12 volt downlights

[ians]

Yip believe it or not there are still house with 12 v 50 watt downlights.

I am busy with a COC inspection and came across a roof space which has a row of 12 volt transformers.

I know from past experience one of the inspectors informed me that the wire feeding the transformer was regarded as open wiring. What i have down in this case...built a wooden box with a removable stainless steel gauze cover...all the connections are inside the box.

so my question...what do you do if you come across an installation with 12 transformers.

Do you use a 5 amp plug and run a short wire to the transformer exposed on the beam?

Do you use a 3 way box and jut connect the wire directly to the terminals of the transformer left exposed on the the beams?

Do you enclose each transformer in a box?

Even the 230 volt downlights are a pain in the butt...so many people use the 2 wire lamp holders which have no earth facility and even the ones who do...people dont bother to clip it to the down light.

[skatingsparks]

Change for 220V GU10 SABS approved lamp holder and put a decent GU10 LED. I know teh clip on thing isn't ideal but is an approved lamp holder- compliant.

By the time you buy a 5 amp plug and cord set and time/labour to change it all its just more cost effective to put a GU10 lamp holder in with LED.

Besides putting a hot metal transformer in a wooden box sounds sketchy. If something goes wrong it will be "was it a SABS approved wooded box"

Guarantee the transformer will probably crap out a few weeks after you have changed everything and you get called back.

And halogens are just retro now. The cost of LED's is close to halogens now. No reason to use them. I even leave a couple of spare LED's with the client. Just in case one does crap out. Leaving a couple spare is cheaper than driving all the way back for one or 2 fittings.

[ians]

Change for 220V GU10 SABS approved lamp holder and put a decent GU10 LED. I know teh clip on thing isn't ideal but is an approved lamp holder- compliant.

By the time you buy a 5 amp plug and cord set and time/labour to change it all its just more cost effective to put a GU10 lamp holder in with LED.

Besides putting a hot metal transformer in a wooden box sounds sketchy. If something goes wrong it will be "was it a SABS approved wooded box"

Guarantee the transformer will probably crap out a few weeks after you have changed everything and you get called back.

And halogens are just retro now. The cost of LED's is close to halogens now. No reason to use them. I even leave a couple of spare LED's with the client. Just in case one does crap out. Leaving a couple spare is cheaper than driving all the way back for one or 2 fittings.

secured to a wooden beam (as i have seen on many occasions) or mounted in a wooden box with a S/S mesh for ventilation...same thing ... just safer because the terminals and wiring is not accessible without the use of a tool?

Doing a COC...no money in the budget for getting fancy with LED lights etc...the new owner can worry about replacing all the lights with LED ...its a hit and run job...i would regard it as "reasonably safe"

[ians]

I agree 100 % with the LED replacement idea...busy with a customer at the moment...replacing 90 12 volts 50 watt down lights...with 230 volt LED lamps and holders.

I see you can buy a cheapy lampholder with just a porcelain holder and 2 wires like the old 12 volt style ones