What LED downlights (retrofit) would you recommend in 2016?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › What LED downlights (retrofit) would you recommend in 2016?

1 | 2 | 3

rscole86

4973 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1651162 14-Oct-2016 16:02

acetone:

I understand the reasons why 3000k is recommend. But what do people say about having 4000k in the bathroom?

We replaced the light in our extractor/heatlamp/light all in one thingy as the wife was using the heat lamp as a light source as the 60W bulb was not producing enough light. I put in a 6500K LED and 3000K LED, both 14W, and the wife went with the 6500K as she found it better for doing makeup etc in the bathroom.

mattwnz

20147 posts

Uber Geek

#1651224 14-Oct-2016 17:34

Willuknight:

I replaced my entire house with the delta lights (over 26 of them) myself.

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/deta-dimmable-led-downlight-12w-warm-white_p04390429

On trade they're about $32. Very happy with them. Each light only took me about 10min to replace once I figured it out. Yes it's legal as a homeowner to do the work yourself, so long as you're swapping like for like. Happy to answer questions about it.

The problem with those type, is what happens when they die, as I don't think they have user replacable bulbs. So you have to hope that they are still making the identical light, otherwise the replacement won't match. Normally people will buy a stock of replacements too, so they have a few spare in case a few fail early. It seems that they are now moving more to user replaceable bulbs.

richms

28172 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1651231 14-Oct-2016 17:59

mattwnz:

The problem with those type, is what happens when they die, as I don't think they have user replacable bulbs. So you have to hope that they are still making the identical light, otherwise the replacement won't match. Normally people will buy a stock of replacements too, so they have a few spare in case a few fail early. It seems that they are now moving more to user replaceable bulbs.

Swap one room out for something newer and use the ones from it as spares in different rooms.

In saying that I took one from a never used closet to put as a middle one in the hallway where 2 was not enough, and as it was never used it was noticiably brighter than the 2 hallway ones, probably why 2 was enough initially so longevity might be a concern.

Once you have sockets on them, so long as they are a standard hole size swapping them out is not a huge drama. Without sockets still not a massive problem. Not like those horrid 12v ones with transformers with pathetic little terminals and having to deal with heatcans that like to fall off etc.

Richard rich.ms

Ragnor

8219 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1651236 14-Oct-2016 18:11

Willuknight:

I replaced my entire house with the delta lights (over 26 of them) myself.

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/deta-dimmable-led-downlight-12w-warm-white_p04390429

On trade they're about $32. Very happy with them. Each light only took me about 10min to replace once I figured it out. Yes it's legal as a homeowner to do the work yourself, so long as you're swapping like for like. Happy to answer questions about it.

That was my plan originally but I'm time poor at the moment, out of the 15 lights only 3-4 are straight replacement the rest are moving or additions and some need new wiring.

Ragnor

8219 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1651238 14-Oct-2016 18:14

richrdh18:

Bunnings have a Philips R80 size and shaped LED 9W bulb for about $20. I replaced all our down lights with these. yes you still have a gap into the ceiling space where there may be some heat loss but still cheaper that getting a sparky in to fit proper LED down lights. So instead to burning 1200W an hr when all the lounge, kitchen and dinning lights are on, we only burn 120W. So there is still a savings. I got some OSRAM dimmable Leds as well and they work well, although not the same shape as the R80.

I already have about 6 of those, was replacing CFL and incandescent bulbs with them as they died, however we are getting a ducted heatpump installed and want sealed lights. The heat/cooling loss through the existing downlights is a significant waste imo.

Ragnor

8219 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1651242 14-Oct-2016 18:31

bales:

+1 for ambius 9w 3k as per sparkys recommendation

Yeah I like 3k over 4k myself, do you have Ambius installed at or do you install them?

Ragnor

8219 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1651245 14-Oct-2016 18:33

richms:

Swap one room out for something newer and use the ones from it as spares in different rooms.

In saying that I took one from a never used closet to put as a middle one in the hallway where 2 was not enough, and as it was never used it was noticiably brighter than the 2 hallway ones, probably why 2 was enough initially so longevity might be a concern.

Once you have sockets on them, so long as they are a standard hole size swapping them out is not a huge drama. Without sockets still not a massive problem. Not like those horrid 12v ones with transformers with pathetic little terminals and having to deal with heatcans that like to fall off etc.

That's an interesting idea, so you basically installed a socket on the end of every light lead for easier changing later? Which socket did you use? Is doing that ok regulations wise?

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Ragnor

8219 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1651250 14-Oct-2016 18:41

wellygary:

What are the cone angle of the R80s that are there now?

What is the ceiling height, 120 degree is OK for 2.4 m but will be a bit wide for anything higher,

Also a R80 100W @240V is probably going to be pushing out well over 1000lm

Ceiling is 2.4m except for the lounge which has a step down floor area and is probably ~2.6 or 2.7m, 5/15 lights are in the lounge.

Don't know what the currently angle is, I can't find anything about these old fittings (I'll take a picture later), they are basically a white metal frame with 100-105mm cutout wire clips on the two sides cira late 80's early 90's I imagine. We have a variety of different bulbs in them currently: 9w philips led r80 in a couple of rooms, standard 80w to 100w incandescent in others.

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1651653 15-Oct-2016 17:58

Ragnor:

We want to replace about 15 old school downlights (typical 90's R80 downlights unsealed top bad for insulation etc) with led downlights just wondering what brand/models are decent these days? I'm sure things have changed since I last looked a few years ago.

Just some general notes, whatever you do don't get anything direct from China or a cut-rate importer, you can run into all sorts of problems like colour inconsistency across batches, poor/nonexistent heatsinking (the COB sort of buts against the fins but isn't physically attached), and other issues. You may end up with the same thing from a mainstream local retailer (in fact a friend of mine did), but then you've got the CGA to get them to sort it out.

Also, get one with a diffuser over the emitter rather than just a bare emitter, that hugely improves the light quality (less glare, softer light and colours).

Ragnor

8219 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1651716 15-Oct-2016 21:55

Additional quotes came in using Eurotechlighting and Gerard Lightning products, anyone used either of these?

http://www.eurotechlighting.co.nz/12w-round-retrofit-led-downlight-3k-1

http://www.gerardlighting.co.nz/product/home-lighting-hl122led/

Suckerpunch

124 posts

Master Geek

#1652291 17-Oct-2016 12:46

+1 for Ambius. Recommended by an electrician.

Installed myself.

richms

28172 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1652313 17-Oct-2016 13:13

Ragnor:

That's an interesting idea, so you basically installed a socket on the end of every light lead for easier changing later? Which socket did you use? Is doing that ok regulations wise?

There is a specific type for it that has a snap on plastic base to cover the terminals up, and you cable tie where the cable enters it. The tame sparky called it by some PDL part number that the wholesalers knew it by.

This is the clipsal version. http://www.clipsal.com/Trade/Products/ProductDetail?CatNo=413

No problems reg wise that I know of, a friends new build had them done that way with the sockets not even attached to the wood so I am assuming that it is all good to have them that way. Cant get into mine to attach them anyway. I will ask next time I see the sparky if they really should be attached.

Richard rich.ms

mattwnz

20147 posts

Uber Geek

#1652325 17-Oct-2016 13:41

Ragnor:

Additional quotes came in using Eurotechlighting and Gerard Lightning products, anyone used either of these?

http://www.eurotechlighting.co.nz/12w-round-retrofit-led-downlight-3k-1

http://www.gerardlighting.co.nz/product/home-lighting-hl122led/

One has a 20% higher lumen rating so not really comparing apples with apples. From that choice it depends if you need more light or not.

1 | 2 | 3