MM's got a new panic on: Aurora AU-E60 failed x 2

[MM]

Problems never cease. Two halogen bulbs in the kitchen failed a few days ago, though one was intermittent. New bulbs were obtained. Don't work. Swapped bulbs in good sockets. No problem. So it's not the bulbs. It's not the consumer unit protection switches, either (all up). So it must be the Aurora AU-E60 transformers. What would one expect to pay for one of these? Amazon's price is £8.95 with free shipping. Seems a lot for such a diddly little thing.

However, more importantly, how the heck do I gain access to the transformers for the kitchen lights? On the upper floor (e.g. for lights in bathroom or landing) it's easy, because I can just go up into the roof space and the transformers are just lying around on lengths of cable. But surely I don't need to lift the floorboards to access the ones for the kitchen?

Fed up with ruddy modern gizmos... :(

MM

[dennis]

They usually fit through the holes the down lighters are in, you don't say what yours are.

[chris French]

In message , MM writes

Probably, but haven't bought any for years, compare the prices with say TLC or screwfix etc. They don't need to be the same brand, just the same rating.

Normally through the hole the lights are fitted in. Remove the light from the hole - pull them down carefully, they are just held in place by spring clips behind. and pull the cable to bring out the transformer.

[MM]

Okay, I did that (removed light fixture). Now I've put it back temporarily till I get a new transformer, but now I can't get the spring clips to hold the fixture in place firmly. The round, beige bezel is slightly loose against the ceiling.

Here's some pictures I did half an hour ago:

down to see all four pics.

On pic3.jpg, are the spring clips supposed to be pushed flat when the holder is in the ceiling? I can barely get my fingers in through the hole! Or have I bent them on removal?

Thanks!

MM

[Dave Liquorice]

Did you just pull the bezel out or did you release the springs first? Just pulling out will probably have bent them...

[ARWadsworth]

The springs look fine. However the lugs they are attached to look like they are bent slightly inwards. It often happens.

[John Rumm]

TLCs cheapest are about £6.90 at the mo...

The lugs on the fitting look slightly bent inwards. That will make a bit of difference. The way the springs work is that the short tabs hit the ceiling and rotate the long part of the clip round on top of the ceiling. Then they push against the side of the hole in the ceiling to provide the cantilever for the final "spring". Hence if the hole is a bit generous on one axis they can end up a little loose - sometimes this can just be because the springs themselves have gouged a bit out of the plasterboard on removal. Rotating the whole assembly a few degrees will fix that.

[MM]

Many thanks to everybody! I have installed a new transformer and it works!!!!

(Still have to fit the mount back in the ceiling, but I wanted to impart the good news first.)

In the Spalding area I had the devil's own job to locate replacement transformers. Eventually I was pointed to the industrial estate and an electrical wholesalers name of EPH. They sold me a JCC JC4030, which the retailer assured me was plug-compatible with the Aurora AU-E60. Anyway, I switched off the mains lighting circuit for downstairs rear and also tested the junction box pins (out of the hole in the ceiling) with a neon test screwdriver. Then I carefully fitted the new transformer. One small question: The low voltage wires come with short rubber/plastic sleeves over the ends of the already bared wires. What are they for? I thought I'd need sidecutters, but the thing was just ready to install out of the box. Cost me £6 including VAT.

And now, finally, to the ruddy spring clips: Suppose I cannot get the bezel/mount (what the heck does the trade call it?) to fit snugly against the ceiling, can I get a replacement, and if so, what do I search for on the web? I tried first thing this morning, tried for ages, but found absolutely nothing, not even similar.

Thanks again.

MM

[The Wanderer]

I have two out of a dozen 12v lights in the kitchen that 'fail' now and then. Each fitting has its own transformer

It isn't the bulb or the transformer, but the actual bulb holder that plays up. The wires into the back of the bulb holders need an occasional tweak and they will work again quite happily until the next time they go out.....

The bulbs are held in place by a removeable ring, so the whole fitting doesn't need to come out. Remove the bulb and the connector is revealed. I usually have SWMBO flick the switch down once I've tweaked the wires, just to make sure the light is working again. Yes, I know in theory it should be possible to get the wires set so the problem doesn't reappear but it does, and I can't be arsed to get new connectors for the bulbs.

[MM]

I'm afraid I used force, sorry! Didn't know how they were fixed. Of course, I *should* have gone up into the roof space and looked at the ones for the upper landing or bathroom, which are exactly the same. I went up there a few minutes ago and the long legs of the springs are pushed flat down onto the plasterboard. The short legs appear to simply dig into the side of the hole.

Maybe I'll have to write this mount off to experience and be more careful with the other two. I'll look out for a supplier who can supply a replacement mount and in the meantime if it is not completely snug against the ceiling, it won't matter for a week or two.

MM

[MM]

15:30 Update!

I see now how the mount is fixed. You just insert it in the hole and push and it kind of snaps in. Firm as anything now.

I now declare this panic officially over.

MM

[John Rumm]

Any electrical supplier would have had something suitable - the brand is not really relevant from a compatibility PoV.

(what's the emoticon for expressing fear of God regarding use of neon screwdrivers?)

Its just a case of bending stuff about a bit. Bend the lugs on the fitting so they are near perpendicular from the rest of it. The if you need to tighten the clips, just bend the small length of wire so that it forms a smaller angle to the long length of wire - it is this relationship that dictates how hard the long wires push down on the top of the ceiling.

[MM]

Not recommended? I use one just to make sure the wires are dead. Even though I've switched off the mains (all or a ring) with the lights on.

MM

[ARWadsworth]

Odd thing is that EPH is actually a Edmundsons. Sometimes when Edmundsons want to make a presence in a town they often buy out an independent wholesalers and use both names (eg Barnsley has Edmundson - Waterhouse). Not relevant to MMs problem, just a bit of info on Edmundsons

He USED what!

[Andy Burns]

[John Rumm]

Well once all the lights have gone out (which you can take as a fairly good indication the power is off) the screwdriver is unlikely to do too much harm. However, don't trust them to tell you something is either live or dead - they lie!

[John Rumm]

Consider yourself a master of the downlight!

[ARWadsworth]

As there was only one T&E entering the JB I would have just turned the lightswitch off.

[John Rumm]

Let's hope it was not the apprentice deciding which wires to put the switch in ;-)

[ARWadsworth]

I would not have worked at the house I was at the other day. LN reversal on the CU tails!

I did get a call back later after fixing the problem as the boiler would not fire up. However one of the thing about spending a night in the pub with geoff is that (apart from drinking lots of beer) you learn stuff. And I was given full details on LN reversals and boilers not firing up.

I always check with a volt stick if I am going to touch bare cables.