GU 10 Vs. Mr16

[t0m4]

Hi All,

What are you suggesting to your clients for downlighters ?

I think it was better to install a low voltage downlighters, because the 35w 12V bulb made as much brightnes as the 50w 240v.
And then its a big difference between 50w 12V and 50w 240V.
So If the client could afford to spend a bit more, I was always suggesting the low voltage downlighters.

But nowadays, when the LED get cheaper and brighter, if you have a 240V fitting, then you just simply change the halogen to a LED bulb.
But who has low voltage fittings, they must change all the transformers for LED drivers (or rewiring the circuit, but that could cost more then change the transformes), + LED bulbs. So on the end they will pay more..

Questions:
1. What would you recommend to your client ? (MR16 or GU10)
2. Any particular fittings ?
3. How are you connecting together the fittings ?
(I'm using the blue "Clicks" connectors, but I just saw here the "Line Enclosure" + "Wago" combination,
I will try it, could be done faster, and the price is similar)


Kind regards,
Tom

 

[telectrix]

GU10s every time. simple to change lamps for LED and no trannys to fail.

 

[Octopus]

GU10s every time. simple to change lamps for LED and no trannys to fail.

or annoying connector cables to fail

 

[Silly Sausage]

or annoying connector cables to fail

Those MR16 lamp holders are one of the crappiest things ever invented.
I've replaced all mine with GU10 LEDs, no more problems.

 

[Strima]

GU10, but not those crappy mini ones, complete pain to change and blow quite often.

 

[Flyingsparks]

I would recommend using dedicated LED fittings if the budget will stand it, and if not GU10 fittings with LED lamps
The problem with GU10 fittings is that the customer can whip out the LED lamps and revert back to the energy guzzling 50W GU10 lamps.

 

[Dunc]

If the customer wants a halogen fitting then MR16 every time due to better lamp life and higher efficacy. If they're worried about running costs then GU10 with LED lamps or full blown LED fittings like the Halers ones is my recommendation.

 

[D80]

GU10's every time. The MR16 stuff was going the right way with the IRC stuff a 20W lamp would be around the same as a GU10 50W. LED's came along though and that quickly became old technology.

Even if customer insisted on halogens, I'd still fit GU10's. When they come to their senses that changing a pendant to about 8 50W lamps is gonna cost them a bomb, they can change the lamps to LED's and save a fortune.

The fittings cost peanuts generally, but beware that the twistlock & fire rated type may not be able to take all LED lamps - the twistlock stuff for sure will need a retrofit LED lamp, the likes of most of the 6Watt stuff will stick out and look silly.

I used the LINE enclosures these days.

 

[D80]

Generally fault finding with Downlights:
GU10 - change the lamp. Will sort vast majority of issues.

MR16 - change the lamp. Fiddle around with lampholder. Change it as well. Hunt around for new transformer in van, and replace it as well. Look for the dimmer that's **** itself, replace with suitable size and type of dimmer - may require a 2nd visit.

Thinking about it more as a business man, the MR16's could be a little on running cash cow. With all this LED long lasting lighting, the upkeep of down lights may not be an earner too much longer.

 

[J&M Electrical]

GU10 Everytime, and the majority of the time we use Fire Rated...mainly because they are better quality and have better, safer, and usually connections that are fixed to the actual fitting.

 

[t0m4]

Dunc:
As I know in this fittings (Halers) you can't change the "bulb", so how about the warranty ?
What are you doing if the fitting goes wrong ? Are you changing it for free ?


D80:
"The fittings cost peanuts generally, but beware that the twistlock & fire rated type may not be able to take all LED lamps - the twistlock stuff for sure will need a retrofit LED lamp, the likes of most of the 6Watt stuff will stick out and look silly."

Yepp, and this would be my next question.
As I see the technology is stuck, they can't produce 50w equidistant LED in the same size.
So if you want the same brightness (which is necessary), then you have to choose the longer ones.


I never tried, but both the fire rated and the IP65 fittings looks long enough to fit the longer LED lamp.
Your experience ?


How about the Megaman CFL fittings ? Can you swap the cfl to LED ?
[Megaman CFL's (76mm) - Philips master ledspot (80.5mm) ]


Regards,
Tom

 

[thekingiam]

have just fitted gu10's all around my house ( Fire rated ) missus hit the roof when i sugested LED 'S as the cost involved ( she wasn't happy with price of fire rated lights,but i insisted).
I thought when LED'S become cheaper i would replace them all, i am a bit annoyed that by trying to protect my house from fire, my fire rated ones may not be compatible.:frown2:

 

[ackbarthestar]

I've just replaced 5 * 50W Halogens in fire rated IP bathroom fittings, (They got pretty hot!) for 3W GU10 LED lamps. The cheapest option as bright as the last lot and burn very cool. All the lamps fitted perfectly into the enclosures. The customer was over the moon.

 

[Dunc]

Dunc:
As I know in this fittings (Halers) you can't change the "bulb", so how about the warranty ?
What are you doing if the fitting goes wrong ? Are you changing it for free ?

Personally, I offer a 1 year guarantee on all my work so if it goes wrong within the first year due to a faulty fitting I will replace it completely free of charge. I do however tell my customers in no uncertain terms that if it becomes faulty after a year then I will endeavour to get them a free fitting under the manufacturers warranty however I will have to charge for my time to fit the replacement. Seeing as how they cost over £40 each, my customers are generally happy to pay my labour costs so long as the fitting is free.