Are Downlight Covers Required With Led Units?

[thomp1983]

Hi all,

As title really, I need to lay 200mm of loft insulation over a room that has led down lights fitted, do these still require covers fitted like the old non led units as they don't seem to produce much heat compared to older incandescent bulbs.

If they do still require them can someone recommend something suitable?

Thanks
Chris

 

[ericmark]

Yes the cover is to stop a fire in the room travelling to the room above, it has nothing to do with heat from the bulbs, so since LED bulb often plastic instead of glass, there is more not less need with LED, however as to insulation that really has little impact as to if covers are required, as glass fibre unlikely to melt.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Yes the cover is to stop a fire in the room travelling to the room above, it has nothing to do with heat from the bulbs, so since LED bulb often plastic instead of glass, there is more not less need with LED,

I'm afraid I disagree here.
Whether the LED downlight requires an insulation hood, depends on the manufacturers instructions.
It has nothing to do with fire spread and is heat related.
There is no need for fire rated downlights or covers, if the the ceiling doesn't have a fire spread requirement.
I.e. in normal domestic houses, they wouldn't usually be necessary, whereas in flats, or HMO's they would.

For example, these LAP LED spots would require an insulation hood..

Sealed hoods are also useful if the space above is a loft - they can help prevent vapour ingress to the loft space and condensation problems.

 

[ericmark]

In the old days, we had two types of reflectors, those which would reflect only light, and those which would reflect heat and light, with the former behind the lamp needed cooling, so suitable for pods and the like, when for example lighting a picture, so the picture did not get hot, but not as a down light covered with anything be it a hood or insulation.

However, with LED cooling can be built into the bulb,

so yes does depend on the manufacturer, but be it a hood or insulation it is still covering the lamp, so neither suitable if it says not to cover.

Fire rating was all about how long a ceiling will resist fire, and the hoods were in the main to retain fire rating when someone has drilled wholes in the ceiling, but it seems unlikely with a loft that the fire rating will matter. In the main, the fire rating is where there is accommodation above.

 

[Murdochcat]

People forget that led bulbs or lights have built in transformers and they can create a lot of heat. Covering them directly in loft insulation of any depth is a bad idea