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Deep GU10 downlighting fixtures

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Have been offered some smart gu10 bulbs for pennies and would be handy in our open plan kitchen,dinner lounge plus en-suite but the bulbs are 72mm so too long for our existing fixtures. I wondered if anyone knew any chrome downlight fixtures inc IP65 that can take such a bulb but not use the spring clip thing to keep the bulb in place?

Comments

  • fenwick458
    fenwick458 Posts: 1,522 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I think it's be more cost effective to buy new smart GU10's that will go in your existing fittings
  • Sandtree
    Sandtree Posts: 10,628 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper
    I think it's be more cost effective to buy new smart GU10's that will go in your existing fittings
    Most the fittings for GU10s are £6 ish individually and cheaper if bought in bulk whereas smart bulbs that work with Homekit are all north of £10 each and significantly north for those with colour options.
  • A review of a typical Smart GU10 lamp on Screwfix mentions it went straight into a LAP fitting also advertised on the site (3186V).

    I haven't checked the dims of the lamp or the fitting, but I would guess that most current fittings would accept them - I suspect yours is the anomaly!

    It shouldn't be too hard to confirm, either by checking specs or by contacting the manufacturers. As a last resort, SF are very good at taking things back if they are not suitable, so if you were to buy one LAP fitting and it wasn't large enough, that would probably be good enough for them to take it back.

    What make is your GU10s?
  • Sandtree
    Sandtree Posts: 10,628 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper
    Not sure if you mean the bulbs or the fittings are an anomaly?  Certainly the bulbs are longer than most but have seen some non-smart dimmable bulbs or extra bright daylight bulbs that are longer. I think our fittings are fairly standard, the bulbs do physically fit in them but for the lounge they stick out 15mm or so and in the en suite they are about 5mm or so too long and so the seal doesnt close on the IP65 fittings.

    I have seen some the advertise the depth of the recess in the fixture but the bulb connector is clearly taking some of that up... I could go for the other style of fixture that uses the clip and therefore there is no limit to the depth of bulb they can take but the clip annoys me on multiple levels (silly I know but we all have our thing). 

    I struggled on screwfix to actually find fixtures for GU10s... looking at fixtures all seemed to be for BCs and downlighters were all the modern all in one type rather than ones with replaceable bulbs.

    The GU10s that I've been offered are by Lifx. We have several other of their bulbs around the house but was seriously put off the GU10s because they are at least £30 each and for the two rooms we'd need 20 however I've been offered more than I need for less than the price of one so a good deal if I can make them work and would fix our problem of having 4 zones in our main room but the bulbs being on only two switches and not even logically split  (switch one covers most the area of the kitchen sink/hob in one corner, switch 2 covers the kitchen fridge/larder units, dining table area, sofa area and entertainment equip area)

    The advantage we've found with HomeKit is that Apple don't play by the normal rules and so if you are in the home all commands go via the LAN only whereas Google, Alexa etc all have to go via the internet. Out internet was down for 36 hours at the weekend meaning that our Nest doorbelll and themostat stopped being smart but our Lifx bulbs and other HomeKit devices continued to operate normally whilst in the house. 

  • Yes, LEDs lamps are often larger than their candie counterparts. All I'm saying about SF is that their Smart GU10s has a review which says they fitted into that LAP fitting straight of.

    Whether that means that the lamp is smaller than yours, or that the LAP is larger than yours, I dunno. Contact LAP or Lifx or SF. :-) 


  • fenwick458
    fenwick458 Posts: 1,522 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Sandtree said:
    I think it's be more cost effective to buy new smart GU10's that will go in your existing fittings
    Most the fittings for GU10s are £6 ish individually and cheaper if bought in bulk whereas smart bulbs that work with Homekit are all north of £10 each and significantly north for those with colour options.
    but how much will is cost for an electrician to replace the fittings?  if you replace the fittings to accommodate some larger bulbs (which sound like old tech, just based on the fact you are getting them cheap) what happens when they inevitably fail, replace the whole lot again to accommodate the newer bulbs that are a normal size?
    I have tried fitting the longer GU10's in many fittings that use a spring retainer of a screw bezel(i.e, fittings that would take GU10's of any size) , but the longer ones just don't sit level in them, so you're only option is to find a downlight fitting that has a fixed lampholder at the back, and is the exact length for the bulbs you want to use. but then the problem arises when these start to fail and what you replace them with, if it's in 3-4 years will you still be able to buy replacements?
  • Sandtree
    Sandtree Posts: 10,628 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper
    They’re current model, price is mates rates of bankrupt stock that turned out to be much more than he thought and can’t store it all. Will get some spares but ultimately at some point they will become obsolete. Hopefully by then tech will have moved on. Not sure why it’s any different to replacing our tv or home cinema 

    Electrician isn’t required to switch out a light fitting so cost is just the fitment and beers for the bulbs.

    will try ordering a few options like the screw in to see how they are in the flesh 
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