I have 10 recessed 12v 50 watt swivelling spotlights in the kitchen
ceiling of my bungalow. The lights give onto the loft space above and
since they have been fitted, I have noted a marked drop in temperature
- warm air escapes round the lamp-holder into the loft.
Two things that are of concern are that:
1 The ceiling is now breached and there is a distinct updraught around
each light - not too fire resistant
and
2 Marked loss of heat in winter from kitchen to loft.

In my view, the fitting of intumescent fire-caps above the lights in
the loft would give a measure of fire-protection and reduce (but not
totally eliminate heat loss from the kitchen). I'm too old to creep
around in my loft now, so I've spoken to three electricians, who
clearly don't want to, either, as they've suggested replacing the
existing 12v 50 watt swivelling lamp-holders with fixed spots, each
with a built-in fire-cap as part of the unit.(all do-able from the
kitchen, not the loft). A problem is that the existing ceiling cut-
outs are 90mm and there's a distinct lack of fixed spotlights on the
market which would fit this diameter. However, there are a few 240v 50
watt spotlights which do. This would mean not only scrapping the
existing swivelling lamps and their transformers, but also re-jigging
the cabling in the loft (probably). All this makes the fire-cap route
the most cost-effective way to go.

What do the pundits think, please?

On 04/08/10 10:10, Bruce Hall wrote:
1 The ceiling is now breached and there is a distinct updraught around
each light - not too fire resistant
and
2 Marked loss of heat in winter from kitchen to loft.

In my view, the fitting of intumescent fire-caps above the lights in
the loft would give a measure of fire-protection and reduce (but not
totally eliminate heat loss from the kitchen). I'm too old to creep
around in my loft now, so I've spoken to three electricians, who
clearly don't want to, either, as they've suggested replacing the
existing 12v 50 watt swivelling lamp-holders with fixed spots, each
with a built-in fire-cap as part of the unit.(all do-able from the
kitchen, not the loft). A problem is that the existing ceiling cut-
outs are 90mm and there's a distinct lack of fixed spotlights on the
market which would fit this diameter. However, there are a few 240v 50
watt spotlights which do. This would mean not only scrapping the
existing swivelling lamps and their transformers, but also re-jigging
the cabling in the loft (probably). All this makes the fire-cap route
the most cost-effective way to go.

What do the pundits think, please?

Even with the fire rated downlights you're still meant to have a gap in
the insulation around the light. What we did was to buy these which
means the insulation can run continuous over the whole loft:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/JC94020.html

Of course, if you were to use a low energy fitting then there would be
less heat to dissipate.

Jim wrote:
On 04/08/10 10:10, Bruce Hall wrote:
1 The ceiling is now breached and there is a distinct updraught
around each light - not too fire resistant
and
2 Marked loss of heat in winter from kitchen to loft.

In my view, the fitting of intumescent fire-caps above the lights in
the loft would give a measure of fire-protection and reduce (but not
totally eliminate heat loss from the kitchen). I'm too old to creep
around in my loft now, so I've spoken to three electricians, who
clearly don't want to, either, as they've suggested replacing the
existing 12v 50 watt swivelling lamp-holders with fixed spots, each
with a built-in fire-cap as part of the unit.(all do-able from the
kitchen, not the loft). A problem is that the existing ceiling cut-
outs are 90mm and there's a distinct lack of fixed spotlights on the
market which would fit this diameter. However, there are a few 240v
50 watt spotlights which do. This would mean not only scrapping the
existing swivelling lamps and their transformers, but also re-jigging
the cabling in the loft (probably). All this makes the fire-cap route
the most cost-effective way to go.

What do the pundits think, please?

Even with the fire rated downlights you're still meant to have a gap
in the insulation around the light. What we did was to buy these which
means the insulation can run continuous over the whole loft:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/JC94020.html

I have never seen those before. It must be possible to DIY something
silmilar for less than £8.99 that they cost.

--
Adam

On 04/08/10 10:48, ARWadsworth wrote:
Even with the fire rated downlights you're still meant to have a gap
in the insulation around the light. What we did was to buy these which
means the insulation can run continuous over the whole loft:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/JC94020.html

I have never seen those before. It must be possible to DIY something
silmilar for less than £8.99 that they cost.

Oh sure, but it's easier to provide a URL to a product, isn't it?

Jim wrote:
On 04/08/10 10:48, ARWadsworth wrote:
Even with the fire rated downlights you're still meant to have a gap
in the insulation around the light. What we did was to buy these
which means the insulation can run continuous over the whole loft:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/JC94020.html

I have never seen those before. It must be possible to DIY something
silmilar for less than £8.99 that they cost.

Oh sure, but it's easier to provide a URL to a product, isn't it?

I am glad you did post a URL. I have never seen one and I like the look of
them.
--
Adam

In article TDg6o.61910$2%2.42680@hurricane,
"ARWadsworth" writes:
Jim wrote:
On 04/08/10 10:48, ARWadsworth wrote:
Even with the fire rated downlights you're still meant to have a gap
in the insulation around the light. What we did was to buy these
which means the insulation can run continuous over the whole loft:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/JC94020.html

I have never seen those before. It must be possible to DIY something
silmilar for less than £8.99 that they cost.

Oh sure, but it's easier to provide a URL to a product, isn't it?

I am glad you did post a URL. I have never seen one and I like the look of
them.

There's still the matter of what temperature does the area have to rise
to before there's enough thermal leakage from that area to dissipate
the power dumped out of the back of the fitting, and how long will
things like the wiring, connector, and luminaire itself last at that
temperature? It might even get high enough to trigger any internal
intumescent seal.

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