Swap spotlights

[Frank1990]

Hi,
Hopefully very straightforward but want to check....
Got old halogen spotlights all over the house and they are wires up to take the pointed needle type spotlights. I want to replace for led. Can I just straight swap the cabling into the plastic box and fit a twisty bayonet LED spotlight in?
Thanks

 

[opps]

I assume that your existing halogen bulbs are 12v.

If you want to use 230v GU10 LED bulbs you will need to pull the transformer out and remove it.

If you don't want to remove the transformers, you will need a low voltage GU10 bulb.

GU10 21 LED Spotlight style bulb for GU10 fittings on low voltage lighting

GU10 21 LED Spotlight style bulb for domestic GU10 fittings on low voltage lighting as found on boats and caravans battery systems.

bedazzledledlighting.co.uk

You can however get LED bulbs that will work with your existing fittings.

LED 12V MR11

LED 12V MR11

www.ledlightbulbs.co.uk

 

[Rodders53]

Can I just straight swap the cabling into the plastic box and fit a twisty bayonet LED spotlight in?

NO as they are 12V ac halogens fed from (centralised?) transformer(s). MR16 bases - 16mm between the pins or maybe MR11 (11 mm spacing), although less likely imho.
MR16 lamps are usually 50mm diameter overall. MR11 35mm diameter.

GU10 (twisty bayonet, your describe) are 240 V ac and they will not work at all. (You'd need to rewire completely to go down that route).

2-pin, AC 12V led are the ones to try. NOT DC 12V! It's not easy to tell / find in the specs and DC ones may work initially but can damage the ac transformer long term.

You may also have problems if the load on the transformer is too low with leds (@ say 3-4 Watts each, cf 50 Watt halogens). You can get flicker and other issues. Then you'd need to replace the transformer as well.

Colour temperature choice: 2700 K / 3000 K is same as halogen aka warm white. 4000K is 'colder' and 6500K is aka daylight (cloudy, north light).

Beam angle choice: wide or narrow spot may also come into the selection.

 

[opps]

NO as they are 12V ac halogens fed from (centralised?) transformer(s). MR16 bases - 16mm between the pins or maybe MR11 (11 mm spacing), although less likely imho.
MR16 lamps are usually 50mm diameter overall. MR11 35mm diameter.

My bad, I mixed up my MR16s and M11s

 

[EFLImpudence]

MR16 bases - 16mm between the pins or maybe MR11 (11 mm spacing), although less likely imho.
MR16 lamps are usually 50mm diameter overall. MR11 35mm diameter.

MR16 & MR11 are the diameters of the lamps in eighths of an inch.

The straight pins are GU5.3 and the twisty ones GU10 - the distance in mm. between the pins.

 

[Murdochcat]

Swap them for GU 10 fittings is my advice. Then you’ll only have a bulb to go wrong rather than a bulb or a lv cable or a transformer

 

[Rodders53]

MR16 & MR11 are the diameters of the lamps in eighths of an inch.

The straight pins are GU5.3 and the twisty ones GU10 - the distance in mm. between the pins.

OOPS Many thanks for the correction. Waning powers was why I got made redundant

 

[opps]

I forgot to add that if you do remove the transformers, you will need a chocbox for the connections given that they will be mains rated.

 

[Frank1990]

First of all thanks for all your advice and patience with my naivety! It's been a long while since I've thought about this job but I'm coming back to it now.

The base for the bulb running from the transformer as shown in the original pic is faulty - has burnt out at lamp end. So hopefully I'm right in saying I can replace with these -

https://amzn.eu/d/7Fotkng

Then I'm hoping I can replace bulbs with LED bulbs such as these -


Allesgute 6X MR16 LED Bulbs Warm White, GU5.3 LED Light Bulbs, 2-Pin Spotlight Bulbs 12V, 5W Low Energy Light Bulbs Replace 45W Halogen Lightbulbs https://amzn.eu/d/aqmwp3c

That seem ok?

Thanks!

 

[mcprinter]

I would take the advice from Murdo above and replace with GU-10 and lose the transformers.
If you pull the blue wires, hopefully the transformers will come through the hole.

I have done the same in recent times
Used these fittings a couple of times and seem decent.

Integral LED Evofire IP65 Fire Rated Downlight

Looking for safe, stylish and reliable lighting that’s easy to install? This Evofire fire-rated downlight from Integral LED ticks all the boxes – its ultra-thin 1mm bezel fits flush with your ceiling for a discreet and attractive finish, while the canless design helps the lamps run cooler to...

www.toolstation.com

You will need bulbs. I have had no problems with the Wessex GU-10 bulbs from Toolstation.

Edit - You mention naivety. We all start somewhere
Make sure you isolate the supply

 

[flameport]

That seem ok?

The link doesn't work, but 12V LED lamps are not likely to work well or at all on transformers designed for 50W halogen.

Sling the transformers and existing fittings away and fit new 230V ones.