Hello Fountain of Knowledge.

Our bathroom lights have been playing up ‘for a while’. There are 5 mr16 flush fitted spots in a tongue and groove cladded false ceiling: above the tongue and groove there is a void, then chipboard, then insulation then the chipboard loft flooring. The lights have been dimming and some going out.

I delved in today and discovered there are 2 transformers one powering 3 of the lights and the other powering the 2 other lights. The 2 transformers are split from a single power source in the middle of the ceiling.

The wires to the lights from the transformers is all bodged together with quick connectors taped up and the termination from each light is the same. The cable is multi strand 2 or 3 core (I can’t remember) mains rubber type flex.

Sourced the issue to one of the transformers. it has a scorch mark on the case and is buzzing.

The fittings are in 66mm holes but for bathroom fittings it looks like they are all 76mm so I will have to drill the false ceiling holes to suit.

Now. Do I. replace all fittings and transformers with a single 30 or 40w transformer leaving the flex through the suspended ceiling in place.

Or do I replace all fittings and transformers with one transformer per fitting and replacing all the wiring from the single power source probably having to lift the loft flooring and still having a fight (possibly impossible) to thread the cable: it feels like it is either clipped in place or threaded through presumably false joists.

Looking at online suppliers it looks like most new installations would have a transformer/ driver per light. I have found a 40w transformer/ driver here: linky]click meit’s IP67 so maybe overkill to be fitted in the void and would plan to run 5 3.w bulbs of it so it isn’t loaded heavily.

I guess what I am wondering is how much of a bodge is it to do the single transformer to save the hassle of replacing the wiring….

I meant I will power 5no. 3.5w bulbs at least. The otion to go brighter is an advantage.

The existing are halogens but going to go for leds and the exisitng fittings are not bathroom specific so looking to change these. Not mentioning the power socket near the sink…but I think I lloked into it a while bit and it was within the allowed area according to the regs here.

I replaced all my halogen, MR16 bulbs with 5W MR16 LEDs from screwfix, using existing fittings, brighter whiter light much less power consumption. come in warm white or cool white

£11.69 for 5

You should look at whether your existing fittings meet regs though.

Actually what I meant was I’ll be fitting 5no. GU5.3 5 watt lights….

GU5.3 is the way to go for a bathroom right?

Throw the 12v lights/transformers away – they are the work of the devil and bloody lethal (I found may melted transformers and cables when I swapped all out over).
Most people rip out the transformers and simple fit a GU10 fitting so you can run 240v LEDs of which there is a massive choice.
I’d also change the fitting to some approved for bathroom use or at least these
Easy job, I must have changed 50+ over two houses.

If you’re dead keen on replacing the transformers I’ll send you as many as you want for an RNLI donation.

If 240V fittings are safe in that area, then I’d go the GU10 route.
Just doing that in my kitchen. Slightly more expensive in that I have to replace fittings, but GU10 LED cost peanuts compared to GU5.3 LEDs (but still 2x the price of halogen).
In my case the transformer fixings properly melted and one day they just went Bang! and stopped working (without tripping anything).

I’ve just replaced all of ours with sealed LED unit, complete transformer, cheap enough, easy to fit, only problem is that the bulb isn’t replaceable.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/smartwares-fire-rated-fixed-integrated-led-downlight-ip65-chrome-3w/1055h

I would go GU10 led at 240 volt – thats what I put in my bathroom ceiling

I went 12V MR16 to GU10 240V in my kitchen and bathroom, just changing the wiring fittings. I think I paid about £1.50 a fitting from Ebay. No more failing transformers or replacing halogens every six months . Fantastic.

Thanks all. Best route I agree would be to go to mains MR16’s but the wiring to the spots from the 2 central transformers isn’t upto standard as it is just triple core flex and here it should be solid cable. ( interesting point here in France we don’t have twin core cabling etc. It is all single core.).

I have investigated and can’t replace the cable easily due to ‘joists’ in the false Ceiling void. So I have decided the least risky is to replace the transformers with one 40w for leds and then power the five lights from that. Lights are in zone 3: two are above the bath and shower but greater than 2.25m above.

Anyway replacing all with ip57 fittings.

66mm GU10’s

Clicky

66mm MR16

I’m sure there will be bathroom rated ones if you search