hey up,

I'm looking at putting some downlighters in my lounge and I'm wondering on
whether to go for low voltage or mains.

The lounge is 4.8m * 3.6m with a pretty high ceiling of 2.6m the ceiling is
lath and plaster and not in very good nick (its 100 years old) so the plan
is to baton it off stick up some plaster board and skim which will also
lower the ceiling a bit. The lights will be installed in the new ceiling
but with the old one still intact above it.

Any recommendations as to how many lights and whether to go for LV or mains?

Cheers

Kerry

"Kerry Hoskin" wrote in message
...
hey up,

I'm looking at putting some downlighters in my lounge and I'm wondering on
whether to go for low voltage or mains.

The lounge is 4.8m * 3.6m with a pretty high ceiling of 2.6m the ceiling
is
lath and plaster and not in very good nick (its 100 years old) so the
plan
is to baton it off stick up some plaster board and skim which will also
lower the ceiling a bit. The lights will be installed in the new ceiling
but with the old one still intact above it.

Any recommendations as to how many lights and whether to go for LV or
mains?

Cheers

Kerry



You would be able to fit two electronic transformers with up to 4 X 50 Watt
Low Voltage Lights on each from your existing light circuit. 400 Watts of
lighting in a room of that size should be enough I think.

http://www.transformlighting.co.uk/lvolt.html

The kit in the top left hand picture is one type you could choose from, but
your local DIY Store may have many more styles and colours to make a better
choice from.

The inlaid light fittings are OK to install in the lath and plaster ceiling,
We have them installed here, but you have to be careful when using the hole
saw to drill the plaster out as a template, then cut the laths with the
blade from a junior hacksaw or fine toothed pad saw. The cowl of the
fittings have spring clips which hold against the top of the laths no
problem, and in a house of the age you say, then there is more than enough
space above the laths to take these small fittings.

Hey up,

I currently have a partition wall in the room that I'm going to take down, I
think a large chunk of ceiling will go with it so that's why I had the
thought of battening the whole lot of save hassle in the long run, bloody
old houses, grrrrrrrr I'll check out the link

Cheers

Kerry

"BigWallop" wrote in message
...

"Kerry Hoskin" wrote in message
...
hey up,

I'm looking at putting some downlighters in my lounge and I'm wondering
on
whether to go for low voltage or mains.

The lounge is 4.8m * 3.6m with a pretty high ceiling of 2.6m the ceiling
is
lath and plaster and not in very good nick (its 100 years old) so the
plan
is to baton it off stick up some plaster board and skim which will also
lower the ceiling a bit. The lights will be installed in the new
ceiling
but with the old one still intact above it.

Any recommendations as to how many lights and whether to go for LV or
mains?

Cheers

Kerry



You would be able to fit two electronic transformers with up to 4 X 50
Watt
Low Voltage Lights on each from your existing light circuit. 400 Watts of
lighting in a room of that size should be enough I think.

http://www.transformlighting.co.uk/lvolt.html

The kit in the top left hand picture is one type you could choose from,
but
your local DIY Store may have many more styles and colours to make a
better
choice from.

The inlaid light fittings are OK to install in the lath and plaster
ceiling,
We have them installed here, but you have to be careful when using the
hole
saw to drill the plaster out as a template, then cut the laths with the
blade from a junior hacksaw or fine toothed pad saw. The cowl of the
fittings have spring clips which hold against the top of the laths no
problem, and in a house of the age you say, then there is more than enough
space above the laths to take these small fittings.

In article ,
ARWadsworth writes

"Kerry Hoskin" wrote in message
...
Hey up,

I currently have a partition wall in the room that I'm going to take down,
I
think a large chunk of ceiling will go with it so that's why I had the
thought of battening the whole lot of save hassle in the long run, bloody
old houses, grrrrrrrr I'll check out the link

Cheers

Kerry

You could rip down the old ceiling and re-board it. No need for the batons.

Adam


Both are a fire hazard.
Electronic transformers overheat and shut down if close to the
downlighter. The can also create so much interference as to wipe out
medium wave radio.
Mains are more expensive but can be dimmed reliably. LV transformers
have all failed for me when dimmed.

--
ddwyer

I have a feeling that LV will be a bit of a pain up the arse. How much
space do mains downlighters require around them for cooling and how hot does
it get above them?

Kerry

"ddwyer" wrote in message
...
In article ,
ARWadsworth writes

"Kerry Hoskin" wrote in message
...
Hey up,

I currently have a partition wall in the room that I'm going to take
down,
I
think a large chunk of ceiling will go with it so that's why I had the
thought of battening the whole lot of save hassle in the long run,
bloody
old houses, grrrrrrrr I'll check out the link

Cheers

Kerry

You could rip down the old ceiling and re-board it. No need for the
batons.

Adam


Both are a fire hazard.
Electronic transformers overheat and shut down if close to the
downlighter. The can also create so much interference as to wipe out
medium wave radio.
Mains are more expensive but can be dimmed reliably. LV transformers
have all failed for me when dimmed.

--
ddwyer