Lighting Options

BarneyMc

I'll be putting together a spec soon for the electrician and just want to know a bit about lighting options.

Regarding down/spot lights I'm not keen on them. I assume they're relatively expensive to buy, run and require a lot of wiring in the ceiling as opposed to a centre light?

What about the long tube fluorescent lights? Are these still considered effieient? The only place I might be using these is in the kitchen and possibly the garage.

The standard centre ceiling light seems best where I can use low energy bulbs. I assume this is what most people use now?

Also I saw in other posts 'lamp sockets' - where you can turn on/off lamps at the wall switch? Can anyone recommend this and are they worth the extra expense?

Not lighting related but for future proofing for TV, Internet, etc. what should I be looking to install for this - CAT, data sockets, etc?

Thanks for any help on any of this.

BarneyMc

In particular can down lights be energy efficient?

db

BarneyMc wrote: »

In particular can down lights be energy efficient?

Most downlights these days will use LED bulbs of 4-5W each. I have 8 lights in my kitchen which provide fantastic light in all work areas at a total of 40W. If you put just a single CFL bulb in the kitchen, you would need 24W and you will soon be looking for lights under your wall units and in the pelmet over the sink.

I also have 4 downlights in the hall and the light is much more evenly spread than if I had a single light / chandelier in the centre.

I wish now i had put in more in the bathrooms and walk-in wardrobe.

BarneyMc

db wrote: »

Most downlights these days will use LED bulbs of 4-5W each. I have 8 lights in my kitchen which provide fantastic light in all work areas at a total of 40W. If you put just a single CFL bulb in the kitchen, you would need 24W and you will soon be looking for lights under your wall units and in the pelmet over the sink..

Cfl bulbs are about 11W and not 24W surely?

tedimc

In the same position myself, have you considered a lighting consultant to help out? Shouldn't cost too much and could do a really good job around advising on light types, positions and even fitting selection.

I know you probably have better things to spend your money on but a well thought out lighting plan can make a big difference in a house.

hexosan

Any recommendations for a lighting consultant in the south east. ??

BarneyMc

tedimc wrote: »

In the same position myself, have you considered a lighting consultant to help out? Shouldn't cost too much and could do a really good job around advising on light types, positions and even fitting selection.

I know you probably have better things to spend your money on but a well thought out lighting plan can make a big difference in a house.

I went into an electrical supplier in Monaghan and they we very helpful. I even got advice on switches including media options. One thing I learned was that for led down lights they are expensive to replace as you need to replace the fitting also.

kkelliher

hexosan wrote: »

Any recommendations for a lighting consultant in the south east. ??

MOD Note: By PM only thank you

db

BarneyMc wrote: »

Cfl bulbs are about 11W and not 24W surely?

An 11W CFL is about the equivalent of 60W. The are fine in smaller spaces like bedrooms but in a larger space or where you need more light like a kitchen a stronger bulb is required.

I got my LEDs (GU10) for €5 each and you certainly don't need to replace the fitting if you have to replace the bulb.

BarneyMc

db wrote: »

An 11W CFL is about the equivalent of 60W. The are fine in smaller spaces like bedrooms but in a larger space or where you need more light like a kitchen a stronger bulb is required.

I got my LEDs (GU10) for €5 each and you certainly don't need to replace the fitting if you have to replace the bulb.

How big are these (how much of a ceiling void is required)?

db

This should give you an idea. The hole is about 3-4" but your electrician should be well used to installing them.

http://www.ledvista.ie/commercial-led-lighting-systems/downlights-fittings-mr16-gu10

Tom Hagen

Hi,

i hope to be soon putting together lighting plan for new house.

Recessed spot lights, i plan to have 8 in my kitchen/dining room and 4 - 6 in the sitting room and also some in the the hallway entrance.

what are the advantages of recessed spotlights over a single pendant with standard bulb ?
and what are they like on my esb bill , are they hard on electricity?

(P.S. note: I've rented houses over the years where the recessed light surround bracket is slightly falling out of the ceiling, maybe 3-5mm of a gap because of somebody changing a bulb was rooting around up there.
How can this be prevented from happening? the last thing i want is in a few years is some of the recessed lights surrounds are coming away from the ceiling and looking poorly in my own house )

any info appreciated thanks

LeBash

Tom Hagen wrote: »

Hi,

i hope to be soon putting together lighting plan for new house.

Recessed spot lights, i plan to have 8 in my kitchen/dining room and 4 - 6 in the sitting room and also some in the the hallway entrance.

what are the advantages of recessed spotlights over a single pendant with standard bulb ?
and what are they like on my esb bill , are they hard on electricity?

(P.S. note: I've rented houses over the years where the recessed light surround bracket is slightly falling out of the ceiling, maybe 3-5mm of a gap because of somebody changing a bulb was rooting around up there.
How can this be prevented from happening? the last thing i want is in a few years is some of the recessed lights surrounds are coming away from the ceiling and looking poorly in my own house )

any info appreciated thanks

Downlighters with LED can be energy efficient. 6 fittings with LED would be around 30 watts. An old lamp in a pendant would have been 100 watts but you lose the light spread and create shadowing.

As for them not falling out of the ceiling, the installer needs to use the right holesaw and not the closest one he has.

Also, make sure you get die cast down lighters. These will have a cast piece that holds the lamp and not a spring. They are a euro or 2 more but the spring is a curse to get in and out when you want to change a lamp.

893bet

In the sitting room 4 corner spots on one circuit and a centre pendant on a second circuit gives you a nice choice!

Tom Hagen

LeBash wrote: »

Downlighters with LED can be energy efficient. 6 fittings with LED would be around 30 watts. An old lamp in a pendant would have been 100 watts but you lose the light spread and create shadowing.

As for them not falling out of the ceiling, the installer needs to use the right holesaw and not the closest one he has.

Also, make sure you get die cast down lighters. These will have a cast piece that holds the lamp and not a spring. They are a euro or 2 more but the spring is a curse to get in and out when you want to change a lamp.

cool thanks. any good lighting outlets?

893bet wrote: »

In the sitting room 4 corner spots on one circuit and a centre pendant on a second circuit gives you a nice choice!

Yes i was thinking of this configuration alright. sounds nice option.

Can any light by controlled by a dimmer switch? i would like the sitting room to be dimmable if possible

JonathonS

Tom Hagen wrote: »

Can any light by controlled by a dimmer switch? i would like the sitting room to be dimmable if possible

Not all LEDs are dimmable, it will state either way on the box. I would avoid the cheap stuff, stick to the likes of Philips, GE, Osram. Virtually every light type and colour temperature are now available in LED, as well as new options such as circular and square flat panels that can be a better option than downlighters in a kitchen.

mrsWhippy

hexosan wrote: »

Any recommendations for a lighting consultant in the south east. ??

I got a quote from a lighting consultant in Bray - maybe Greystones, can't remember. Anyway a quote for a design for a 150 sqm new build was 800 euro

I'll PM you their website.

db

The spot light holders with the spring are no problem for changing the bulb. I have eight lighting my kitchen work area placed around the island and they are great. Each bulb is a 4W LED so overall not that much electricity. I also have a row of 3 in the window pelmet that aren't used as much but are useful. You may also want some worktop lighting under the cabinets. I didn't get these as most of the kitchen work is done on the island.

Is there an area in the house that you might use as a reading corner? If you have you should think about how you will light this. My favourite corner is in a bay window and I wish I had put some downlights above the window.

Do you want any lighting outside the house? Think about security lights on all sides, lighting in the garden and on the patio, gates, driveway.

You can save a lot on you electricity bills now by using LED lights. Just about every type of bulb has an LED option these days at about €5 for GU10 and €8 for B22. Add about €5 per bulb for dimmable. I put in 11W & 25W CFLs when I moved in but I am replacing these with 5W & 8W LEDs as they blow. I have 25 B22 bulbs in the house so when you add them all up the savings do show on the bill.