Advice please for installing downlighters

[John08]

Please could someone help with my query...

I've just had my daughters bedroom ceiling skimmed after removing the ceiling rose and replacing with a 20 amp 4 terminal junction box to continue with the loop-in system in the loft.

I'd now like to install some 50W mains downlighters, which I bought some time ago and I believe these would now require fire hoods, is this true?....

The instructions say "Under no circumstances must these fittings be covered by insulation, leaving at least 100mm space around the fitting. Space and access is not a problem as I live in a bungalow. However, the loft insulation is a concern. I think rather than going to the extent of fitting these, I would probably purchase "flameguard Downlighters" as seen here:

http://www.buy-electrical.co.uk/index.html?lang=en-uk&target=d18.html

Having not fit them before, although that shouldn't really be a problem following some posts here and i'm pretty confident with wiring. I would like some advice to how many I would need (50W mains) for a 3 metre square bedroom? What distance should they be from the walls?
Also, my lighting loop is on 1mm cable, should i continue with the same for the downlighters?

Thank you.

 

[Steve]

you dont need any fire rating for the downlights. see page for of "for reference" theres a post there made by myself about fire hoods etc.

Build a little wooden box around each light with a couple of holes in the top. Just to keep insulation at bay.

fire hoods and fire rated lamps are only ness. when you have a fire rated ceiling - which i doubt very much.

 

[John08]

Thanks for your reply crafty1289.

Little boxes it will be then, I do believe I have some spare plasterboard, the pink sort which should fit the bill.

As to the other part of my query....I'm not sure whether to fit 4 or 6 downlighters for the 3 metre square bedroom.? Should 4 be suffice crafty?

Thanks

 

[Steve]

do you mean
3m x 3m or
3m² (approx 1.5m x 2m)
?

if 3m x 3m, 4-5 will suffice

if 3m², 2-3 would suffice, but thats a VERY small room!!!!

 

[John08]

Thanks crafty

 

[SamHandy]

If you didn't want to make your own boxes then you could use these ones from a company called Aurora lighting

http://www.aurora.eu.com/ProductPages/SearchResults.aspx?s=dig340

The insulation could then lay over that. The only problem with home made boxes is that they often collapse causing the fitting to over heat etc.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I expect that at some time in the last 3 years John sorted it.

 

[SamHandy]

Yeah I need to look at the dates more often !