Flashing spotlights then dead

[Yeeha28]

I have six GU5.3 spotlights in my bathroom. One of them occasionally started flashing and, one day, it tripped the fuse. After resetting the fuse, only three of the lights are working. See photos.

I checked the lights by swapping the spotlights, and they aren’t faulty. I wanted to access the transformer, so I pulled out one of the non-working lights, but that was as far as I could pull it out as seen in the photo.

Any advise please.

 

[ericmark]

It is common for one power supply to run a number of lights, and it would seem odd for a fault on a lamp to cause an MCB to trip, I assume that is what you mean, fuses rupture they don't trip.

So it would seem likely a power supply has failed. It would seem likely the power supplies are near the centre of the room, where the ceiling rose was, so that is where I would look.

 

[securespark]

Have you changed any lamps recently?

I've seen those lighting kits before and they have a 60VA supply so each lamp cannot be more than 20W.

Often, these lamps are replaced with 35 or 50W units, thus overloading the supply.

 

[Yeeha28]

I haven’t replaced anything since I moved in 7 years ago. If I would like to replace those faulty 3 lights, which type of lights would you recommend?

 

[ericmark]

I would use GU10 230 volt lamps, and get rid of the transformers, in the main reason for the transformer was so the filament was thicker so lasted longer, and the voltage was regulated which also made them last longer, but with LED these benefits have now gone, and with 230 volts you have the option of using smart lamps, colour changing, dimming, and colour temperature changeable, so more options using GU10 (230v) MR16 lamps instead of G5.3 (12v) however the wiring needs an earth following BS7671 terminated at the fitting, even if the fitting is class II, it would not really worry me, but to follow the rules will need rewiring from the voltage dropper.

You need to access the voltage dropper what ever happens, so may as well get rid of it.

That is assuming if in a bathroom the ceiling is 2.25 meters or higher.