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Light output

I would be looking for a minimum capability of 300W for a room that size. Of course the actual light required depends on things such as the height of the room, colour of walls and fittings, flooring, etc, but you can always dim or put in lower wattage bulbs if needed. Thus your idea for 2 off 3*60 is on the right track.

Have you looked at the low voltage lighting tracks ? Not sure if any of the multiple 10watt jobs plug into these yet but I expect they will in due course.

It is also possible to run a cable to a second fitting by making a groove in the ceiling plasterboard and plastering over it as one would do with a wall.

Reply to
G&M
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Currently our lounge has a 3 bulb centre light with 3 x 60watt Halogen A bulbs.

We are re-modelling the room and I am looking for a bit more light. (Ideally I would like 2 ceiling fittings but chipboard floors and joists in the wrong direction make this a no starter). I saw a fitting today in Homebase with 6 x 40 watt bulbs. My wife keeps seeing nice fittings with 12volt 10 watt bulbs.

Question: How can I (or can I ) make sound judgements about the relative power of different bulbs.

The room is 20 ft x 12 ft.. I also have a couple of wall lights on the 12 ft wall and hope to get an uplighter.

Reply to
John

You can hang a reasonable fitting from the plasterboard, provided you use good wide toggle fittings into the plasterboard.

Halogens are slightly more efficient than incandescent bulbs, but generally lose this advantage in having a spot pattern, which is less efficient. Fluorescent fittings use around 1/5 of the power.

I had a room around this size, perhaps slightly thinner. I found it adequetly lit with two 25W CFL bulbs, but I like my lounge dimly lit for atmosphere reasons. This is equivalent to around 250W of incandescent lighting, but costs around 60 pounds a year less to run and helps save the environment.

Christian

Reply to
Christian McArdle

A channel in the ceiling plaster isnt so hard.

compared to standard mains filament bulbs, apx: LV halogen about 2x light per watt, but if used as downlighters you'll lose most of it into the carpet. Mains halogen, read the pack but youre talking just a shade more light per watt than conventional. CFL 3.5-4x light per watt, ignore the optimistic equivalents printed on the packs Fluorescent 4x.

Uplighters are great, but I dont use things sold as uplighters for the job, theyre terrible. I use a spotlight fitting so that the bulb is further from the wall, then you get a decent effect. and use a vanilla bulb instead of a reflector bulb in it. This works with R80 spotlights, also R95s, though check the fitting's ratings.

Oh do put every light on a separate switch. Its so much more comfortable when you can set it however you feel like at the time, and avoids all that pointless waste. One switchbank is most convenient.

Regards, NT

Reply to
N. Thornton

The problem with a channel in the ceiling is that it is Artexed and it would be difficult to re-blend it. Ideally I would want to go about 4 feet in each direction.

Reply to
John

Ah. Still, I would probably do it anyway, as well placed lighting has far more positive effect on a room than a bit of artex patching. Artex is patchable but of course you can tell.

If I didnt do it I think I'd always be pissed off that I did a crap job with the lighting.

Regards, NT

Reply to
N. Thornton

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