Hi,

I'm having downlights fitted in my living room tomorrow, but am a bit
worried about getting the number/positioning right. Want the room to
be quite bright and well balanced. Details as follows:

-Room about 12x13
-Chimney breast and bay window to consider
-Painted white
-Option to add additional table lamps etc and my fireplace already has
a downlight on it

As this is quite a small room I had initially planned to place
4x50watt eyeball downlights in a square. But having read some of the
posts here I am concerned that this won't be enough. Problem I have
is that the other half isnt keen on having loads of these all over the
ceiling, but I know she won't be happy with dim light! Shape of the
room makes positioning the lights tricky when I try to bring more than
4 into the equation. Looks something like this (Obviously not to
scale.
_____ ______
! !__________! !
! !___
! x x !
! ! (Bay Window)
! ___!
! x x !
!_______________________!



Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated before D Day 2moro!
Really want to get this right!

Thanks all

SPC

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
SPC wrote:

Hi,

I'm having downlights fitted in my living room tomorrow, but am a bit
worried about getting the number/positioning right. Want the room to
be quite bright and well balanced. Details as follows:

-Room about 12x13
-Chimney breast and bay window to consider
-Painted white
-Option to add additional table lamps etc and my fireplace already has
a downlight on it

As this is quite a small room I had initially planned to place
4x50watt eyeball downlights in a square. But having read some of the
posts here I am concerned that this won't be enough. Problem I have
is that the other half isnt keen on having loads of these all over the
ceiling, but I know she won't be happy with dim light! Shape of the
room makes positioning the lights tricky when I try to bring more than
4 into the equation. Looks something like this (Obviously not to
scale.
_____ ______
! !__________! !
! !___
! x x !
! ! (Bay Window)
! ___!
! x x !
!_______________________!



Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated before D Day 2moro!
Really want to get this right!

Thanks all

SPC


You don't have a lot of options if you want to maintain a symmetrical matrix
pattern - 3 x 2 would look odd, and 3 x 3 would be a complete overkill. I
suppose you could put one in the middle - like a 5 on a domino!

I have an L-shaped lounge with is about 23' long by 18' in the wide part and
11' in the narrow part. I have 12 50-watt LV downlighters, arranged in 3
(separately switchable) groups of 4 - plus a few wall lights. We very rarely
have *all* of the downlighters on at the same time.

I think 4 will be fine for you, particularly if you supplement them with a
few wall lights.

One thing you haven't mentioned - joist positions! The installation
instructions which came with my downlighters specified that no part of the
lamp must be less than 50mm away from the nearest joist. This might limit
your options! [It presented me with a particular challenge, because the
joists at one end of my lounge at at right angles to those at the other
end!]
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!

SPC wrote:
Hi,

I'm having downlights fitted in my living room tomorrow, but am a bit
worried about getting the number/positioning right. Want the room to
be quite bright and well balanced. Details as follows:

-Room about 12x13
-Chimney breast and bay window to consider
-Painted white
-Option to add additional table lamps etc and my fireplace already has
a downlight on it

As this is quite a small room I had initially planned to place
4x50watt eyeball downlights in a square. But having read some of the
posts here I am concerned that this won't be enough. Problem I have
is that the other half isnt keen on having loads of these all over the
ceiling, but I know she won't be happy with dim light! Shape of the
room makes positioning the lights tricky when I try to bring more than
4 into the equation. Looks something like this (Obviously not to
scale.
_____ ______
! !__________! !
! !___
! x x !
! ! (Bay Window)
! ___!
! x x !
!_______________________!



Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated before D Day 2moro!
Really want to get this right!

Thanks all

SPC
Flood bulbs (as opposed to spot) will cover 36deg which in an 8' ceiling
will fully illuminate a circle of about 20sq ft or to put it another way
a five foot diameter.

So if you put the lights about 6ft apart you will cover most of the room

200W in a small room like this should be easily adequate especially if
you have other lighting.

Consider using directional fitting if you are worried about dark corners

Nick

"SPC" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm having downlights fitted in my living room tomorrow, but am a bit
worried about getting the number/positioning right. Want the room to
be quite bright and well balanced. Details as follows:

-Room about 12x13
-Chimney breast and bay window to consider
-Painted white
-Option to add additional table lamps etc and my fireplace already has
a downlight on it

As this is quite a small room I had initially planned to place
4x50watt eyeball downlights in a square. But having read some of the
posts here I am concerned that this won't be enough. Problem I have
is that the other half isnt keen on having loads of these all over the
ceiling, but I know she won't be happy with dim light! Shape of the
room makes positioning the lights tricky when I try to bring more than
4 into the equation. Looks something like this (Obviously not to
scale.
_____ ______
! !__________! !
! !___
! x x !
! ! (Bay Window)
! ___!
! x x !
!_______________________!



Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated before D Day 2moro!
Really want to get this right!

Thanks all

SPC

I had a larger area and was faced with the same problem. I decided on wall
washers 2 feet out from the walls. 2 on the fire place, 4 arranged along
the wall with the window and the adjoining wall. and 2 down lights over the
couch area. I used 100 CF's switched each set separately. I could turn on
what I needed or all at once. I used the pair over the fireplace for
watching TV and the 4 lighted up some of my movie posters. The pair over the
couch was for reading and I rarely used them.

Trying for general lighting with cans is pretty hard. If your going to put
up some art, pictures, etc I would light them and leave the center of the
room alone.
I like indirect lighting. So bouncing light off the walls into the room is
attractive to me.
good luck with your project

"SPC" wrote in message
...
....
As this is quite a small room I had initially planned to place
4x50watt eyeball downlights in a square. But having read some of the
posts here I am concerned that this won't be enough...

If you don't like them once they are installed, it would not be too
difficult to replace them with larger diameter downlighters, using low
energy or PAR 38 lamps, which can give more light and which will almost
certainly give a wider spread of light.

Colin Bignell

"SPC" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm having downlights fitted in my living room tomorrow, but am a bit
worried about getting the number/positioning right. Want the room to
be quite bright and well balanced. Details as follows:

-Room about 12x13

But you missed units, guessing feet, and importantly height

-Chimney breast and bay window to consider
-Painted white
-Option to add additional table lamps etc

Get your electrician to add a seperate lighting circuit round wall`s,
dimmer, at light switch position, wired to 5A sockets is common.

and my fireplace already has
a downlight on it

As a picture light, guessing, so any additional arrangement has to include
this

As this is quite a small room I had initially planned to place
4x50watt eyeball downlights in a square. But having read some of the
posts here

Here being?
Im posting from sci.engr.lighting.

I am concerned that this won't be enough. Problem I have
is that the other half isnt keen on having loads of these all over the
ceiling, but I know she won't be happy with dim light!

200W sounds good.
Again personal taste but 5 or even 6 split over 2 circuits adds versatility,
think pentangle and hexagonal with the lights on the points.

Shape of the
room makes positioning the lights tricky when I try to bring more than
4 into the equation. Looks something like this (Obviously not to
scale.
_____ ______
! !__________! !
! !___
! x x !
! ! (Bay Window)
! ___!
! x x !
!_______________________!



Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated before D Day 2moro!
Really want to get this right!

Use a dimmer and pull cable round walls for table lamp circuit also on
dimmer. 2 or 3 circuits in one room,sounds excessive but is suprisingly
useful, even to technophobes...
Let us know how you get on

Adam


Thanks all

SPC

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert_my_surname_here wrote in message
. ..

"SPC" wrote in message
...
...
As this is quite a small room I had initially planned to place
4x50watt eyeball downlights in a square. But having read some of the
posts here I am concerned that this won't be enough...

If you don't like them once they are installed, it would not be too
difficult to replace them with larger diameter downlighters, using low
energy

Personally not fond of fluro downlighters in a realaxation area, your
milegae may vary.

or PAR 38 lamps, which can give more light

At the expense, literally, of more power and lowered effiency,PAR 38 even in
econo flavour is 80W, a 50W 12V lamp will provide as much light at a
slightly higher colour temperature.

PAR 38`s really are outdated nowadays.

and which will almost
certainly give a wider spread of light.

Bigger lamp and filament will give a wider spread, but the mains voltage
MR16`s also give a pleasingly wide spread due to the big filament, there
tendency to pop like pop corn is not their most endearing feature.

Good quality LV lamps in flood format will have a diffusing lens sealed on
the front.

Adam

Colin Bignell

(SPC) wrote in message m...
Hi,

I'm having downlights fitted in my living room tomorrow, but am a bit
worried about getting the number/positioning right. Want the room to

As this is quite a small room I had initially planned to place
4x50watt eyeball downlights in a square. But having read some of the


sounds about right. I dont recommend these things, but thats about the
right amount. Table lamps fill in well.

I would suggest switching them separately, it makes for much more
comfortable lighting.

Regards, NT

On Fri, 5 Mar 2004, Adam Aglionby wrote:

Good quality LV lamps in flood format will have a diffusing lens sealed
on the front.

I've seen MRC16s (so-called "classified" lamps) with clear cover lenses
sealed on, but never with optic lenses.

DS

Thanks for all the advice.

Went for the four, waiting for night to fall so I can see the results.
Fingers crossed!

SPC

Thanks again all, have seen otheres advise against downlights but went
for it anyway. Please with the result at the moment, but not used the
room much yet. Does cast some shadows but I think it gives the room a
bit of an atmosphere and hope to break it up with lamps as suggested.

One thing I noticed is that its a bit less forgiving on your
paintwork, can now see that the coving needs an extra
coat.........gutted!

"Daniel J. Stern" wrote in message
n.umich.edu...
On Fri, 5 Mar 2004, Adam Aglionby wrote:

Good quality LV lamps in flood format will have a diffusing lens sealed
on the front.

I've seen MRC16s (so-called "classified" lamps) with clear cover lenses
sealed on,

prefer all halogen lamps to be closed face...

but never with optic lenses.

er, call my bluff actually, havent seen a flood MR16 with a sealed on
`beehive` par style diffuser for , er, some time.
Everyone likes spot lites...

Adam


DS