Downlight Problems...

OPENROAD

I had the house completely renovated back in the Summer of 2005, as part of this I also had the house completly re-wired. I have downlights throughout the house, over the last year I have had problems with lights going out and coming back on and some completely going out and staying off. Anyway have had the electrician back out this week, he confirmed the transformers were gone, have replaced over 20 transformers at a cost of over 900 Euro( involved three visits) one of the rooms had two transformers replaced, since he left another two transformers in the same room appear to have gone, this is starting to cost a fortune, my question is can transformers go in the space of four years and if so is this going to be an on going process every five years

Davy

Thats pretty rough op hard luck. Did you see what make the old ones are? and what new ones did he put in?

Transformers can and do go, but i wouldn't be surprised if a low quality one was installed in the first place. They do need space aswell to work efficiently, the insulation surrounding them should be installed to spec.

eao1

Brand is an issue on transformers.
I always use robus they come with a 5yr guarntee but thats only relevant only if installed to the requirements of instructions supplied as some people install them to near the lamps and stuffed with insulation.

Hope he replaced the low voltage leads to the lamp aswell these can also cause downlighters to flicker on and off and can be mistaken for a faulty transformer as they are under constant srious temps and become delicate with the changing of lamps.

Stoner

Might be cheaper to just replace them with CFLsm you need to change the connections but you wont need a traffo and they use less electricity

davelerave

you may have been better to advised to switch to low-energy rather than spend more money on the existing halogen lights.hope it works out this time.20 is too many failures.has to be an installation issue or problems with quality of trafos

2011

Brand is an issue on transformers

+1 eao1, the first thing I thought too!

I have had problems with lights going out and coming back on

Some transformers (such as IBL) have a built in thermal cut out. This is a safety feature that means that if they get too hot they switch off. When they cool down they switch back on. They may get too hot for 2 reasons:

1. They are overloaded
2. There is insulation wrapped around them.

If they over heat too many times they will stay off.

If good quality transformers like IBL or Robus did not last for at least 20 years I would be very dissapointed. I have put in 100s in the last 20 years have yet to replace any due to product failure.
The IBLs come with a 5 year warrenty!

since he left another two transformers in the same room appear to have gone,

OK either he has done something wrong or they are very poor quality transformers.

Here is what I would look at:

What make are the transformers?

Is there 1 transformer per light fitting??

What is the rating of the transformer? e.g. a 60VA transformer should not be supplying 2 50 watt lamps.

Is there plenty of space around the transformers so they do not get hot?

Are the transformers hot to touch?

When a light fails change the lamp and see if it comes on just to ensure that it is the transformer.

Are these lights on a dimmer? Some transformrs are not dimmable (IBL and Robus are).


Can you post a picture???

you may have been better to advised to switch to low-energy

This is one solution, but light quality will drop significantl.
This is a simple problem, it is possible to have 12 volt down lighters working with fantastic reliability.

OPENROAD

Thanks to all for replies.

I am not sure what brand the old transformers were , the replacement ones are called Luminux TR DET - 60 W
There is one transformer per fitting, regarding insulation, in the kitchen I have no insulation in the ceilling above, in other rooms I do but their is a reasonable gap between light fitting and insulation. Now it is very hot up in the attic.The lamps do get hot. No dimmers.

I would assume I have no comeback with the architect/builder/electrician who were involved in the re-wiring? Very frustrating have spent so much initially and then having to fork out again after only a few years to replace transformers

2011

I would assume I have no comeback with the architect/builder/electrician

That depends, were they put in according to the regulations? TBH from your last reply I would think that your issue is poor quality transformers, but this is only a guess.

I would expect to pay about €12 for a good quality transformer, like an IBL (somewhere like Kellighers, Eurosales, NEW, EWL see sticky above). Why not change a few of them and see how they work out? If you are not confident to do it yourself get a qualified electrician to do it (perhaps try a different one to get a 2nd opinion on the standard of work). I would not cost much to change a few transformers, if the wiring is OK.