I am really struggling to figure out how many spotlights I will need for my living room.

I will be installing 240v mains downlights (50w)

Room size is 3.37m x 4.50m.
Height is low at 2.40m.

Does anyone know how many will be best and in what configuration?

sfrazi wrote:
I am really struggling to figure out how many spotlights I will need for
my living room.
Do you really mean spotlights?


I will be installing 240v mains downlights (50w)
You are going to get a big electric bill, or have very patch lighting.
Or both.

Bill

On 25/09/2013 00:03, sfrazi wrote:

I am really struggling to figure out how many spotlights I will need for
my living room.

I will be installing 240v mains downlights (50w)

Why?

Downlights are not usually good way to light large areas in the first
place...

and mains halogens are vastly inferior to low voltage halogen:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...ains_Halog en

Room size is 3.37m x 4.50m.
Height is low at 2.40m.

The low ceiling height is a problem, since you could need as many as 16
to get even lighting in a room that size. 800W of lighting seems a
little excessive (not to mention expensive to run, and 'kin hot in
summer). Lower power bulbs would give a better light quality with a low
ceiling height (say 20W). Using light walls, and wall washer fittings at
the edges will make better use of reflected light and will tend to even
out the very "bottom bright" effect that down lighters can cause.

Note also that the MR16 form factor lamps are one area where LEDs can
perform as well as they halogens - where a Cree 9W (3 LED) will produce
slightly more light than a 50W LV halogen.

Does anyone know how many will be best and in what configuration?

Wall washers, lamps with the widest beam width you can find.
Supplementary concealed lighting such as FL tubes providing uplighting
to a white ceiling etc can reduce the number of downlights needed.


--
Cheers,

John.

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John Rumm wrote:

Why?

(snipped)

John's erudite reply greatly reinforces my rather bald one. I'm pleased.

Bill

Bill Wright wrote in news:l1tk8l$4ns$1
@speranza.aioe.org:

John Rumm wrote:

Why?

(snipped)

John's erudite reply greatly reinforces my rather bald one. I'm pleased.

Bill


Perhaps compare with Halers or JCC LED Downlights - 8 watts. I have them at
1metre spacing and I am absolutely delighted - especially with the 7year
warranty.

On Wed, 25 Sep 2013 04:06:31 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

On 25/09/2013 00:03, sfrazi wrote:

I am really struggling to figure out how many spotlights I will need for
my living room.

I will be installing 240v mains downlights (50w)

Why?

Downlights are not usually good way to light large areas in the first
place...

and mains halogens are vastly inferior to low voltage halogen:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...ains_Halog en

Room size is 3.37m x 4.50m.
Height is low at 2.40m.

The low ceiling height is a problem, since you could need as many as 16
to get even lighting in a room that size. 800W of lighting seems a
little excessive (not to mention expensive to run, and 'kin hot in
summer). Lower power bulbs would give a better light quality with a low
ceiling height (say 20W). Using light walls, and wall washer fittings at
the edges will make better use of reflected light and will tend to even
out the very "bottom bright" effect that down lighters can cause.

Note also that the MR16 form factor lamps are one area where LEDs can
perform as well as they halogens - where a Cree 9W (3 LED) will produce
slightly more light than a 50W LV halogen.

Does anyone know how many will be best and in what configuration?

Wall washers, lamps with the widest beam width you can find.
Supplementary concealed lighting such as FL tubes providing uplighting
to a white ceiling etc can reduce the number of downlights needed.


John, a few days ago you mentioned LED GU10 lamps from Lidl.

Iv 'e tried a couple of stores and there are no light bulbs at all.

Are you sure it was Lidl?

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On Wed, 25 Sep 2013 23:00:34 +0100, Graham. wrote:

John, a few days ago you mentioned LED GU10 lamps from Lidl.

Iv 'e tried a couple of stores and there are no light bulbs at all.

Are you sure it was Lidl?

Definitely. I think ours (Reading South) still had some in, and oddly
seemed to be promoting them on the "coming next" poster outside.



--
John Stumbles

I'm more non-competitive than you

On 25 Sep 2013 22:29:20 GMT, John Stumbles
wrote:

On Wed, 25 Sep 2013 23:00:34 +0100, Graham. wrote:

John, a few days ago you mentioned LED GU10 lamps from Lidl.

Iv 'e tried a couple of stores and there are no light bulbs at all.

Are you sure it was Lidl?

Definitely. I think ours (Reading South) still had some in, and oddly
seemed to be promoting them on the "coming next" poster outside.

Wrong John, I've found the post and it was you!

I'll keep looking out for them.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

Can you get energy saving gu10 lights (not LEDs) that light up immediately and not take ages to get to full brightness?

On 25/09/2013 23:00, Graham. wrote:
On Wed, 25 Sep 2013 04:06:31 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

On 25/09/2013 00:03, sfrazi wrote:

I am really struggling to figure out how many spotlights I will need for
my living room.

I will be installing 240v mains downlights (50w)

Why?

Downlights are not usually good way to light large areas in the first
place...

and mains halogens are vastly inferior to low voltage halogen:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...ains_Halog en

Room size is 3.37m x 4.50m.
Height is low at 2.40m.

The low ceiling height is a problem, since you could need as many as 16
to get even lighting in a room that size. 800W of lighting seems a
little excessive (not to mention expensive to run, and 'kin hot in
summer). Lower power bulbs would give a better light quality with a low
ceiling height (say 20W). Using light walls, and wall washer fittings at
the edges will make better use of reflected light and will tend to even
out the very "bottom bright" effect that down lighters can cause.

Note also that the MR16 form factor lamps are one area where LEDs can
perform as well as they halogens - where a Cree 9W (3 LED) will produce
slightly more light than a 50W LV halogen.

Does anyone know how many will be best and in what configuration?

Wall washers, lamps with the widest beam width you can find.
Supplementary concealed lighting such as FL tubes providing uplighting
to a white ceiling etc can reduce the number of downlights needed.


John, a few days ago you mentioned LED GU10 lamps from Lidl.

I mentioned Cree LR16 form factor bulbs - but did not suggest a source...

Must be another poster you are thinking off.

The one I tried was similar to:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-Rotund...item5af59e45b7

used in a track light. The (measured with a meter) light output onto a
worktop was slightly better than the (admittedly old) GZ10 50W dichroic
halogen it replaced.

(thought I would see how well one lasted before getting several!)


--
Cheers,

John.

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| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/