Bought some GU5.3 LED lights this week, but the body of them is
significantly deeper than the regular Halogens I want to replace.

As a result, I now find they foul on the spring-clips holding the chrome
ceiling fitting in place, and don't go high enough to be able to fit
those irritating spring clips underneath. By about 2mm.

Otherwise they seem to work OK.

Given that they claim to last 15 years I'm tempted to glue them in
place, but is there some less drastic solution.

It's not this one (which is even tubbier) but I hope it illustrates the
problem:

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detai...er-warm-white-
gu3-5-led_2007832042.html
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
Bought some GU5.3 LED lights this week, but the body of them is
significantly deeper than the regular Halogens I want to replace.

As a result, I now find they foul on the spring-clips holding the chrome
ceiling fitting in place, and don't go high enough to be able to fit
those irritating spring clips underneath. By about 2mm.


You have my sympathy. It's a problem I have come across before and one that
I warn people about when converting to LED (either GU10 or MR16)

Quite often removing the lock ring and holding the lamp in place with a bit
of 5A fuse wire (or similar) works - it need not be a full circle - you just
need to hold the lamp in place.

BTW -you have MR16 lamps - what driver are you using to power them? Your
existing transformer may cause premature failure of the lamps.
--
Adam

In message , at 18:23:58 on Wed, 10 Jun
2015, ARW remarked:
BTW -you have MR16 lamps - what driver are you using to power them?
Your existing transformer may cause premature failure of the lamps.

Yes, just the existing transformer; although I was considering wiring
them in pairs if that would help.
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 18:23:58 on Wed, 10 Jun 2015,
ARW remarked:
BTW -you have MR16 lamps - what driver are you using to power them? Your
existing transformer may cause premature failure of the lamps.

Yes, just the existing transformer; although I was considering wiring them
in pairs if that would help.


You need to make sure that the minimum load on the transformers is met
(usually this is 20VA) so youd would require 4 x 5W LED lamps per
transformer. You are smart enough to do the maths for your one set up:-)

--
Adam

ARW wrote:

You need to make sure that the minimum load on the transformers is met
(usually this is 20VA)

While on about GU10s and MR16s ... is either one looking favourite to be
the long term choice for LED, or are both likely to exist for ages?

Obviously with GU10 LEDs you've not got to have transformers/drivers,
but are the drivers crammed into the base likely to overheat and fail
quickly? MR16s obviously need a separate driver but that can live
anywhere above the ceiling ... and be replaced separately from the lamps
if necessary.

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
o.uk...
ARW wrote:

You need to make sure that the minimum load on the transformers is met
(usually this is 20VA)

While on about GU10s and MR16s ... is either one looking favourite to be
the long term choice for LED, or are both likely to exist for ages?

Obviously with GU10 LEDs you've not got to have transformers/drivers, but
are the drivers crammed into the base likely to overheat and fail quickly?
MR16s obviously need a separate driver but that can live anywhere above
the ceiling ... and be replaced separately from the lamps if necessary.


That is a very good question.

My prediction (based on what I and others are fitting most of the time) is
that both will keep going for ages but GU10s will be be the most popular
choice of installation (I did fit two MR16 LEDs today but that is rare)

It would be good to see some figures that show the true lifespan and costs
of both installations.

--
Adam

In message , at 21:19:04 on Thu, 11 Jun
2015, ARW remarked:
BTW -you have MR16 lamps - what driver are you using to power them?
Your existing transformer may cause premature failure of the lamps.

Yes, just the existing transformer; although I was considering wiring
them in pairs if that would help.

You need to make sure that the minimum load on the transformers is met
(usually this is 20VA) so youd would require 4 x 5W LED lamps per
transformer. You are smart enough to do the maths for your one set up:-)

I've got three rooms, each with four lights. Doubling them would be
easy, but getting all four wired to the same transformer will require
breaching the joists, which may not be very easy through such a small
hole in the ceiling. Sounds like I'm going to have to invest in six new
LED-compatible transformers, and then find a way to stop people putting
halogens back in, at a later date.

All things considered, perhaps converting the whole installation to GU10
would be easier.
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 21:19:04 on Thu, 11 Jun 2015,
ARW remarked:
BTW -you have MR16 lamps - what driver are you using to power them? Your
existing transformer may cause premature failure of the lamps.

Yes, just the existing transformer; although I was considering wiring
them in pairs if that would help.

You need to make sure that the minimum load on the transformers is met
(usually this is 20VA) so youd would require 4 x 5W LED lamps per
transformer. You are smart enough to do the maths for your one set up:-)

I've got three rooms, each with four lights. Doubling them would be easy,
but getting all four wired to the same transformer will require breaching
the joists, which may not be very easy through such a small hole in the
ceiling.

You could use the existing cable (ie the 1.0mm or 1.5mm T&E between the
existing transfomers) for the 12V supply and just use one transformer
depending on the wiring set up.

Sounds like I'm going to have to invest in six new LED-compatible
transformers,

Don't be so negative:-(

What wiring do you have at the moment? If you can give a more detailed
descripion of the wiring to the existing spotlights I might be able you save
you the cost of the drivers.


and then find a way to stop people putting halogens back in, at a later
date.


Can you not let the EU do that for you? At some point in the future halogens
will be banned:-)


Cheers
--
Adam

In message , at 19:40:54 on Fri, 12 Jun
2015, ARW remarked:
I've got three rooms, each with four lights. Doubling them would be
easy, but getting all four wired to the same transformer will require
breaching the joists, which may not be very easy through such a small
hole in the ceiling.

You could use the existing cable (ie the 1.0mm or 1.5mm T&E between the
existing transfomers) for the 12V supply and just use one transformer
depending on the wiring set up.

That might work, because the four transformers I have at the moment are
exclusively powered up by one light switch. All I need to do is identify
which wire is the "feed" from the household supply.

--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 19:40:54 on Fri, 12 Jun 2015,
ARW remarked:
I've got three rooms, each with four lights. Doubling them would be
easy, but getting all four wired to the same transformer will require
breaching the joists, which may not be very easy through such a small
hole in the ceiling.

You could use the existing cable (ie the 1.0mm or 1.5mm T&E between the
existing transfomers) for the 12V supply and just use one transformer
depending on the wiring set up.

That might work, because the four transformers I have at the moment are
exclusively powered up by one light switch. All I need to do is identify
which wire is the "feed" from the household supply.



That is what I was hoping you would say:-). You have got the idea

The only reason this could fail is if it is not a straight live and neutral
to each transformer eg wired in singles and the neutral feeds the rest of
the lighting circuit or if another light takes a neutral from somewhere on
the circuit after the feed wire.

I would certainly have a look and try it.

Good luck
--
Adam