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]