Downlight lamps- what a pain! Anyones help greatly appreciated

[DaveyLe_Spark]

Hello all, i installed some downlights and low en lamps for my mother in law about six months ago (i am a registered spark) since install the lamps just keep blowing. To start with i thought it was the fitting as it was an old style for this manufacturer which had a fixed lamp holder way back i the depths of the casing, they were a pain in the preverbial to fit and everytime i took one out, the lamp holder was blackened from shorting. I pursuaded the wholsalers to let me swap them for the new style with a floating holder and lamp clasp but this has not done it. I have done several jobs where the lamps in the downlights, be it low ens, standards or LEDs and they all seem to last about the same length of time i.e nowhere near the stated hours according to the manufacturer. Has anyone else had this problem and has anyone found a solution yet. I know that sometimes the supplied lamps are naff but i've swapped out for reputable brands too and it's always the same.

Thanks

 

[plugsandsparks]

If lamps are blowing would check the supply voltage, - BTW are they overheating when you say they are blackened ?

 

[sedgy34]

theres a few things you could do
Retest the cicuit,check for insulation covering spots if on 1st floor, check connections are tight.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

could you get a photo of the damage?

I know that I am at odds with most of the other members on here with my opinions about LV downlighters, but I will state what i have experienced.

GU10 (mains voltage i.e. no transformers) = blown lamps in next to no time. I have powered up whole block of flats then gone around changing lamp after lamp during snagging for the builders.

In my own house, I have up to 20 lv downlighters and haven't changed a lamp or transformer in over 5 years.

However, all my lighting circuits use 35w lamps, and most are on soft start dimmers.

That's all I know.

AS i said, most of the members here hate downlighters, and loathe the LV ones!

 

[jpm646]

Low voltage all the way the best light compared to them yellow gu10s

 

[Guitarist]

A few years ago I installed a couple of gu10 fittings in my parents' kitchen with 5 lamps on each. They were controlled by an MK soft-start dimmer (specially designed for spots). Within 2 months all the original lamps had blown and we replaced them with various "top brand" lamps. My Dad got fed up of the expense so bought a bumper pack of cheap supermarket lamps and replaced the "good" ones as they blew. He sold the house last year and all the "cheap" lamps were at least 6 months old and going strong. Go figure...

 

[DaveyLe_Spark]

Thanks everyone, i have a feeling they have been overheating but i would've thought the manufacturer would've tested these as they are their own brand lamps in the fittings, hey-ho. I think i'll try some standard GU10's to allow the heat to escape further from the lamp, i know there's no insulation on top of them but there are old oak floorboards, then ply board, then underlay, then carpet so there's not a massive space for the heat to dissipate. For years though they had in the big ES spot lamp downlights in (yum!) and aside from the normal thing of swapping them out because they'd become loose in the holders they were ok. Puzzler. I'll try the standards and see how i get on. Again, many thanks to all for your suggestions.

 

[kenny james]

some sparks will say buy osram and not the cheap supermarket gu10's but in my opinion it doesnt matter what type or expense you go through they all have the same problem of blowing quick, the manufacturers must have been rubbing there hands when they created a gu10 lamp that they reckon has a life expectancy of 2000+ hours as of yet i havent come across any that will go over 200 hours never mind what they say on the package. i would like to see someone take them to court for the deliberate intention of misleading the consumer, fair enough under factory conditions this may be accurate and how many laboratory tests where finally created to get to that final sum?. my theory is i may be wrong but the humble gu10 started life in shop windows and soon crossed over into domestic houses,the problem that you have i.m.o is in a retail business the lights go on in the morning and stay on until close of business normally late at night, in a domestic househould they are installed in rooms were they are constantly controlled by a switch to turn them on and off throughout the day/night i believe that the gu10's preferred usage is to be left permenantly on for long periods of time and not switched on and off all the time many times a day which may drastically reduce the life expectancy of the lamps due to spikes in the mains voltage when triggered by a switch many times a day/night