Topic: Downlights/insulation

Downlights/insulation 

I have just received an email from genesis regarding a discount for downlights; i had ruled out installing downlights, due to the gapping holes, which you have to leave around them, but am now rethinking as you can pack these lights tighter to the insulation.

What our people thoughts, any other recommendations.


The below link is of the downlights i grabbed of line (first which came up)

http://www.superlux.co.nz/products.asp?id=343&product=1272

Re: Downlights/insulation 

The data sheet indicates 20 lux on the floor if you pepper the ceiling with them @ 1.6m crs. This is not a lot of light at all, compare with this-

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/light-level-rooms-d_708.html

If I am reading this correctly you won't be getting much light at all. There's probably a reason why they sell them in boxes of 12.

CA downlights allow you to insulate up to but not over the units, so you still have an uninsulated area above each downlight. They are an improvement over the ordinary type but I still wouldn't touch them.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

any suggestions for good alternatives to downlights for retro fitting to existing homes with a low (2.4) stud height?

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Try free standing up lights or lamps positioned around the room.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Also wall mounted lights.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

have you checked out homedownlights HD71-ic model?

http://www.homedownlights.co.nz/

The "ic" bit on the end stands for insulation cover. no need to penetrate the ceiling insulation.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Thanks for that link, might well consider them.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Hi, If you are retrofitting your lighting had you thought of led downlights? If you look around you can pick them up for a reasonable price. I have just installed some on my new lounge 3.6 x 4.8 and I installed 12 downlihts. 3w each, total 36 watts and not dim at all.
Advantage with LED downlights is that you can install insulation right up to and over them because they run very cool ~60 degrees c max compared to ~600 degrees c max for halogen. Also lamp life is MUCH longer. Look on ebay etc and you can pic them up reasonable.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Futurist - what LED downlights did you use and how much did they cost - if you don't mind me asking?

I am in the process of designing my lighting for a new build and am looking into the various options.

Cheers,
Ben

Re: Downlights/insulation 

I would also be interested to hear where you got your led lights from (maybe an ebay link?).

But maybe you are like me and NEVER get notifications from Ecobob when a post is updated, even if I am subscribed to it so will never read this :(

I found a NZ online lighting shop which had some at the end of last year for $68 each or so. I can dig out the link if needed.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Yeah mate - I never get those notifications either. Does anyone?

Would be interested to see your link tho.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Try electrical direct in nz .They have led lamps.
Prices are falling fast.A year or so ago the m16 lamps typically were longer than the standard down light fittings, but now I think some are almost the same size.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Sorry to hear you are not getting your notifications. I'll look into this now and see what I can do.

Regards,

Ecobob

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Dear Ecobob,

Any chance you could use vBulletin for forums instead of whatever this is?
Ever other forum in the internets seems to run on it and it really is so much better.

I'd love to see this forum take off, turning off anon post was a great start, but there is room for so much more participation.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Hi Dave, we are considering an upgrade to our forum software at some point depending on resources. We'll take a look at vBulletin when we do.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Here are the led shop links; the best looking one is www.ledstuff.co.nz, the other (not so good) is www.new-tech.co.nz.

I also have to second the comments about the Ecobob forum software, its way off standard.
I am a big forum user - they are the source of so much great, free information - but this one is so not-userfriendly it puts you off. I can only get notifications if I subscribe to the whole forum subsection for example.
If you want volunteers for mods when you get a new forum going I would be happy to help out. You have some very knowledgeable users on here, would be good to share their information with the world more widely.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Ecobob, it may also be worth looking at Proboards (free) as well... http://www.proboards.com/

Heres a NZ speedway site that uses it... http://macgor.proboards.com/index.cgi?

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Hi PhillB, Thanks for this - we'll put that down on the list of options.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

FYI, we have just fixed the issue so you can now monitor threads. If you 'subscribe' to a thread you should now get notifications when someone replies.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

an NZ company selling a range of LED lights

http://www.lzelectrix.co.nz/

Re: Downlights/insulation 

We want to retrofit our old downlights & have been trying to source F-capped/F-hat rated fittings that can be covered with insulation. A new Halcyon product claims to be F-hat rated for glass wool insulation (CA for other types of insulation), and cheaper than Fozz products, so think we will try it.

This is where I found them ..
http://www.hines.co.nz/electrical-supplies-auckland

Has anyone any experience with this product? Cheers

Re: Downlights/insulation 

heck with these guys

http://www.switch-lighting.co.nz/

Re: Downlights/insulation 

I have just bought a load of LED lights from these guys (via Redpaths in Nelson) and they arrived last week. Very nice looking gear. I haven't installed them yet so can't comment on the light.

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Switch Lighting fixed trim LED lights are able to be insulated over. They are also a sealed trim so there is no heat loss. You can keep the nice lines of recessed lighting without compromising the insulation. And they are NZ made!!

Re: Downlights/insulation 

Thanks for your comments, folks. We have just retrofitted some downlights using the Halycon CFL F-rated fittings; used these because they were an exact fit for the large ceiling holes left by the old incandescent downlights. So it was a simple switch-over, rather than trying to patch up 25+ holes if we wanted to use the smaller diameter LED fittings. Immediate and very noticeable difference in ease of heating our house.

Now onto the smaller diameter halogen downlights we also want to replace! Have you fitted your LED lights yet, SumnerBoy? Curious as to if there is truly enough light for kitchen work surfaces, where we really like the halogen lighting but hate the holes in our insulation :)

Thanks