Converting to LED - help with Cooker Hood and Bathroom Spotlights

busymumof3

Having seen our electricity bills rising for our 4 bedroom house, we have recently taken the plunge to swap to LED bulbs and so far have changed 30+ halogen GU10 bulbs and 25 regular 40 and 60w bulbs in lamp and ceiling fittings. Purchasing through Costco and Ledhut the cost so far is £280. A not inconsiderable amount but hopefully paying benefits in the long term.

We are now left with a handful of bulbs where we are unsure whether we can make the change to LED.

1. The chimney style cooker hood has 2 standard GU10 bulbs. The manual says replace with non dichroic halogen bulbs. Not sure whether we can use any LED GU10 compatible bulb here.

2. We have 6 GU10 halogen spotlights in the ensuite including one in the combined light/fan extractor sited over the shower cubicle. The spotlights were fitted 2 years ago by our bathroom fitter as part of a total refit including ceiling reboarding and plastering. We are assuming that the spotlights are suitable for bathrooms (they look like regular spotlights) but do not know if we need to replace these with special bathroom LED GU10 compatible bulb if these even exist.

Many thanks

brightontraveller

You have to ensure that the light fitting / lamp-holder can dissipate the back-firing heat etc . The manufacture would normally be able to tell you if this is possible or not ?
Generally any fitting that can take mains GU 10 bulbs can take the heat produced by retrofit Led GU10

busymumof3

Thanks - I have emailed Baumatic customer care regarding our cooker hood.

Wondered if anyone could advise whether there is such a thing as specialised LED GU10 compatible bulbs for bathroom spotlights.

almillar

It's usually the fitting that's specialised, not the light- the fitting will be water (and fire!) proof, and you can put whatever you like in, as long as there's sone free air above so the heat of the light has somewhere to go.

brightontraveller

almillar wrote: »

It's usually the fitting that's specialised, not the light-

so is the lamp ( light )

almillar wrote: »

the fitting will be water (and fire!) proof, and you can put whatever you like in, as long as there's sone free air above so the heat of the light has somewhere to go.

You can't put whatever you like in ? Are you confused? also Op is talking of retro fitting lamps not replacing complete fitting?

As you’ve stated runs a risk of (melting cables etc) e.g. the body of existing lamp reaches a maximum run temperature of 30 degrees the lamp holder/ cable etc takes 70 degrees fine.

If replaced with lamp that’s run body operating temperature is 100 degrees ( its directly connected to lamp holder/ cable etc ) this heat will make those melt air around it etc makes no difference lamps in direct contact ?

Lower energy doesn’t mean lower temperature (mostly but not always) That’s why it is important to know the heat lamp reaches and if the lampholder etc can withstand it

almillar

so is the lamp ( light )

They were bog standard 50W halogens in my house, inside fire rated holders - did my builder get it wrong?

JohnB47

busymumof3 wrote: »

Having seen our electricity bills rising for our 4 bedroom house, we have recently taken the plunge to swap to LED bulbs and so far have changed 30+ halogen GU10 bulbs and 25 regular 40 and 60w bulbs in lamp and ceiling fittings. Purchasing through Costco and Ledhut the cost so far is £280. A not inconsiderable amount but hopefully paying benefits in the long term.

We are now left with a handful of bulbs where we are unsure whether we can make the change to LED.

1. The chimney style cooker hood has 2 standard GU10 bulbs. The manual says replace with non dichroic halogen bulbs. Not sure whether we can use any LED GU10 compatible bulb here.
Ý
2. We have 6 GU10 halogen spotlights in the ensuite including one in the combined light/fan extractor sited over the shower cubicle. The spotlights were fitted 2 years ago by our bathroom fitter as part of a total refit including ceiling reboarding and plastering. We are assuming that the spotlights are suitable for bathrooms (they look like regular spotlights) but do not know if we need to replace these with special bathroom LED GU10 compatible bulb if these even exist.

Many thanks

As regards the ensuite, I don't think you need to worry about special gu10 leds as they don't exist. In my experience, there's every reason to replace a halogen with led. We had a new bathroom fitted out, with halogen gu10s. The one directly over the shower kept blowing until the electricians eventually fitted a 7w led. No problem since (at least 18 months ago) and this promped me to change out all of our halogens to led. Curious how a problem leads to an overall improvement.

brightontraveller

JohnB47 wrote: »

As regards the ensuite, I don't think you need to worry about special gu10 leds as they don't exist.

There’s a multitude of specialist GU 10 leds out there it’s simply knowing what too look for ? e.g. lux levels type of light cool warm etc , heat, drivers, reflectors, lens, beam angle, shape dimensions, uva omissions drivers, constant current, constant voltage, dimmable, non dimmable type of led smd, light loss, colour variations etc etc

JohnB47 wrote: »

We had a new bathroom fitted out, with halogen gu10s. The one directly over the shower kept blowing until the electricians eventually fitted a 7w led. No problem since (at least 18 months ago) and this promped me to change out all of our halogens to led. Curious how a problem leads to an overall improvement.

If whomever had fitted your bathroom fittings /lamps had the knowledge and chosen the correct lamp initially it would unlikely have blown most common cases heat , vibration or poor quality manufacture or materials to start with?

When you go and buy a lamp from your supermarket etc they have decide many of the specifics for you? There main one though is profitability?

This can mean the lamps not suited but will work? cost you more to run, gives poor lux levels, omit high uva, gives you headaches, eye strain etc if your buying new (retrofit especially) do little bit if research there doubtfully designed for the specific fitting just the lamp holder ? (few light fitting manufactures produce the lamps )


The variation with LED GU 10 (retrofits and dedicated ) is enormous and although cost for a few is minimal when you start buying 10s 100s 1000s its worth knowing there going to do what you want ?

brightontraveller

almillar wrote: »

They were bog standard 50W halogens in my house, inside fire rated holders - did my builder get it wrong?

Sorry I couldn’t tell but I’d probably check if lamp / fitting / cable where getting hot , warm etc or if the lamp colours look all the same or if they start changing colour or lux levels .

Not wishing to panic you they are likely alright if there bought from wholesaler, diy store or supermarket etc but there are some not so great ones on eBay etc

Vampgirl

We have these LED GU10s in our kitchen and bathrooms - http://www.megamanuk.com/products/led-lamps/professional-series/reflector/gu10/246204/ We had a electrician come in to add some more lights in the kitchen and he told us that we could directly replace any existing halogen GU10 with these bulbs.

But our light fittings directly over the showers are actually slightly different to the others in the bathrooms - the bulbs are totally encased and are not exposed to steam/water directly.

JohnB47

brightontraveller wrote: »

There’s a multitude of specialist GU 10 leds out there it’s simply knowing what too look for ? e.g. lux levels type of light cool warm etc , heat, drivers, reflectors, lens, beam angle, shape dimensions, uva omissions drivers, constant current, constant voltage, dimmable, non dimmable type of led smd, light loss, colour variations etc etc



If whomever had fitted your bathroom fittings /lamps had the knowledge and chosen the correct lamp initially it would unlikely have blown most common cases heat , vibration or poor quality manufacture or materials to start with?

When you go and buy a lamp from your supermarket etc they have decide many of the specifics for you? There main one though is profitability?

This can mean the lamps not suited but will work? cost you more to run, gives poor lux levels, omit high uva, gives you headaches, eye strain etc if your buying new (retrofit especially) do little bit if research there doubtfully designed for the specific fitting just the lamp holder ? (few light fitting manufactures produce the lamps )


The variation with LED GU 10 (retrofits and dedicated ) is enormous and although cost for a few is minimal when you start buying 10s 100s 1000s its worth knowing there going to do what you want ?

Yes, I know all that stuff about leds. I was repondingbto the OPs query about specialist led bulbs for bathroom use - I'm not aware that such a bulb exists. Fittings yes, bulbs no.

Also, my fitters were qualified electricians who fitted enclosed type fittings meant for bathrooms. It was just that the one over the shower kept blowing. They changed the halogen bulb twice and the fitting once, eventually fitting a 7w gec led and the problem went away.