Fire rated downlights

whiskymincher

Having new kitchen fitted and whilst this is being done we are having ceiling re-plastered and would like chrome downlighters fitted. Electrician has specced up GU10 mains fire rated downlighters due to supposed new regs. Is this correct or is he over egging the pudding?

rygon

GU10 is about the bulb itself..heres some info on it

http://www.yourwelcome.co.uk/acatalog/GU10_Low_Energy.html

have a look on internet for building regs and they will tell you what type og lighting you can put in

HugoSP

You can get hoods for around £8 a shot that go over the downlighters. They form a firebreak in place of the ceiling that a hole is cut into. These are designed to foam up under extreme heat condition - ie fire. This further improves the fire brake between the ceiling and the room above.

Then the choice of downlighters is opened up. Another method that I have seen is to build a box that goes above the ceiling board out of 12.5mm plasterboard. If you think about it this provides the same fire protection that would exist if the hole wasn't cut in the ceiling in the first place. The hoods are easier to install though.

FilthyLuka

If your going for downlights you'll certainly need fire rated version - but these are not new regulations

cost wise i have been told that the fire rated type downlights are less than the combined cost of standard downlights + fire hoods

also it saves the fiddly installation of seperate fire hoods

Ystrad_Lad

Look here for a good article on the subject.

http://www.iee.org/Publish/WireRegs/WiringMatters/Documents/Issue22/2007_22_spring_wiring_matters_installing_downlighters_safely.pdf

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HugoSP

FilthyLuka wrote: »

If your going for downlights you'll certainly need fire rated version - but these are not new regulations

cost wise i have been told that the fire rated type downlights are less than the combined cost of standard downlights + fire hoods

also it saves the fiddly installation of seperate fire hoods

I paid less than £5 for 4 eyeball downlighters from wickes that were being sold off. I managed to find two boxes totalling 8 for just under £10.

I have also managed to get a handful of very low priced fixed downlighters for another room.

The hoods are around £7 to £8 each.

robby-01

whiskymincher wrote: »

Having new kitchen fitted and whilst this is being done we are having ceiling re-plastered and would like chrome downlighters fitted. Electrician has specced up GU10 mains fire rated downlighters due to supposed new regs. Is this correct or is he over egging the pudding?

if the ceiling in question has no fire rating then fire rated down lights are not needed.

FunkyMunkey

robby-01 wrote: »

if the ceiling in question has no fire rating then fire rated down lights are not needed.

It's so difficult to find any info on this stuff!

Do I need to install fire-rated downlights in my living room, which has a bedroom and bathroom above?

Thanks

FunkyMunkey

Ystrad_Lad

robby-01 wrote: »

if the ceiling in question has no fire rating then fire rated down lights are not needed.

Not so I'm afraid. A ceiling with no fire rating is more at risk and is therefore more in need of protection. All new work needs to comply with the new regulations although there is no obligation to upgrade an existing installation.

If there is a fire you would bitterly regret having saved a couple of quid on the lights!!!!

The new regulations have been developed because of fires caused by downlighters that got too hot - really, it's a no-brainer.