Hi all,
Need some advice on choosing locations for power points and lights. See below plans:
Any suggestions? Is there anything in particular I should consider? I was thinking downlights for most of it..is this a good or bad idea? How many downlights are required for a certain area?
For downlights, I put them in about 1 metre from the wall then 2 metre spacing. So a 4 x 4 m room gets 4 downlight, a 6 x 4 m room gets 6 downlights, etc.
For power points I put one on every wall, with few exceptions. Much cheaper to do now than later!
I placed all my furniture on the plan and then made sure the power point locations made sense. For the bedroom I made sure the powerpoint behind the bedhead was concealed by the bed. Others are best readily accessible.
I did usage scenarios where I plugged in vacuum cleaners, mobile phone charges, Christmas trees, etc and made sure the locations made sense.
Don't forget outside. You want at least one for the backyard, one for the front yard and one on every balcony. I also put one in the roof space!
There is a heap of advice here on planning for electric installations, and also why I don't like downlights.
http://www.anewhouse.com.au/?cat=32
Thank you for your advice/recommendations. I know I want some downlights, but can anyone recommend something that is energy efficient?
Thank you for your advice/recommendations. I know I want some downlights, but can anyone recommend something that is energy efficient?
For energy efficient down lights you have two choices - LED or Compact Fluorescent (CFL).
CFL is cheaper - You can get a reasonable fitting for around $30, but the light is a little softer than traditional halogen down lights.
Good LEDs can reproduce the 'sparkle' of traditional halogen because they are a brighter 'point' of light, but it comes at a cost. You can get LEDs on eBay for $30 or less, but I wouldn't be too sure about the quality, light output and longevity. 'Name brands' like Brightgreen, Osram, Pierlite etc can cost anywhere from $100 to $300 per fitting.
Downlights can work well where you need task lighting (Kitchen bench or sink) or in a narrow space (hallway). In larger rooms you may need 4, 6 or more down lights to do the work of 1,2 or 3 traditional fittings (battens or oysters).
Paul
For downlights, I put them in about 1 metre from the wall then 2 metre spacing. So a 4 x 4 m room gets 4 downlight, a 6 x 4 m room gets 6 downlights, etc.
For power points I put one on every wall, with few exceptions. Much cheaper to do now than later!
I placed all my furniture on the plan and then made sure the power point locations made sense. For the bedroom I made sure the powerpoint behind the bedhead was concealed by the bed. Others are best readily accessible.
I did usage scenarios where I plugged in vacuum cleaners, mobile phone charges, Christmas trees, etc and made sure the locations made sense.
Don't forget outside. You want at least one for the backyard, one for the front yard and one on every balcony. I also put one in the roof space!
Great answer thanks - something I had been trying to figure out myself