Those 12v 10 watt bulbs in down lighters - are they rubbish?

[RichB]

Not the halogen ones but the little glass ones 12v 10w with two wire prongs sticking out which are the connectors. My kitchen had a run of about 10 of them under a ceiling level valance and I am forever replacing the bulbs, some only last about 2 or 3 days before they go on the blink again! And the problem isn't that the bulbs actually go because if you wiggle them in the little hole they come back on only to go off again in a few days. I reckon it's because the fitting just gets too bloody hot, like red hot! And the connectors corrode. I even replaced all the fittings for expensive ones thinking they must be better but they aren't. I know I could use LEDs but I don't like them. So, does anyone else have this experience? I can't be only one. I wondered about cleaning the little prongs on the bulbs with emery paper or greasing them with Vaseline or something? It reminds me so much of trying to keep the Lucas lights working on my old BMC cars, they'd work for a few days then go intermittent again, and again, and again... Thoughts anyone?

[Simpo Two]

I have a couple under wall cabinets and took the glass out to help them stay cooler. But they're rarely used and then not for long.

[RichB]

I think that's the problem, the glass disc keeps the heat in. But as part of a feature in a kitchen they look naff without the glass.

[Smiler.]

We've got them in the kitchen. Some are not working & some sometimes blink.

I can't be arsed to look at them as I have bigger fish to fry at the mo, but was thinking about replacing them for LED in the near future.

It might be the heat, either affecting the lamps or the female connection.

I don't know if these have the same problem at linear tungsten halogen lamps, where fingerprints came cause early failure.

Out of interest, what is you objection to LED, colour?

[RichB]

Smiler. said:

Out of interest, what is you objection to LED, colour?

Yes, they give a cold ghostly light almost like moonlight.

[Smiler.]

RichB said:

Smiler. said:

Out of interest, what is you objection to LED, colour?

Yes, they give a cold ghostly light almost like moonlight.

I've asked for some 2700K samples, I'll let you know how that works out.

[Goochie]

Its not the bulbs that are the problem, its poor quality lamp holders in the light fitting. A G4 lamp holder maintains pressure on the lamp pins by using a small spring. When cheap springs get hot they become weak and the contact pressure is lost.

What brand are the light fittings you've tried?

[hairyben]

Sounds like the connectors are wrong or cheap. You're using G4 capsules, sure the connectors aren't 5.3 or 6.35mm?

If the lamps are hidden/ providing indirect light I'd rip them out and replace with slimline triphospher flourescent fittings.

[RichB]

I'm definitely using the correct bulbs for the holders, they've only been in a year or so. They are exposed and very visible so no I don't want fluorescent strips, I've got these under the units. I'll find out what make they are.

[hairyben]

ah sorry I wasn't reading properly.

Yeah under pelmit halogen lights are a pain in the butt. Would you find compact flourescent lights like below liveable-with?

http://www.aurora.eu.com/ProductPages/ListCategory...

It's a fairly new lamp type- flat round disc- normal CFL downfall of taking a couple of mins to warm up but the light once on isn't too terrible, much better than LED (although there are some new LED's out, comically expensive though)

[RichB]

Here's a pic - excuse the breakfast clutter

eta - perversely the ones in the display cabinets, you can just see one lighting the wine glasses, seem to last forever

Edited by RichB on Sunday 29th August 10:10

[hairyben]

Ahh. Could you not swap to properly recessed downlighters? They'd need to be F marked if thats wood, and have covers/boxes to prevent light spill above.

Sorry but as a installer surface mount fittings in that setting look terrible! (That ledge also lends itself to mounting tubes above for indirect light.)

[RichB]

Yeah I guess I could fit flush downlighters, the pelemt is wood, but would the longevity be any better I wonder? My wife has a long list of jobs that would be much higher priority on the list

[RichB]

hairyben said:

...(That ledge also lends itself to mounting tubes above for indirect light.)

That's very true, I hadn't thought of that and that would allow me to get rid of the awful brass spot lamp in the centre of the ceiling. There are actually three of these, the others are further back in the kitchen area and I hate them. They were there when the house was built and 10 years ago when the kitchen was fitted I didn't think of it however now (and with a little more spare cash) I would remove them, fill the holes and plaster the ceiling smooth. Mind you I've done that elsewhere in the house and it makes a terrible mess plastering over Artex.

[Simpo Two]

hairyben said:

...(That ledge also lends itself to mounting tubes above for indirect light.)

Excellent idea. Dump the little spots and replace with something above the pelmet throwing light over the ceiling. The room will look bigger and the light will actually be doing something useful.

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 29th August 11:06

[RichB]

The down light does something very useful thanks, I sit at the table to read my copies of Motorsport & Octane. There is lighting under the units to illuminate the work surfaces and the ceiling lights, which I don't like, light for full light. All switched separately for different effects, works well except the capsule bulbs burn out every 3-4 months.

[Engineer1]

If the bulbs are playing up check the wiring and the transformer, could be an issue there that is screwing your bulbs up.

[Simpo Two]

RichB said:

The down light does something very useful thanks, I sit at the table to read my copies of Motorsport & Octane.

The big one in the ceiling, yes.

[RichB]

Simpo Two said:

RichB said:

The down light does something very useful thanks, I sit at the table to read my copies of Motorsport & Octane.

The big one in the ceiling, yes.

Indeed dreadful things, I call them car headlamps. The house had loads of them when it was built, 150w spotlamps about 6" in dia. burn your head if you stand under them Slowly getting rid!

[Goochie]

Just had another thought... are they on a dimmer?