Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Apr 24, 2007 3:04 pm Apart from the Isolite Guards does anybody know of other brands/makes ? As my new house will have over 50 downlights with the potential cost for guards being over $1,000 I'm looking for all possibilities. Thanks Re: Downlight Guards 2Apr 24, 2007 3:40 pm Hey Rod, You might not like my response but......
Given the govt has numbered the days of the Incandesant globe, how long do you think it will be before they can the halogen? I'm planning on LED lights throughout my house duiring my renovations. Wind power and LEDS - far better long term environmental choice. My thoughts. SJ Re: Downlight Guards 3Apr 24, 2007 3:47 pm Yak_Chat I whole heartedly agree with your proposed planning with LED's. I dare say I will change to LED's when they become a bit cheaper and they are made to spread the light out instead of straight down. Re: Downlight Guards 6Apr 27, 2007 7:51 pm Paint cans, or see your local sheet metal worker / business and get some pre cut and rolled sheet metal.
You will probably find they may have them already rolled and waiting for this purpose, two self drillers and your good to go. Well here in Hobart its what we use when installing them. Re: Downlight Guards 7Apr 27, 2007 8:49 pm Short lengths of plastic plumbing pipe, stuck down with silastic in a couple of places. Cost almost nothing from the hardware shop. Suspend the transformer by lengths of lightweight chain from the roof joists..not directly over the light....keeps them off the ceiling and in some air that will help keep them cool. I'll take some pics of mine and put them up here. If all you can see are obstacles, you have lost sight of the goals Re: Downlight Guards 9Apr 27, 2007 10:40 pm double07 I dare say by the time there are restrictions on incandescents there will be LEDs lights that just fit into halogen sockets/fixtures? (even if by some converter). Hate to quote myself, but just going a bit off topic back to the LEDs. You can already get LED lights that plug in to halogen sockets - not cheap, but gives you options for the future. http://shops.bizarsoftware.com.au/ATASh ... product199 Re: Downlight Guards 10Apr 29, 2007 1:21 pm perryr Great ideas! Thanks - yes, I'm sure a few poeple would be interested in pictures. Cheers Perry Perry, I just put a pic up on my pic site of what I've dome with all my downlights. Its in amongst my bathroom reno pics. Go to :- www.flickr.com/photos/clancy_n and look through the bathroom pics. If all you can see are obstacles, you have lost sight of the goals Re: Downlight Guards 12Apr 29, 2007 5:07 pm perryr Nice work Neil. Thanks for the picture. I must say, you've done a great job on the bathroom renovation. Congratulations. I'm also into bikes, so I ended up looking through your whole album! Perry Thanks Perry, I'm a bit of a tighta## and always looking for a cheaper solution, as long as it works, so the downlight cover idea was perfect for what I needed. Thanks for the comment about the bathroom. It's been a long job but it turned out ok. I'm only recently back on a bike after many years in a 4x4, mortgage, kids etc. Now I want to go bush on a bike so I bought the Honda. I'm slowly getting it to where I need it for touring around off the main roads. Getting a bit old for a sports bike If all you can see are obstacles, you have lost sight of the goals Re: Downlight Guards 13Apr 30, 2007 5:27 pm Just checking out wind turbines and found this one folks.
Compact Fluros for downlight sockets. !!! http://www.solarshop.com.au/webshop/prod348.htm And dimmable mini downlight fluros" http://www.solarshop.com.au/webshop/category6_1.htm Hmm... Price is similar to your "puchased guards" and the problem - well maybe it's solved for good? Re other fixes - When I was working for my old man, we used to make our own guards out of sheet metal to stop our cellulose touching the sides of the then trendy downlights. But I'd be carefull about plastic tubes. They might release some nasty gasses or catch fire if left on when your out !!!!! SJ Re: Downlight Guards 14Apr 30, 2007 7:46 pm double07 double07 I dare say by the time there are restrictions on incandescents there will be LEDs lights that just fit into halogen sockets/fixtures? (even if by some converter). Hate to quote myself, but just going a bit off topic back to the LEDs. You can already get LED lights that plug in to halogen sockets - not cheap, but gives you options for the future. http://shops.bizarsoftware.com.au/ATASh ... product199 They need to be used with iron core transformers, the heavy ones, not the electronic ones commonly sold nowadays. Re: Downlight Guards 15Apr 30, 2007 9:03 pm miagi double07 double07 I dare say by the time there are restrictions on incandescents there will be LEDs lights that just fit into halogen sockets/fixtures? (even if by some converter). Hate to quote myself, but just going a bit off topic back to the LEDs. You can already get LED lights that plug in to halogen sockets - not cheap, but gives you options for the future. http://shops.bizarsoftware.com.au/ATASh ... product199 They need to be used with iron core transformers, the heavy ones, not the electronic ones commonly sold nowadays. The website mentions "may not work with some electronic halogen transformers". I suspect most will be OK. Re: Downlight Guards 17May 01, 2007 8:20 pm They need to be used with iron core transformers, the heavy ones, not the electronic ones commonly sold nowadays.[/quote]
The website mentions "may not work with some electronic halogen transformers". I suspect most will be OK.[/quote] In regards to the LED Dichroic lamps: Well I tried some of these and most failed to work with several different electronic transformers. I'm a sparky. When any manufacturer says the word "MAY" that usually means they are covering their ***, knowing damn well there is/may be an issue. The idea behind this is so you think it will work ok, commit to the purchase, then later when you find you need to purchase the compatible transformers and complain they can say well we said MAY. Re: Downlight Guards 18May 02, 2007 7:19 pm Hey Rod, Getting back tho the original post, isn't 50 downlights is a hell of a lot of downlights in 1 house.
Have you experienced a house at night with the number of lights your'e thinking of? I was over at friends the other night and it felt like a TV stage in the dinning room. So they dimmed them. I find that ceiling downlights are often not used of left very dimmed, as they are too harse. Specific lighting can be better. i.e. A lampshade beside the chair, or in the corner gives a much more gentle effect. It's also better forthe eyes when watching TV to have the light behind you as your eyes are not strainig to watch the light of the TV. Just some ideas. Cheers Steve Re: Downlight Guards 20May 08, 2007 8:01 pm stingerrr hi are you guys saying that downlights can be a fire hazard ? The purpose of downlight guards is to keep ceiling insulation away from the dichroic lamp as it gets very hot. Ceiling insulation should be fire retardant but I have seen lots of it including wiring that blackens and shows serious signs of a fire risk. This would be the reason they need to be installed correctly by a qualified Electrician, because when your house burns down due to the faulty home self installation of downlights, your insurance will ask the supply authority investigator why the fire started. And you will want to have had them installed correctly in every respect. |