Recessed Lighting drafts and how to insulate

skywalker_208

Hi Guys,

I am at the stage where I need to insulate the ceiling in between the rafters in my recently built house.

I have quite a few recessed lights with standard 50watt Halogen builds. (I am currently working on swapping these out for LEDs/CFLs to reduce heat/power consumption - but havent found the right colour/combination yet. We are swapping out 1 or 2 at a time to test different types)

Anyway my main query was on the insulation around the recessed lights between the joists. I have read many posts here as well as different docs on SEI etc and there are varying opinions.

Some say keep insulation completely back 50mm from lights - but this would leave holes to loose heat through and leave drafts from upstairs.
Some say buy cheap clay pots in garden center and cover lights, feed wire through the hole in the pot - but this is still a hole and not sealed.
Then there are these caps which seem to allow the insulation run over them:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLALC724.html

I am sorry I put them in at all to be honest but they look the part and herself wanted them... but no point paying big bucks for decent insulation if you have holes all over the place!

Is there a definitive recommendation for this?

Stoner

they look good skywalker and are the correct job. Someone here boxed over their ones once.

I dont have any 12V traffos in my place as IMO they are too hot so i used LED and CFL lamps, but its still a hole as you said.

I think if something if manufactured for the job and is vapuor, thermal and fire proof then I'd go for it, the cost for these hats seems to have stayed the same over the years so I guess its either pay the money or head to a garden center.

davelerave

these type lights have the acoustic rating,fire rating and air tightness
http://www.robus.ie/led/led/asp/section.asp?s=40

prob safe to cover if using led etc.manufacturer would advise.

the open type fitting with halogen bulb is problematic regarding draughts and covering,

skywalker_208

Stoner wrote: »

so i used LED and CFL lamps.

Yes I am swapping out some of my Halogens bulbs for LEDs and CFLs at the moment. Only doing a couple at a time though to try to find some that give out decent light and the right colour (and coz these bulbs are pretty expensive )

davelerave wrote: »

these type lights have the acoustic rating,fire rating and air tightness
http://www.robus.ie/led/led/asp/section.asp?s=40

Hmmm that looks like a great job! Would probably be the perfect solution but unfortunately I already have all GU10s already installed so was only looking to replace bulbs - not entire lamp

Marktrrr12

Great choice, i like the fire rated recessed lights from NDR Electric, maybe some of you already know them

Irish Steve

A long time ago, we had a similar problem in a dormer bungalow, and the wind used to suck the heat out through the downlighters, and at that time (30 years ago) there was nothing like there is now, so we found our own solution.

It was actually very simple, and even better, it cost us nothing, as my wife worked in a small cafe/coffee shop at the time. The solution?

Catering size baked bean tins. You might have to extend the low voltage wire from the light to the transformer, the way we did it was to put a small nick in the edge of the tin, to allow the tin to sit on the plasterboard, and then put the transformer on top of the tin when it's in place, that keeps any heat above the insulation, and keeps the tin from moving around. We've replaced all the downlighters with LED units now, and they are tight and don't have ventilation slots all over the place, so the tins and the transformers are now gone, but at the time, they worked very well indeed for the time they were there.