LED GU10 downlighters.. experiences?

[d000hg]

We're looking at replacing the main lights - standard mains bulb - with a light fitting in our living room. A friend has a rather nice light fitting fitting which employs 16 G4 20W bulbs. I don't know much about how these work but believe these each run at 12V - there is a transformer (or something like that, maybe an inverter?) built into the fitting itself.

I am wondering if we can simply plug in LED equivalents such as this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Auraglow-1-5.../dp/B006ZX9BRO or if you have to have a converter of some sort, which would be impractical in this case?

16 20W bulbs seems a little... OTT but maybe it isn't... would a dimmer be an option in this case?

And with 16 in one fitting, could we just replace each bulb with an LED as it fails or need to do the lot?

Budget LED didn't seem to have G4

[northernladuk]

We're looking at replacing the main lights - standard mains bulb - with a light fitting in our living room. A friend has a rather nice light fitting fitting which employs 16 G4 20W bulbs. I don't know much about how these work but believe these each run at 12V - there is a transformer (or something like that, maybe an inverter?) built into the fitting itself.

I am wondering if we can simply plug in LED equivalents such as this Auraglow 1.5w 9x LED G4 Warm White Light Bulb, 10w Equivalent: Amazon.co.uk: Lighting or if you have to have a converter of some sort, which would be impractical in this case?

16 20W bulbs seems a little... OTT but maybe it isn't... would a dimmer be an option in this case?

And with 16 in one fitting, could we just replace each bulb with an LED as it fails or need to do the lot?

Budget LED didn't seem to have G4

Are the halogens exposed or on a holder? There are G4 dimmable LED's but they are pretty ugly. I know they were no good for a lamp I had where the bulbs were fully exposed. LEDhut have a range and some are dimmable.

G4 LED Bulbs - HUGE discounts on G4 LED Bulbs and LED Lights for Home

There are all sorts of other designs similar to the ones you have which can be seen on this page. Obviously this is a drop ship page so would have to do some research to see where you can get your desired ones but they are still a bit funny looking.

Wholesale G4 Led Dimmable-Buy G4 Led Dimmable lots from China G4 Led Dimmable wholesalers on Aliexpress.com

You could drop the 20w to 10w and even a dimmable option like this possibly?

2 Pack GE G4 10W 12V Halogen Capsule Light Bulbs, Dimmable Lamps, 140 Lumen, 2 Years Life, 2900 K Warm White: Amazon.co.uk: Lighting

You will need to check with the manufacturer though, it could be that the transformer isn't dimmable. A discussion on it is here.. It would appear as standard these things are not dimmable so will have to find one that specifically says it is.

low voltage light fitting on dimmer switch is buzzing. - DIYnot.com - DIY and Home Improvement

[d000hg]

When you say "are they exposed or in a holder" can you clarify because looking at LEDs it seems to can even buy the bare chip...

In this fitting, we simply have 16 small bulbs - they look like plug-in X-mas fairy lights almost. They plug in and the fitting design means each bulb is surrounded by a glass cube... I assume the idea is the cubes themselves appear to light up but we haven't had it running yet.

As far as I can tell, we simply plug these directly into the fitting:


Looking at LED alternatives you can buy what look to be the same:


But most products seem to look like this, and I have no idea what one does with that:

[northernladuk]

I meant are the bulbs exposed like in the example below...



Or in a shade like the example below..



If they are exposed in like the first picture I don't think the LED is way to go as they are so ugly. I would probably just go for 10w G4's in that.

If it has a shade and the actual bulb isn't visible you might try LED's

The one I had was something similar to the top one and the 10w's were fine.

[northernladuk]

The flat circular ones are for downlights like this I guess...

[d000hg]

Oh sorry, I suppose it's somewhere between the two... if you stand directly underneath you can see the bulb itself but otherwise each light is shaded by the glass cube it fits inside.

Expensive though... 16 bulbs in one fitting

[northernladuk]

Oh sorry, I suppose it's somewhere between the two... if you stand directly underneath you can see the bulb itself but otherwise each light is shaded by the glass cube it fits inside.

Expensive though... 16 bulbs in one fitting

Tell me about it. Cost me £650 to swap all my GU10's in the end. The savings in power and 15 year guarantee on the bulbs justifies the outlay but doesn't take the sting off it when buying them.

Have a look at some of the calculators to make you feel better...

LED lighting - Low energy LED lights saving calculator

G4 Bulbs

[d000hg]

But then if you go with those free solar panels we were discussing in General, maybe squandering electricity is OK again!

(Although you generally have the lights on when it's dark)

[northernladuk]

But then if you go with those free solar panels we were discussing in General, maybe squandering electricity is OK again!

(Although you generally have the lights on when it's dark)

I prefer the old, climb in to the loft and take a feed from the neighbours circuit approach myself Only on older houses that haven't got proper firewalls of course.

[Spacecadet]

I prefer the old, climb in to the loft and take a feed from the neighbours circuit approach myself Only on older houses that haven't got proper firewalls of course.

Best to do that when they're on holiday and left you with the keys so you can isolate that circuit first!