Newby

[Wet fingers first]

Hi everyone.

I have always enjoyed electrics from an early age, where I used to make up extension leads back in the 70s, working in the back of an electrical contractors showroom / shop as holioday work. I have rewired a few buildings completly over the years and always had them checked before commisioning by a qualified electrician.

Since I supply electrical curtain tracks and the Part P regs coming in I have obtained an NICEIC Certificate of Competence for Design, Installation, Inspection and Testing in Dwellings in accordance with BS7671 for the Domestic Installer Scheme so in theory I could work for a Part P registered company as an electrician.

Now I am not saying as I have a bit of paper, I know it all and can do it !!

For me it means I can competently do home repair electrics that are not covered by Part P.

Work as for many is tough at this time and I am gratefull for what I can get.

Today I would like some advice on one of these repairs:

I have a ceiling pendant light with 5 X 12v 10A halogen bulbs. The rose cover houses a circular transformer: 240v 50Hz, 0.26A Cos: 0.98 The output is 11.5Vac / 60W max (10-60W)

The transformer has blown and the manufacturers will not supply another as they are abroad. This pendant matches another one and four wall lights in the same room.

Can I use the same transformers that are used for halogen downlights 20 - 60Va as these give out 11.5Vac and pop it in the ceiling before covering with the rose cover?

Thanks

 

[slimsim60]

Hi and welcome to the nut house, grab a brew and have fun

 

[steptoe]

Im assuming you have a mistype and mean 5 x 12v 10w ?

if so then almost any 60w transformer should fit your bill, ie, 10-60va

is the fitting dimmable at present? if so then you need to get a transformer that will mate up with the type of dimmer in use.

HTH

Albert.

 

[steptoe]

oh, forgot to ask,

is it a torodial type transformer or a normal one?

 

[Wet fingers first]

Thanks Slimsim

Thanks Steptoe

Yes they are 12v 10w, I will have to check whether they have a dimmer on system and if so get a dimmable transformer. I do not know if it is a torodial type transformer or a normal one, I am not aware of the difference. It is in a sealed circular white moulded box very similar to std ceiling pendant rose. Except that it is sealed and just has input and output connections on opposite sides. It is of German manufacture, it has a 10mm hole in the middle for the pendant main stem and wire to come through, so that when installed it fits inside the metal ceiling rose cover part of the pendant.

How do I know to get the correct dimmer switch? Education please! I thought you just had to get an MK / quality one rather than a cheap one. Education please.Thanks

Thanks

 

[batty]

Transformers are quite cheap under £5 for a 60va one, to me you don't have a lot to loose by trying one to see if it works. Only thing I will say make sure it has plenty of ventilation around it. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Wet fingers first]

Thanks Batty

If I poke it up into the ceiling between 1st and 2nd floor, just cheking it has clear space around it, I presume that will be fine?

 

[batty]

To me it should be fine as long as all connections are insulated and you don't try putting larger lamps in.

 

[Wet fingers first]

Thanks all

I will get a transformer this week

 

[Steve3948]

oh, forgot to ask,

is it a torodial type transformer or a normal one?

Or Wire Wound or Electronic :innocent

 

[Wet fingers first]

I have just broken the case open. apart from one small circular donut object about 20mm wide, wrapped in a few strands of thick copper wire the rest is all components so I presume that will mean its an electronic one!

 

[Steve3948]

Wire Wound

 

[Wet fingers first]

Hi. Update Thanksa for all the help guys.

I have sorted the light, put a 20 - 60w transformer in the ceiling and all works. The original one blew I presume because they had 25w x 5 in the fitment instead of 5 x 10w Max as per the labels on it!

Can anyone please explain to simple o'l me, why when I was fixing it; I wired it up and I had 240v going in to the transformer but my Multimeter would not register the 11.5v that was from the output. It is coming out as the fitment works but my Fluke multimeter was not registering anything?

Thanks David

 

[steptoe]

what meter are you using?

and on what scale?

 

[Wet fingers first]

Fluke T5 - 1000 on V

 

[steptoe]

ok, you need to get a decent multimeter on it as a minimum.

 

[Wet fingers first]

Oh well - I thought I had.

Do you have any suggestions? I shall have a look at them and get another when finances allow.

Thanks for all the help I am signing off now for tonight

 

[steptoe]

Nothing wrong with a fluke t5, they are a very good tester for what they are,

But they are not a multimeter, or a voltage meter, simply an indicator,

I have a similar meter i usedaily.

But also proper multi multimeter and voltage meters when required.