[jim]

Considering how best to update our living room (5.5m x 3.6m = 18ft x
12ft) lighting. Currently it is lit by 3 x 60W R80 semi-recessed
adjustable-aim spotlights. R80 seems to have reached the end of their
shop-stocking life & in any case haven't been particularly reliable,
hence what next?

A quick scan the Screwfix catalog indicates that the GU10 (240v) &
MR16 (12v) (+?MR11) seem to be the only contenders (excluding LEDs
which maybe need more development time).

What are the pros & cons?

How do you assess how many units are needed & where to place them in
the ceiling to obtain a good spread of light?

What do the letters & numbers mean - eg MR11 v MR16?

Any advice, esp experiences of anyone doing a similar job, would be
most appreciated.

TIA

[Dave Osborne[_2_]]

jim wrote:
Considering how best to update our living room (5.5m x 3.6m = 18ft x
12ft) lighting. Currently it is lit by 3 x 60W R80 semi-recessed
adjustable-aim spotlights. R80 seems to have reached the end of their
shop-stocking life & in any case haven't been particularly reliable,
hence what next?

A quick scan the Screwfix catalog indicates that the GU10 (240v) &
MR16 (12v) (+?MR11) seem to be the only contenders (excluding LEDs
which maybe need more development time).

What are the pros & cons?


Mains halogens (GU10) have notoriously thin/fragile filaments and they
will fail with monotonous regularity if there is any movement in the
ceiling from people traipsing about upstairs.

How do you assess how many units are needed & where to place them in
the ceiling to obtain a good spread of light?


They have different beam angles from quite wide (60deg) to narrow
(12deg) and different powers 20W, 35W, 50W, etc.

You used to be able to get either open or glass-fronted, but mostly only
glass-fronted lamps are available.


It's not so easy to answer your question regarding placement and spread
and the best thing for you to do is take the opportunity to observe what
others have done and see the effect created.

What do the letters & numbers mean - eg MR11 v MR16?

MR is the type of lamp-base/form and the number represents the nominal
diameter of the lamp in eighths of an inch. MR16 is the "standard" MR11
lamps are more difficult to get hold of.

You need transformers to convert from 240V to 12V. You can simply add up
the wattages of the lamps to match the capability of the transformer.

E.g. a 20W to 60W transformer could do:

1 x 20W lamp, or
2 x 20W, or
3 x 20W, or
1 x 50W, or
1 x 35W and 1 x 20W

You need to keep the cables from the output side of the transformers as
short as possbible (i.e. don't extend the output lead fitted).

[Adam Aglionby]

On 24 June, 11:26, jim wrote:
Considering how best to update our living room (5.5m x 3.6m = 18ft x
12ft) lighting. *Currently it is lit by 3 x 60W R80 semi-recessed
adjustable-aim spotlights. R80 seems to have reached the end of their
shop-stocking life & in any case haven't been particularly reliable,
hence what next?

A quick scan the Screwfix catalog indicates that the GU10 (240v) &
MR16 (12v) (+?MR11) seem to be the only contenders (excluding LEDs
which maybe need more development time).

What are the pros & cons?

GU10s are for the pros to con the general populace...

If your a developer knocking up flats by the dozen theres a small
saving per point using GU10 over low voltage, no trafo and wiring
slightly quicker.

GU10s have horrfic efficiency lifespan and beam control.

LV is the real thing with good efficiency, excellent lifespan and
presion beam control.

How do you assess how many units are needed & where to place them in
the ceiling to obtain a good spread of light?

Ahhh, spread of light isn`t really reflector spotlites thing, trying
to ends up with loads of intense pools of light to try and generate
spread.

Feature a few of items, pictures or fireplace object on table,
doorways, put in adjustable, eyeball or similar, LV spots to light
these from an angle, fit a dimmer switch.

Pull the skirtings off and run a second or more lighting circuit to
2A sockets around walls, use combination of table and fllor and desk
lamps to give more light where it is needed, fit dimmer.


What do the letters & numbers mean - eg MR11 v MR16?


Multiple Reflector, though heard other explanantions.

The number is diameter in 1/8s of an inch MR16 is 2" MR11 is 1 3/8" ,
MR8 1"


Any advice, esp experiences of anyone doing a similar job, would be
most appreciated.

Look at places you like and try and take some tips from them , read
some glossy mags and coffee table books.

Cheers
Adam


TIA

[Adam Aglionby]

On 24 June, 11:26, jim wrote:
Considering how best to update our living room (5.5m x 3.6m = 18ft x
12ft) lighting. *Currently it is lit by 3 x 60W R80 semi-recessed
adjustable-aim spotlights. R80 seems to have reached the end of their
shop-stocking life & in any case haven't been particularly reliable,
hence what next?

A quick scan the Screwfix catalog indicates that the GU10 (240v) &
MR16 (12v) (+?MR11) seem to be the only contenders (excluding LEDs
which maybe need more development time).

What are the pros & cons?

GU10s are for the pros to con the general populace...

If your a developer knocking up flats by the dozen theres a small
saving per point using GU10 over low voltage, no trafo and wiring
slightly quicker.

GU10s have horrfic efficiency lifespan and beam control.

LV is the real thing with good efficiency, excellent lifespan and
presion beam control.

How do you assess how many units are needed & where to place them in
the ceiling to obtain a good spread of light?

Ahhh, spread of light isn`t really reflector spotlites thing, trying
to ends up with loads of intense pools of light to try and generate
spread.

Feature a few of items, pictures or fireplace object on table,
doorways, put in adjustable, eyeball or similar, LV spots to light
these from an angle, fit a dimmer switch.

Pull the skirtings off and run a second or more lighting circuit to
2A sockets around walls, use combination of table and fllor and desk
lamps to give more light where it is needed, fit dimmer.


What do the letters & numbers mean - eg MR11 v MR16?


Multiple Reflector, though heard other explanantions.

The number is diameter in 1/8s of an inch MR16 is 2" MR11 is 1 3/8" ,
MR8 1"


Any advice, esp experiences of anyone doing a similar job, would be
most appreciated.

Look at places you like and try and take some tips from them , read
some glossy mags and coffee table books.

Cheers
Adam


TIA

[Andrew Gabriel]

In article ,
jim writes:
Considering how best to update our living room (5.5m x 3.6m = 18ft x
12ft) lighting. Currently it is lit by 3 x 60W R80 semi-recessed
adjustable-aim spotlights. R80 seems to have reached the end of their
shop-stocking life & in any case haven't been particularly reliable,
hence what next?

If you were otherwise happy with them, consider fitting
GE Genura compact fluorescents (23W R80). These are flood
lamps (very wide angle) rather than spotlamps, and equivalent
power rating is over 100W, so they will light the room much better
than your 60W R80's. Do check your fittings really are R80's and not
R63's though (60W is more common as an R63). Other issues are that
the GE Genura is slightly longer than an R80 - this usually doesn't
matter, but there may be some fittings where it does. They have a
warm up time of a minute or so, and unfortunately they are expensive
(usually just under £20), but providing the fitting is well
ventilated and not enclosed, they will last a very long time.
(They don't wear out like normal CFLs, and you can switch them
on/off as often as you like without shortening their life).
You can find them in B&Q. Suggest you buy one to try in your
existing fittings initially, if you decide to go this route.

Whilst these R80's fitted with wide angle lamps can provide good
general lighting, neither GU10 nor MR16 can in my view, and I think
you'll be disappointed after switching to minature spotlamps.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

[NT[_2_]]

On Jun 24, 11:26*am, jim wrote:
Considering how best to update our living room (5.5m x 3.6m = 18ft x
12ft) lighting. *Currently it is lit by 3 x 60W R80 semi-recessed
adjustable-aim spotlights. R80 seems to have reached the end of their
shop-stocking life & in any case haven't been particularly reliable,
hence what next?

A quick scan the Screwfix catalog indicates that the GU10 (240v) &
MR16 (12v) (+?MR11) seem to be the only contenders (excluding LEDs
which maybe need more development time).

What are the pros & cons?

How do you assess how many units are needed & where to place them in
the ceiling to obtain a good spread of light?

What do the letters & numbers mean - eg MR11 v MR16?

Any advice, esp experiences of anyone doing a similar job, would be
most appreciated.

TIA

Low voltage every time, as explained already.

You can also put CFLs in R80 fittings, the fitting size restricts
which ones but tesco's minispirals work well (avoid the daylight ones
though). In some cases you'll want to paint the fitting interior
white, and/or add some topup lighting.


NT