LED light bulbs - for bathroom dampness / wetness sealed?

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rayonline

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#248474 27-Mar-2019 19:45

Hi all

I have been browsing for LED lights and have been advised to look for an IP44 rating at least so they are suitable. Anyone have experience with this and who sell these? They are just standard light bulb with a shade at the moment so they are unsealed. We could always use halogens but because we don't use the bathroom as much as normal rooms would there be much benefit?

Cheers.

timmmay

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#2205861 27-Mar-2019 19:47

I think you can buy any LED bulb that fits the socket. You won't get much power saving because the light won't be used all that much. I'd buy a good brand like Philips.

scuwp

3886 posts

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#2205862 27-Mar-2019 19:49

Having replaced LED downlights I am pretty sure the ones we had to install in the bathroom were IP64 and the one directly above the shower had to be IP65, at least that's what I recall. If it's just a bulb into the existing socket then any one will do. We have some from Lighting Plus that have a 3 year warranty and cost about the same as the normal Bunnings type ones.

LED's make a HUGE difference. In the bathrooms we went with cool white, amazing!

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

rayonline

1734 posts

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#2205865 27-Mar-2019 19:55

I will double check the rating in the store, the websites doesn't say, the images don't show the IP numbers either. Just not sure if the standard LED light bulbs would be IP44+ rated ...

timmmay

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#2205866 27-Mar-2019 20:04

You tend to look more at those for fittings with bulbs, rather than just a bulb in a standard socket. If you replace them with say downlights then you want IPxx (whatever) for waterproofing and F (from memory) rated so you can cover them with insulation.

scuwp

3886 posts

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#2205867 27-Mar-2019 20:07

timmmay:

You tend to look more at those for fittings with bulbs, rather than just a bulb in a standard socket. If you replace them with say downlights then you want IPxx (whatever) for waterproofing and F (from memory) rated so you can cover them with insulation.

I am no expert, but that was my recollection when researching for our upgrades, the IP rating is for the fitting, not the bulb.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

rayonline

1734 posts

Uber Geek

#2205868 27-Mar-2019 20:09

Ok ... thanks. So where do I stand now? The bathroom doesn't have downlights, they are a normal light bulb / socket. A house built form the 80s ...

scuwp

3886 posts

Uber Geek

#2205878 27-Mar-2019 20:26

rayonline:

Ok ... thanks. So where do I stand now? The bathroom doesn't have downlights, they are a normal light bulb / socket. A house built form the 80s ...

Just go and buy an LED bulb - your choice - with the correct fitting for your socket. As previously mentioned pay a little more and get a good quality one.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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richms

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#2205879 27-Mar-2019 20:30

Dont get any random one, the condensation kills them in short time.

I have several of the GE glass ones from mitre10 in some wet area exposed fittings outside and they are lasting great. The 2 part plastic ones from panasonic and someone else (possibly philips) both failed and had that burned electronics smell to them. They would get a crapload of condensation on them on winter mornings when I would then turn them on.

Also the GE come in a 4000k so are not grotty orange like the sealed filament style lamps all seem to be.

They say indoor use only but I suspect thats just them arsecovering themselves.

Richard rich.ms

JayADee

2148 posts

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#2205897 27-Mar-2019 21:23

richms:
Dont get any random one, the condensation kills them in short time.

I have several of the GE glass ones from mitre10 in some wet area exposed fittings outside and they are lasting great. The 2 part plastic ones from panasonic and someone else (possibly philips) both failed and had that burned electronics smell to them. They would get a crapload of condensation on them on winter mornings when I would then turn them on.

Also the GE come in a 4000k so are not grotty orange like the sealed filament style lamps all seem to be.

They say indoor use only but I suspect thats just them arsecovering themselves.

Thanks! We are gradually replacing ours so I have passed this on to guy-who-buys-bulbs at our house. :)