GU10 vs MR16 - what was the point of halogen MR16?

grumbler

My elderly friend has MR16 downlights in his bathroom - each with its own 12V dimmable driver. One driver failed, and I think it's easier to replace the fitting than the driver. The light is above the shower, higher than 2.5m, - is it OK to replace it with IP65 GU10 downlight?

When thinking about this I realised that I don't understand why MR16 exist at all. I see disadvantages compared tp GU10, but I don't see any advantages.

Jonboy_1984

MR16 is a 12volt bulb, allowing safer installation in certain situations and scenarios such as use in emergency light fittings.

GU10 is a full 220-240v item. 

grumbler

I know the difference, but I don't see how 12V MR16 with an individual driver is safer than a 240V GU10. I can be wrong, but it's hard to believe that MR16 were designed and produced mainly for safety reasons.

Now, with LED bulbs, MR16 fittings do make sense because mains voltage is unnatural for LEDs and it's a challenge to stick a reliable driver into a small bulb.

Mutton_Geoff

Garden lights used to use MR16s extensively before LEDs were invented.

BUFF

1965 apparently https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multifaceted_reflector

casper_gutman

Jonboy_1984 said:

MR16 is a 12volt bulb, allowing safer installation in certain situations and scenarios such as use in emergency light fittings.

GU10 is a full 220-240v item. 

I don't think that's the difference. MR16s may be mostly used in low voltage these days and GU10 in mains voltage stuff, but this hasn't always been the case. And you can still buy 240V MR16 bulbs:
https://internationallamps.co.uk/product/halogen-mr16-35watt-240v-light-bulb/
...and 12-24V GU10 bulbs:
https://www.ledkia.com/uk/buy-conventional-gu10-led-bulbs/6424-gu10-120-s11-6w-led-bulb-12-24v.html

Risteard

People preferred the glow  of the 12V dichroic lamps to the 230V GU10s was basically the reason.

flashg67

I swapped all mine to avoid failing transformers . If you swap the fitting to a 240v Gu10 then ensure the new fitting is earthed as the 12v one there currently likely wont be.

piperm87

I did all the lights in my parents kitchen around 6 years ago in 12v mr 16. They lasted probably 4 years and i ended up swapping them for gu10 fittings with LED lamps as they were forever blowing the transformers. 

Ectophile

The lamps in my bathroom are a mixture of 12V MR16 and MR11.  The consumer unit in the house isn't particularly new, so the lights are not on an RCD-protected circuit.  One of the bathroom lights is directly above the bath.

I feel safer knowing that the lights are all SELV 12V, rather than mains.

The two transformers were already in the house when I bought it 12 years ago, and are still working now.  I have changed 2/3 of the lamps from halogen to LED, so the load on the transformers should be well below their rating.

Risteard

Ectophile said:

The lamps in my bathroom are a mixture of 12V MR16 and MR11.  The consumer unit in the house isn't particularly new, so the lights are not on an RCD-protected circuit.  One of the bathroom lights is directly above the bath.

I feel safer knowing that the lights are all SELV 12V, rather than mains.

The two transformers were already in the house when I bought it 12 years ago, and are still working now.  I have changed 2/3 of the lamps from halogen to LED, so the load on the transformers should be well below their rating.

Not sure why you would feel safer, as nearly 20 times the current will be running through the cables on the secondary side of the SELV safety isolating transformer. LED should be run from the mains - you are only creating another potential point of failure and making it less energy efficient.

It's not like you can readily reach the luminaires from the ground.