FAQ LED Lightting

Hello,

I would like to replace my old downlights with a sealed LED downlight but one that I can safely cover with ceiling insulation.

Thanks,

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the email. Yes, we install sealed LED downlights that can be covered by insulation. They are the best choice for thermal efficiency and solve all the problems of old downlights. The downlights we like to install are from SAL, they are members of the Lighting Council Australia which means the lights have passed the strict Australian lighting requirements. This style of LED downlight can be covered by most types of ceiling insulation but to confirm I have attached a photo of the exact requirements.

Chris, when we install these lights we install the transformer above the insulation and it is very important that this is always the case. Some clients like to install more insulation after we have finished installing the lights  but just remember not to cover the transformer. The main reason is electronics do not like heat and covering the transformer will drastically reduce the life of the LED fitting. I think this is why a lot of the lighting manufactures void the warranty if the lights have not been installed by a licensed electrician.

Very common question we get asked, how much does it cost? How much to replace 20 old ceiling downlights to LED downlights? How much to install 4 extra lights? or even can you give me a price to install two new power points, a TV point and a new wall switch? The answer is, it all depends but by asking a few common questions I can generally quote 80% of the actual costs.

I wish every job was the same as this would reduce the time I spend quoting and also would mean less surprises on jobs. The reason why it all depends is every home/office installation is different. Some buildings are all double brick walls, two story, some have terrible access into the ceiling and some are virtually impossible to run cables without cutting access holes.

I will give you a good example of a recent small electrical job and why the price all depends.

This fellow only wanted a few things done, replace 8 old downlights to LED and install one new power point behind his TV. The new lights were easy to quote as he sent me a photo but the new power point was a different story.

I asked the common questions about location, access, roof type, nearest power point, type of switchboard and a few others. Knowing the roof was flat it was hard to quote the exact amount of time it would take to lift the roof and run a new cable.

The lights we had very little issue with, only that 8 were hard wired and needed plug bases installed but that was it.

The power point installation took 2 electricians 4 hours.

The problem was the ceiling was flat and the client thought he had a lot more room above than he actually did. It was all ok though, he was informed is was going to take a lot longer  as we will need to lift sheets to run in the new cable. The process of drilling down the internal wall then through the noggin and running the cable through a ceiling with little to no access can be tedious. One day when all power is wireless (bad joke) our life will be much easier.  Below is an image that gives yo an idea of what timber is behind the wall. Drilling the holes for the cable inside the wall can be a tricky process and requires a few holes to be drilled, one for the torch, one for the drill and the last one to look through. In a high ceiling there are sometimes two noggins this can be extremely challenging.

So it all depends but with the right information the time and materials can all be quoted on and for larger jobs a site inspection definitely helps fill in the blanks.

If you would like a quote on an electrical job feel free to contact us and will do our best to give you an accurate estimate.

Hello,

I would like to replace my old downlights with a sealed LED downlight but one that I can safely cover with ceiling insulation.

Thanks,

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the email. Yes, we install sealed LED downlights that can be covered by insulation. They are the best choice for thermal efficiency and solve all the problems of old downlights. The downlights we like to install are from SAL, they are members of the Lighting Council Australia which means the lights have passed the strict Australian lighting requirements. This style of LED downlight can be covered by most types of ceiling insulation but to confirm I have attached a photo of the exact requirements.

Chris, when we install these lights we install the transformer above the insulation and it is very important that this is always the case. Some clients like to install more insulation after we have finished installing the lights  but just remember not to cover the transformer. The main reason is electronics do not like heat and covering the transformer will drastically reduce the life of the LED fitting. I think this is why a lot of the lighting manufactures void the warranty if the lights have not been installed by a licensed electrician.

Hello,

I would like to replace my old downlights with a sealed LED downlight but one that I can safely cover with ceiling insulation.

Thanks,

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the email. Yes, we install sealed LED downlights that can be covered by insulation. They are the best choice for thermal efficiency and solve all the problems of old downlights. The downlights we like to install are from SAL, they are members of the Lighting Council Australia which means the lights have passed the strict Australian lighting requirements. This style of LED downlight can be covered by most types of ceiling insulation but to confirm I have attached a photo of the exact requirements.

Chris, when we install these lights we install the transformer above the insulation and it is very important that this is always the case. Some clients like to install more insulation after we have finished installing the lights  but just remember not to cover the transformer. The main reason is electronics do not like heat and covering the transformer will drastically reduce the life of the LED fitting. I think this is why a lot of the lighting manufactures void the warranty if the lights have not been installed by a licensed electrician.

Kind regards,

Kieran

LED Solutions Canberra

Hello, Thanks for the email. Yes, we can definitely fix the crackling switch and this is not a big job.

In regards to replacing the broken switch we can install a whole new wall plate for you, I will attach a photo to check out and see what you would prefer. The other option is to try and replace just the switch mechanism, leaving the existing wall plate. It would be very helpful if you could send me a photo of the switch. The reason we ask for a photo is we need to install the correct type, some will not fit certain switch plates.

Our call out fee is $150 for the first hour and this will cover the new switch and the time to install it.

Below are some common switches we install from legrand and can be installed with a blue LED light indicator as a add on. The other image is of a clipsal switch mechanism and this fits most of the switch plates on the market.

Thanks you for contacting us and if you have any more questions feel free to call or email us directly.

Kind regards,

Kieran

LED Solutions Canberra

Hello thanks for the email. Yes, this is something we do quite often as it creates a fantastic feature but also works as a decent security light at night especially when installed on a sensor. I is important to know not all eaves are suitable for LED downlight installation as some, especially in Canberra are asbestos. If your home was built before the 1980’s then more than likely your eves are asbestos especially if you live in the Canberra, Queanbeyan area and we can’t touch them.

If you would like to test to see if your home has asbestos you can either bring a sample (double bagged in zip lock bags) to a testing center in Canberra or you can contact an asbestos inspector from http://www.robsonenviro.com.au/.

Let me know the age of the house and the suburb and I might be able to give you an idea on the likely hood of having asbestos eves.

Kind regards,

Kieran

Hi, thanks for the message. Yes, this is something we do quite often in new and existing homes. Most of the lights we install are sealed and have a high IP rating allowing them to be installed directly over the top of the shower.  The electronic equipment is in the ceiling and protected from any water. So you this is definitely something you could look into. A common LED downlight we use for this type of installation is from SAL called the Premier, this particular light has an IP64 rating.

If you would like a rough quote for the installation feel free to get back to me.

Kind regards,

Kieran

LED Solutions Canberra

• If any lights have been hard wired we will fix this and install a plug base to allow for easy plug in.
• Access into the ceiling – if access is needed this may slow the process down.
• Removal of all the old lights
• Ceiling height – large ceilings will take longer as it takes more time to move the ladder around.
• Size of the lights being replace as some are more difficult removing without damaging the ceiling. All lights can be removed just some care needs to be taken and this adds time.

It all really depends on how much work we are doing. Generally we need a full day this allows us time to set up drop sheets and material. It also gives us some extra time if we come across any issues as we do not like to rush any jobs.

I hope this answers your question. Thanks again.

Kind regards,

Kieran.

LED Solutions

Canberra

Hello thanks for the email. Yes, we find the warm white (3000K) is the best choice for residential homes. The colour temperature of a halogen downlight is 3000K so when looking for LED lights this is the colour temperature to buy. The lower the number 3000K the more yellow the light and the higher the number 6000K the more blue/white the light becomes.

If asked, I try and recommend warm white especially for homes as this colour has less of an effect on our circadian rhythm especially late at night when we are trying to wind down and get ready for sleep.  Dimmers also help with this as you can lower the brightness of light simulating the sun going down. I will attach a image showing the three main colour temperatures.

Any more questions feel free to ask.

Kind regards,

Kieran.

LED Solutions

Canberra

Hỉ, My downlights are hard wired and I can not unplug them. Can you please give me a rough cost to install 16 downlights with plugs?
Cheers, Mark. Hey Mark, Thanks for the email. I can definitely give you a quote to replace your old lights.

If you are not aware we have a few options in regards to LED downlights we install. Different lights caterer to solving different problems and also for different budgets. If you would like to have a quick look and see which package best fits you click here. In regards to wiring and installing plugs it is generally a pretty straight forward procedure. I will need to confirm some questions with you in regards to access into the ceiling and the type of light but happy to do that after you have had a little look at the site. Below is a photo of what you can expect after we have finished installing the plug bases.

Kind regards,

The LED Solutions Team

Kieran.

LED Solutions

Canberra

Hello,

I have 24 old round halogen downlights and most I have not had any problems with but the others I am constantly having issues. Some lights stay on for around 10 minutes then just turn off then turn back on again later. I have changed the globes but this does not seem to have fixed the problem. Some just don’t work anymore even if when a new glob has been installed. Is this something to do with the transformer?

If you can help me fix this problem that would be great and send me a rough cost to replace the 24.

Thanks

Jon.

 

Hi Jon,

It sounds like you have old iron core transformers and they are overheating. This is very common with old iron core transformers, when they heat up they turn off when cool down the light will turn back on again. It is an inbuilt thermal overload and protects the transformer from overheating and causing damage. Below are some images of old iron core transformers we have replaced, one iron core transformer got so hot it cracked and melted the lead.

Eventually they will stop turning back on again. I can offer a few options that will fix the problem. The first option is to replace the problem transformers with new electronic ones and keep the existing lights. This is the most cost effective option if you just want to fix the problem lights. If you are looking for a more long lasting solution we can pull out the old halogen downlights and replace with a new LED Downlight kit. This option has the benefits of being 80% more energy efficient and a lamp life 10x longer than a halogen. I would think about how long you will be living in the home for as a replacement is more of a long term investment.

If you are interested in replacing your lights, have a look at our downlight replacementpage it has good information and some rough costings.

Let me know if your are interested in any of the options above or if you have any other questions.

Kind regards,

Kieran.

LED Solutions Canberra