Lights blowing

[Edmunds]

Hi guys wondering if anyone can give me a hand to the following problem

Have 18 kitchen spotlights each with 50watt gu10 Phillips lamps in. They keep going out. It's run in 1.5mm cable on the downstairs circuit with 9 other lights in lounge/dining room/garrage x2/outside light/wc/ hallway and landing. Rewireable fuses on a 5 amp breaker.Now my thought is initially that there is too much wattage on the circuit even taking domestic diversity into consideration? 1.5mm cable should be capable of running up to 19amps ? I'm thinking the best course of action would be to go to a electrical wholesaler and get a Wyler mcb rated at 10amps ( I forgot to mention im about to run 8 x under cabinet lighting in -12 volt transformed down)

I had some electrician tell me that it was because my floorboards in the rooms above weren't secured properly and the vibration was causing the lights to go out. PLONKER

I WANT to do a whole house board change but with the cost at about 2000 just on materials and sockets etc it's a job for another time so to speak.


If someone can offer me some advice I would be very grateful. I can potentially remove two of the kitchen downlighters which will probably be my next step

thank you david

 

[loop3]

Sounds like is over loaded. Sorry, can't be bothered to do the maths for you. Just don't forget fusing factor for3036.

 

[loop3]

Wouldn't apply to much diversity to that circuit by the way. It'll probably run at 100% at given times.

 

[MDJ]

A 5 amp rewireable will handle a fair load, are you sure there is not a short circuit somewhere? changing the subject regarding the potential fault, you can get 5 watt LEDs these days which are equivilent to 50 watt halogens, ten times less load and they are coming down a heck of a lot in price and will work in a 230 volt downlighter.

 

[ashrow]

A 5 amp rewireable will handle a fair load, i recon twice its rating

You stated they keep going out, what does that mean ? the lamps blowing or the circuit fuse blowing?

​

 

[ashrow]

Does anyone know an electrician that would run 19 amps through 1.5 T&E as calculated by OP ?
Does anyone know an electrician that would add more to a circuit that has issues already ?
Does anyone know an electrician that charges around £2000 for a consumer unit change or has OP states House board ?

 

[dcelectrical]

Sorry to side with the plonker but

Gu10 lamps are especially tender little fellas, we fitted them in a lift and had no end of trouble, i also have trouble with them above kids bedrooms and on landings, i am only expressing my opinion hased on my experience, i am currently in love with gu10 led's but i have not found any that are like for like in warm white.

 

[ashrow]

warm white are available everywhere, cool white is in fashion now though

 

[MDJ]

warm white are available everywhere, cool white is in fashion now though

yep agree, I actually use them all the time, I love them now they are affordable.

 

[phawk]

In my experience GU10 halogens are awful, they get very hot, are expensive to run and blow all the time. MDJ is right, LED's are the way forward. The downside is that you may want to replace all of them in a room if you dont want them to look odd as they give off a slightly different light, and they're pretty expensive, £10-£15 a lamp. On the plus side, they cost next to nothing to run and last pretty much forever.

 

[MDJ]

Good point Paul, one tiny thing thing though fella, I can get the lamps for around a fiver each now, the 3 watt LEDS for around 3-50, they really have come down in price this year, The 10-15 quid ones are the 7 watt 12 volt versions, from what I have heard of late these will be 7 to 8 quid soon too and have a 2 year guarantee, which is crazy for a lamp.

 

[Edmunds]

Yeah sorry meant fuse board change.
Circuit had no issues prior to installation of downlighter

 

[Edmunds]

Brillant cheers guys thanks for the info. I will defibately look into the LED options. Big drop in price compared to a couple of years ago. Warm white is what we use on commercial jobs so that's ok, know what that is. Will also remove two lights from kitchen to ease the loading on circuit. There's no short circuit as have tested the circuit but it's old wiring in parts and know it won't respond well to having rcds put in. It's not my house do an limited in terms of what I can do.

ok it's good that someone else has mentioned vibrations playing a part, but in my case all floorboards are screwed down and siliconed along the joists with a special no squeak preventive.
Someone mentioned fusing factor what does that mean and what are the implications of it on my circuit.
Is the general concensous to put a larger rewireable fuse in at 10amps would that be the next step.

Thank you again to everyone who has given me info. It is all very impressive. Huge wealth of knowledge you guys are able to give. My electrical knowledge on 17th are a little rusty. May get the books out at lunch tomorriw

 

[ashrow]

Edmunds

£2000 for a consumer unit change is steep !!!!!
If the down lighter lamps are a issue try installing a GU10 LED lamp and see how you go, even if you buy only a few to test

 

[MDJ]

When I first read the post I thought he meant 2k for a rewire as sockets were mentioned.