Blowing down lighters

[jackdor]

Hi all, just got a quick call off plumber who i wire up central heating controllers for. He has a shop that sells gas fires and surrounds which has several down lighter for his displays. In brief as he was in a hurry when he phoned, he said that he had some down lighters fitted last year and that they keep blowing. He didnt say weather they are mains or 12volt or any other details as he had to go. So i will be going to sort them out.
Just wondered if anyone else has come across this type of fault. I suspect that either they are on all the time and simply blowing after there natural operating life or are over heating. Any suggestions. cheers

 

[chocolate]

Try the overheating scenario. Check space above the fitting first. Unless they use cheap nasty lamps, overheating is a most probable cause for this frequency of blowing.

 

[Spudnik]

On top of that, i bet the shop is located on a main road with trucks and buses thundering past all day.

 

[jackdor]

Thats one thing i didnt think about. It is on a main road apparently. If it is over heating but fittings are good quality, then prob change the bulbs to lower energy and heat types. depends what kind of light out put he needs.

 

[Spudnik]

Whatever filament lamps you fit, you will still have the same problem due to, believe it or not, vibration from passing traffic, shop door opening and closing etc.

If you really want to sort this, then your only option is to fit CFL's.

 

[monkeyelectric]

I had the same problem in a kitchen, an electrician fitted these 12v downlighters about a year ago and every week at least two of them stop working, i've changed the wires from the transformers to the bulb for better quality braided ones as the ones on there were melting and fusing together, its been 2 months now and they are all still working

 

[sparks1234]

Something that does help them is dimmers

 

[jackdor]

Cheers, 40x 50watt 230 volt down lighters on 1x 6 amp trip and yes shop was on main road on a busy junction. Only good thing was he had 300ml of air space above lights and old ceiling. He didnt want to take any lights out so i recommended he put lower wattage bulbs in and that they make a fluorescent GU10 bulb that would last longer. he said he would think about it.

 

[Modernelectric]

all 40 lamps are on the same circuit?! with diversity that might be ok but if all the lamps are on at the same time you might want to think of fitting a 10 amp breaker if the wiring allows this.

 

[Doomed]

The 5W 3 LED GU10 lamps give almost the same light levels as the 50W 240V lamps.
These could be used for strategic locations. (It would be too expensive to convert to all LED units)

 

[jackdor]

Cheers. yea he said today that he will only used 20 and he has ordered 35watt and is fitting them himself. fare enough he prob does not want to pay someone just to changes the bulbs. Thanks again for all of your replys.