do you know which yours are?] [1] You could probably actually get away with replacing 240v lamps with 12v lamps which each have their own built-in transformer (rather than a separate one) provided the hole size is right

[DerbyBorn]

Roger Mills wrote in news:d0ulqaFs62dU1 @mid.individual.net:

Go for proper LED Downlights. Look at:

lighting/shower-lights

[tabbypurr]

Its easy enough to reduce or enlarge a hole in plasterboard.

NT

[Lobster]

On 18 Jul 2015, DerbyBorn grunted:

I'm pretty sure that there's nothing special about Sylvania and they aren't a high-end brand; I've certainly bought Sylvania downlighter lamps (ie 12V incandescant lamps) from Toolstation in the past and been singularly unimpressed with their longevity.

I certainly agree with the advice to use LED lamps - I wouldn't dream of using anything else in a downlighter these days. Not sure about the necessity of using expensive dedicated LED models like the above though; eg I fitted one of these in the shower a couple of years ago, with a standard

240V, and it's been really good:

[Roger Mills]

Nothing like as easy as cutting the right size of hole in the first place! In fact, not easy at all - unless you've got some magic method which I haven't heard of.

[steve.n]

half true

steve

[Scott M]

Funny that. 230v Sylvania GU18's are streets ahead of non-brand/Tesco's own ones for longevity - well over a year compared to anything down to

10 days for cheapies.

Scott

[reply]

Hello,

I'm not a big fan of down lighters but there are two in the en suite and I figured tat I'd keep them for now. However, they both look a bit tired and the one near the shower has bubbles under the paint as if it is rusting.

I was thinking of buying some new ones. I see Toolstation sells a no-name and a Sylvania; the Sylvania is twice the cost (I'm looking at the IP56 ones because of the shower).

Is it worth paying extra for the Sylvania or do Sylvania have little to do with the design and manufacture of them; are they just rebadged?

Thanks, Stephen.

[tabbypurr]

To enlarge a hole: put wood in the existing hole, use holesaw. To reduce a hole: wipe it round with plaster. When set repeat.

I wouldnt advocate going with a crap choice simply because it happens to fit the existing hole. But everyone can do as they like.

NT

[ARW]

You use an oops arbor.

Bollocks

[tabbypurr]

you can if you've got one.

worked for me. I can only conclude you've not done it.

NT

[ARW]

I would not attempt to,

[Lobster]

On 19 Jul 2015, [e-mail] grunted:

How much reduction in diameter are you talking about, and how many iterations with the plaster applications?

[tabbypurr]

3 rounds, 1 to build up a structure that sloped upward, 2 to fill it to size, 3 to give a perfect finish. I don't know what the reduction was. It was pretty quick.

NT

[ARW]

But not as fast or as smart as buying a downlight that fits the existing hole/cutout size.

[tabbypurr]

Putting in an R80 downlight rather than LED because it fits a hole doesn't strike me as smart.

NT

[ARW]

So what size hole did you reduce just using plaster?

[tabbypurr]

R80 fittings, but how many mm I've no idea. They do vary. Make it thicker than the original PB, whatever the light will take. You can include scrim if you want, I didn't.

NT

[ARW]

Like I said. Bollocks.