Velvet wrote:

Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Velvet wrote on Monday (09/02/2004) :

Put up two sets of these a couple of years ago. One set is now
behaving oddly. They're both operated from the same switch, but I'm
not exactly sure how they're wired together, I didn't do that bit.

They're 12v systems with a transformer integral to the mounting point
on the ceiling for the track - so not recessed at all. 4x35w halogen
lights on the track, one transformer per track.



Many of these LV units suffer the same problem, high current causing
burnt and poor connections.

As the voltage goes down, the quantity of current has to rise to make
up for it to achieve the same wattage. If all lights are out on a
track, then look at the connections between the "transformer" and the
track. If it unplugs from the track check for signs of burning and
blackening.

Less likely, but still worth checking are the mains connections to the
"transformer".

Failing either of the above, there could be a problem inside the
"transformer".

Thanks, I was going to give it a quick visual for that sort of thing.
There's no evidence between transformer and track - it's the sort where
the track is a pair of rigid metal poles, with a screw clamping them
into place against each of a drop-pole. Hard to describe - they slot in
between two fingers, which have a fairly wide screw-thread on the inside
surfaces, and the big screw thus screws up from the bottom to apply
pressure both between itself and the track, and between track and upper
surface of mount.

Would something along the lines of what you describe cause the
intermittent brightening of them though? like an irregular pulse of
brightness then dropping back to normal again (or alternatively a pulse
back to proper brightness then dropping back to slightly dim). It's
very hard to see, not very noticeable at all, but my vision is very
sensitive to changes in light levels around the periphery (part of the
reason why I now have these instead of the ghastly flourescent that used
to be up there).



Yes. Bad cionnection on teh LV side. If they are all 'in harmony' its
transformer-to-track. If one goes dim as the other goes bright, its
track-to-light.


Velvet