Spotlights - LED?

Sunny_Saver

Hello

I've just moved and the place has dimmable spotlights everywhere. Someone told me that LED spotlights were available, but someone else said that if I wanted LED dimmable spotlights, I'd have to change the fitting to a baffle light fitting.

Thanks.

almillar

What fitting are your spotlights? GU10, MR16 for example? Also what wattage?
Dimming can be done no problem, you just have to make sure what you buy can do it, may cost slightly more.

Sunny_Saver

almillar wrote: »

What fitting are your spotlights? GU10, MR16 for example? Also what wattage?
Dimming can be done no problem, you just have to make sure what you buy can do it, may cost slightly more.

Thanks for your response.

How do I tell? what fitting it is? If I take one out does it say?

almillar

Take a bulb out (be careful they're not hot!)
It should say
Type the fittings above into Google and click images to see if they match what you have.
Tell us whatever writing the bulb has on it when you take it out, or post a pic here.

Sunny_Saver

Grrr, it's taken my husband two months to take out the light bulb!!! I can't reach even with a ladder.

Anyway, it's a Philips 12V 50W MR16 36 degree.

Thanks.

WillCalderwood

Just a note, you do need to be a little careful when buying these bulbs... the terminology is all very confusing. It doesn't help that most companies now seem to get the terminology wrong.

GU10 = 240v bayonet style fitting.
GU5.3 = 12v 2 pin style fitting.

MR16 is actually the bulb size. The 16 referring to the number of eighths of an inch the bulb is across. So a MR16 bulb is 2 inches across. You can get MRxx of various sizes in both GU10 and GU5.3 fittings.

A lot of companies now refer to GU5.3 bulbs as MR16s however. But if you're after a 2 pin fitting always check the voltage says 12v, then you'll know it's a GU5.3 fitting.

And now, to make matters even more confusing, there's a 'low energy' GU10, sometimes called at GU10 10W. Which is a variety of the GU10 bulb that's designed to fit into a 'low energy' light fitting. They have a slightly longer fitting than the standard GU10, so you can't fit standard GU10s into a low energy fitting. You can fit the low energy bulbs into a standard fitting however, but because the neck is slightly longer the face of the bulb will project more than it was designed too.

So buyer beware!

almillar

Hi Sunnysaver - those bulbs are similar to the ones I want to replace - mine state that they are 60 degrees, so they're even harder to replace.
You had mentioned dimmable LEDs - I've got no personal experience with these but I think that you might need an LED dimmer switch for them rather than an existing one. You do, as you know also need dimmable LEDs, which tend to cost a little more. First thing to think of therefore I think is, do you really need dimmable?! Anyone have any experience?