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[Misc] Electrical/lighting help



CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 27, 2009
6,234
Shoreham Beach
Good Folk of NSC - I have a kitchen spotlight, which was fitted as an afterthought. I wanted it sorted so agreed at the time that it wasn't really going to be a problem to not use a low energy fitting. Several years later I have a selection of low energy bulbs in stock, but this is the one that has gone.

I thought it woudl be a simple swap over turn off circuit, unscrew, screw in new fitting and replace (it was apart from a lot of plaster mess taking the fitting out). When I switched it off and switched it on again (see I have pre-empted the question there) it didn't work. On further investigation there is a blue box in line which is a Tamlite EU-2060 20-60VA. I think I just need to remove this and wire up the GU10 fitting in its place.

Before I set fire to the house/give myself a nasty shock anyone able to state with any authority if I am on the right lines here?

Thanks in advance for the helpful and I expect unhelpful suggestions.
 




zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,805
Sussex, by the sea
the lighting circuit should be on an individual circuit breaker, I'd turn that off first . . . .

Tamelite is a transformer . . . . so if not needed, remove and wire new light fitting to 240 supply. I'm assuming the GU is a 240v bulb?
 










moggy

Well-known member
Oct 15, 2003
5,061
southwick
Possible the box was the driver for an led spot
 


Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,705
Born In Shoreham
Always amazes me how people with obviously no clue dabble with electrics, incorrect methods can kill, cause fires putting you and your family at risk the first thing your insurance company will ask for if you have any incidents will be proof you used a qualified sparks :shrug: it really is no concern of mine but being in the trade some 35 years I’ve seen it all. 90% of DIY down light installations are incorrect.
 


BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,702
Newhaven
Always amazes me how people with obviously no clue dabble with electrics, incorrect methods can kill, cause fires putting you and your family at risk the first thing your insurance company will ask for if you have any incidents will be proof you used a qualified sparks :shrug: it really is no concern of mine but being in the trade some 35 years I’ve seen it all. 90% of DIY down light installations are incorrect.

Post#18 on the building quotes thread will interest you.
 






CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 27, 2009
6,234
Shoreham Beach
Always amazes me how people with obviously no clue dabble with electrics, incorrect methods can kill, cause fires putting you and your family at risk the first thing your insurance company will ask for if you have any incidents will be proof you used a qualified sparks :shrug: it really is no concern of mine but being in the trade some 35 years I’ve seen it all. 90% of DIY down light installations are incorrect.

Point taken. Could you please provide a quote to come and hold the ladder for me, whilst I return my light to its former non-working state. I have not received proper Health and Safety training
 


Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,705
Born In Shoreham
Point taken. Could you please provide a quote to come and hold the ladder for me, whilst I return my light to its former non-working state. I have not received proper Health and Safety training
I’m thinking you need more than a health & safety course :shrug: After I have a box not sure what it is, I’ve pulled half the ceiling out trying to replace a lamp :)
 




CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 27, 2009
6,234
Shoreham Beach
I’m thinking you need more than a health & safety course :shrug: After I have a box not sure what it is, I’ve pulled half the ceiling out trying to replace a lamp :)
The helpful folks on this thread pointed out that it was an LED transformer.

Two minutes to clean up and a follow up with a little filler, maybe another 5 minutes.

Always nice to be patronised by a professional.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
 


Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,705
Born In Shoreham
The helpful folks on this thread pointed out that it was an LED transformer.

Two minutes to clean up and a follow up with a little filler, maybe another 5 minutes.

Always nice to be patronised by a professional.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
LED transformers don’t exist LED drivers do though and they wouldn’t be rated at 20-60va they start at 0. A common problem arises when folk try to dim LED lamps with a normal dimmer and wonder why they flicker same thing LED dimmers start at 0w not 20, most LED lamps operate at around 4w.
 


moggy

Well-known member
Oct 15, 2003
5,061
southwick
LED transformers don’t exist LED drivers do though and they wouldn’t be rated at 20-60va they start at 0. A common problem arises when folk try to dim LED lamps with a normal dimmer and wonder why they flicker same thing LED dimmers start at 0w not 20, most LED lamps operate at around 4w.

And also using the wrong driver, especially understanding the difference between a constant voltage driver or a constant current driver.
 






Blue3

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2014
5,838
Lancing
LED transformers don’t exist LED drivers do though and they wouldn’t be rated at 20-60va they start at 0. A common problem arises when folk try to dim LED lamps with a normal dimmer and wonder why they flicker same thing LED dimmers start at 0w not 20, most LED lamps operate at around 4w.

At the risk of being pedantic LED step down transformer forms part of the driver as per the attached diagram shows, what has intrested me is the method of rectification used being not full rectification you will note the use of only two diodes to form a half bridge effectively producing a DC output by chopping the top and bottom of the AC wave which leads to inefficiency that the manafactures do not mention instead focasting instead on the super efficiency of the LED lamps

image.jpeg
 


Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,705
Born In Shoreham
At the risk of being pedantic LED step down transformer forms part of the driver as per the attached diagram shows, what has intrested me is the method of rectification used being not full rectification you will note the use of only two diodes to form a half bridge effectively producing a DC output by chopping the top and bottom of the AC wave which leads to inefficiency that the manafactures do not mention instead focasting instead on the super efficiency of the LED lamps

View attachment 129488
The fundamental difference between an LED driver and a normal LV lighting transformer is???
 


Blue3

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2014
5,838
Lancing
The fundamental difference between an LED driver and a normal LV lighting transformer is???

Purely from the point of view of the transformer there no difference between a transformer in either a driver built within an LED lamp or a transformer built within a stand alone driver or any other form of LV lighting other than size and transformer configuration I was just making the point that drivers do have transformers built in or are attached to an external transformer
 




Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,705
Born In Shoreham
Purely from the point of view of the transformer there no difference between a transformer in either a driver built within an LED lamp or a transformer built within a stand alone driver or any other form of LV lighting other than size and transformer configuration I was just making the point that drivers do have transformers built in or are attached to an external transformer
The outputs are different LED drivers output DC whilst the conventional LV transformer gives an ac output.
 


Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee

You can't change fighters
NSC Patron
Jul 25, 2005
10,911
on a pig farm
Not having a pop at anyone, but there’s a reason people in various trades go to colleges and do apprenticeships etc.
Then to spend 30 plus years in whatever trade they choose as their vocation, only to have DIYers nause stuff up and then expect us to sort it out...nightmare.
Lighting systems are a prime example, people see a pendant, drop a rose and find 12 wires up there.
I’ve lost count of the amount of times that I’ve had to sort lights out.
Don’t even get me started on 2 way switching or intermediate lighting circuits....
How many times have I heard ‘my mate reckons’ or ‘I googled it’, even worse ‘my mate had a go’

When someone asks for advice and it is freely given (by someone in the trade), respect that advice or call an expert in.
I know my limitations....electrics, domestic appliances and central heating systems.
If I need any building or woodwork done, I get someone in.
Rant over.
As you were x
 


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