Electrician Explains What Happens When Using Wrong Light Bulb Wattage

glass light switch 

I was preparing to install a ceiling fan in an existing ceiling box and ran upon something peculiar. Line-voltage and low-voltage fixtures and bulbs. If your equipment is using a high intensity discharge or Xenon bulb you must use the exact same bulb and you are not able to replace it with a bulb that has different specifications unless you consult with the equipment manufacturer or one of our lighting specialists. Low-voltage cable is commonly available in 12-, 14-, and 16-gauge. This is different from a light bulb’s stated wattage ( see below ). You can easily find 40W halogen bulbs at most hardware stores that run on 12 volts of electricity (AC or DC). The 5W LED light bulb is the ‘equivalent wattage’ of the 35W halogen light bulb. Low voltage MR16 downlights use a GU5.3 bi-pin cap. You can also use the 90º Elbow to vertically mount screw-in medium base PAR-20, PAR-30 or PAR-38 LED, Halogen or CFL spot or flood reflector lamps. Because more modern lighting options are available with low-voltage lighting in terms of fixtures, lenses, bulbs and beams, low-voltage lighting is ideal for illuminating artwork, creating a desired ambiance and lighting work spaces. Wattage tells you how much power a bulb uses, not how much light it puts out, though the two are at least directionally related. Therefore, to help the bulbs last for their full life rating, the fixtures are arranged in a spider” or hub” configuration. Generally, landscaping light fixtures are equipped with what’s known as snap-on connectors. RCD protection is now compulsory for some electrical devices, so check with an electrician if you’re not sure if yours has it. When fitting lights outdoors make sure you only fit weatherproof lights that are especially designed for outdoor use. Plug it into the matching socket labeled “Photocell Plug” on the face of the transformer. There are dozens of base types for light bulbs, most of them made up of a series of letters and numbers. Tech Lighting’s SoCo system of Sockets & Cords delivers choice, flexibility and the power of custom design. On a light colored home I usually use 4 watt LED products and on darker surfaces I may go up to a 6 watt LED product. First, the heating power in the bulb goes as the square of the voltage, at least until the voltage gets big enough for the bulb to heat up and increase its resistance. Firstly, they might be very hot (hotter than incandescent light bulbs); secondly, the oil from human fingertips can damage the quartz envelope when it is heated. This style light socket can be used to replace existing sockets, or add new lights to your system. You should check if there are already lighting fixtures installed. Poor connections — it’s the number one problem we see when we show up to repair landscape lighting. I have 2 gu4 halogen bulbs in my fireplace. The 5 amp small round pin socket is now primarily only used for lighting circuits. As this comes with a +10% tolerance, electrical equipment with a stated voltage of 240V is still fine to use on standard UK mains circuits. LED (light-emitting diode) light bulbs are the most technologically advanced and energy-efficient light bulbs available. In this configuration, the switched lamp one live terminal for the night light socket is exposed externally on the base of the socket, to be wired to the remote candelabra socket. Using higher quality bulbs, ideally LEDs, will generally avoid these problems. The Illinois-based company has applied that same standard to a growing collection of decorative and functional lighting. When properly connected to a 3-way socket containing a 3-way bulb, this switch will first power one filament, then the other filament, then both, then return to the off position. Second, the amount of visible light produced in the bulb is virtually zero until the filament temperature gets close to the standard operating temperature. The lights take their power from the transformer via ordinary two-core cable. They’re a bit longer than PAR bulbs and tend to protrude from light housings but are used in similar applications, such as track lights, recessed lights, display lights, or can lights. You can also choose from 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year low voltage light sockets, as well as from screw low voltage light sockets, and whether low voltage light sockets is wall socket, plug with socket, or tabletop socket. I think most of the LED’s sold for home use have some sort of rectifier etc to adapt to 115 V ac house electrical power. A specialist lighting retailer (or an electrician) can help ensure you choose an energy efficient LED that will work best. Next, it’s time to prepare the ground for your outdoor lighting. Sometimes the cost to repair landscape lighting will be enough to get you thinking about replacing the system instead. Converts from medium base to GU or GZ-10 base for line voltage ES16 or ESD16 halogen lamps up to 50 watts. For example, a 40VA transformer can handle up to a 40-watt halogen light bulb, while a 10-60VA one can carry between 10 and 60 watts worth of light bulbs.

There are dozens of low-voltage lighting fixtures and accessories available in a variety of styles, sizes, colors, and finishes. For more than five years, our landscape lighting has been working perfectly fine off of a 500 WATT transformer with 12V, providing power to four sections. Changing the lighting to LED will reduce this heat input, so the heating system will have to run that bit longer to compensate. The transformer needs to have enough capacity to support the cumulative wattage of the lights in the system. Using fixtures that are UL listed ensures that they have been tested for safety when installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. There’s also a lifetime warranty item, which is something you don’t see on many lights. Start by digging a 3-inch trench next to the walkway where your lights are going to go. This is where you’re going to place the electric cable. If it has pins, this is low voltage lighting and is a little more complicated. This concerns me. With a working bulb in a socket you will never see any phantom voltage. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about replacing Halogen MR16 light bulbs with LED light bulbs. But when I replace the burned out bulbs, the new ones seem to burn out in a very short time (days or a few weeks). Most light fixtures will work with standard dimmer switches, including those with halogen and incandescent lamps. Your variety of products, from transformers to lighting fixtures is remarkable, and the quality of your products is unsurpassed. Between fixtures, the cable is buried in a shallow trench. Halogen bulbs use so much electricity for the light they produce – just feel their heat – that it’s a false economy to wait until they blow to replace them. Recessed lighting replacement socket for low voltage housings. For example, a 300-watt transformer can power 100 feet of 16-gauge cable, or 150 feet of 14-gauge cable, or 200 feet of 12-gauge cable. This lets you know of any weak lights or transformers before they become a bigger issue. With a simple turn of your wrist, existing rigid fixtures or recessed down lights become instantly adjustable. Our clients are thrilled with the lighting so far, and all I can say is the last four projects which we brought you in on for consulting were a huge success. LEDs are a relatively new kind of lighting, and the way they work is different to more traditional lighting solutions – some major, and some minor. LED BR bulbs don’t require the reflector material. Remove the light bulbs from the fixture to expose the mounting screws. If they are LED products are you are using an AC (the Malibu transformer is AC) transformer you MUST use the VA number when sizing the transformer and the wire. If people can get into that pond of yours, I would recommend using a pool and spa rated transformer and fixtures that are also rated for pool and spa use. My transformer is a clock timer as well and I have it set at time a and goes off at time b. It is a simple set up… 10 landscape lights. An LED light bulb with an equivalent wattage of 35W is a direct replacement for a 35W incandescent light bulb. The image is from the Screwfix catalogue ( BG Nexus 13A 2G RCD Switched Socket ) but equivalents are readily available from good electrical wholesalers. Electronics HATE moisture and lower quality LED landscape lighting products can allow moisture into them which causes problems. If you want to buy a vintage light bulb, make sure you choose LED. The bulb has a threaded metal base which screws into a matching socket. One negative trait is that these lights have to be installed in a certain way. You can even clip these remotes to the visor in your car, so you can control your dimmable lighting fixtures before you walk into your home. I am assuming that these are the spotlight type bulbs. The first place we see corrosion is in the socket where the lamp is installed. Enhance the nighttime curb appeal of your home—and add a measure of safety and security—with low-voltage landscape lighting. A wedge base is a type of electrical connector used as a fitting for small light bulbs It is similar to the bi-pin connector , except that the two “pins” are the same wires that extend into the bulb (rather than being rigid), and the wires are bent up onto the sides of the base, where they make contact with the socket. You need to know a few things about LED bulbs before you start this upgrade. A digital timer may be used for more complex lighting systems where multiple start times are required including start times on different days of the week. Line-voltage lighting is best for applications that require more diffused ambient light. Electronic transformer input pin with two electrodes of the lamp connected electronic transformer low-voltage output pin through the bottom of the ceramic insulation tube extending outward respectively connected to two electrodes with low-voltage halogen quartz bulbs, ceramic insulation barrel barrel open vents located outside the outer envelope, the bottom assembly shell.

Tip: If necessary, set the light fixtures on top of the folded sod to prevent it from flopping back down. Either way, the transformer, and your lighting system need to be attached to a power source. Putting in a typical low-voltage lighting system requires three major steps: laying the cable, installing the transformer, and connecting the lights. Smaller capsule light bulbs use bi-pin caps in a range of sizes. We charge a $75 fee — which can be applied toward the cost to repair your landscape lighting — if that’s the best option, or install a new, top-quality system. Selecting the right collection of light fixtures is important, because they will ultimately be responsible for the aesthetics. Replacement low voltage light sockets. Correctly connect hot and neutral wires when you replace a lamp switch and socket to keep your lamp safe. LED bulbs provide as much or more light while consuming far less wattage. I confirmed there is power to the fixture since the bare wires spark when touched together. Some transformers are pool and spa rated, meaning that they can be used to operate appropriately rated lighting in bodies of water that are meant for human use. These lights are usually low wattage and only produce a small amount of illumination. Over time, as your lights are turned on and off, on and off, the electrical connections get loose. You should also change any old bulbs or fused wires as soon as you find out. Many MR bulbs operate on low-voltage wiring systems, which makes them great for outdoor and landscape applications such as driveway lights, path lights, gazebo lights, paver lights, and malibu lights that have weatherproof housings. A term used to compare LED light bulbs with their incandescent alternatives. Turn on the current light fixture that you intend to replace with low-voltage lighting. We have found them completely filling a transformer and lighting fixtures. If you are replacing an old bulb, especially one concealed by a lampshade or inside an oyster lamp, check how much clearance you need around it. You may need to choose a shorter or more compressed CFL to fit. Most light bulbs operate off mains voltage ( see below ), but some light fittings are designed to be lower voltage. Assemble your new a low-voltage lighting fixture according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Set the pathway light fixtures on the ground where they’ll be installed — usually about 8 to 10 feet apart. Transformer: The power behind every low-voltage system is the transformer. I checked the bulbs on the non-working lights and they are ok. The connectors are the cheap squeeze, poke in the wire method. Most of us will have our standard or table lamps wired into a normal 13 amp plug, with a 3 or 5 amp fuse to protect it, and plugged into a standard 13 amp socket. Line-voltage switches do not work with low voltage lighting fixtures. Installing low voltage LED light bulbs on a transformer designed for halogen lighting requires you to find the equivalent wattage ( see above ) for the LED light bulbs, so as not to overload the transformer. Most existing ceiling lights, track lights, or recessed lights are easily converted to low voltage by simply removing the existing lamp and screwing in the Swivelier Light Converter. If you’re looking for a set of low voltage garden lights that offers a lot of flexibility, this one might be the right set for you. I just googled and found that you could get a pair of these bulbs for $10. Insects can wriggle into fixtures and nest there if they’re not properly sealed — these tiny pests will even fill fixtures with so much dirt, it completely blocks the light output. Replacement socket set for various Tech Lighting low voltage pendants. Just recently, one section wouldn’t light up with the rest of the lights when the timer kicked in, but would then suddenly light up a few hours later, sometimes not at all and then at other times, would light up at the right time with the rest of the lights. Leave a bit of slacked cable at each fixture point for making the connection to the light fixtures. If you are replacing down-lights or spotlights, take one out (when it is cold and switched off) and see if it has ‘pegs’ or ‘pins’. Low voltage lamps need a transformer to step it down to 12V. With four unique series of lighting fixtures, we provide a compatible style for any environment. Yes – dimmable LED lights are very reliable now. You can pick LED, fluorescent, or halogen lighting depending on your needs. LED bulbs are also made that will retrofit incandescents with the same base, but may affect the electrical relay that controls the blinking of turn signals, or cause others sensors to assume that a light bulb is out (see idiot light ). In this type of “bulb”, all of the LEDs may light regardless of which of the contacts are activated on the base, but like a dimmer or a three-way screw-in fluorescent, the brightness is changed instead by the bulb’s internal electronic wiring.

If your bulbs are blowing on a regular basis there may be something else wrong – loose connections in lamp holders, faulty connections to light switches, over-heating a bulb in a small confined space and so on. If this happens elsewhere in your home it could be a general issue; if it is in just one room, a local one. 1 out of 5 Easy Digging shallow trenches for the low-voltage cable takes some work, but installing the light fixtures is a piece of cake. Use this handy guide to identify different types of light bulb bases that apply to incandescent, halogen, high-intensity discharge, fluorescent, and LED light bulbs. It’s important to match the power supply voltage to the optimum operating voltage of the LEDs. Remove your current bulbs and inspect the base: It will most likely be a bayonet, bipin or wedge. All you have to do to swap your old light bulbs out is remove them from the light fixture and fit the new, shiny light bulbs in their place. If it’s a table lamp, simply unplug it. If it’s a wired fixture, shut off the corresponding circuit breaker and use a fresh bulb to confirm that the socket is disconnected. You can see this for yourself by comparing a 230V GU10 LED Bulb with an equivalent 12V MR16 LED You’ll notice that the GU10 is slightly longer – this is to accommodate the driver. These bulbs have a shorter body than BR bulbs and usually install flush with ceilings or fixtures, which reduces glare. Could not get them to power on. Cheap material broke immediately upon screwing in a lightbulb, I bought two – neither worked. Wire nuts and pierce connectors aren’t designed to go underground, yet lots of landscape lighting systems use them anyway. Use an Elbow in a recessed fixture with a side mounted, horizontal facing medium base socket. If you install line-voltage track and rail lights with incandescent bulbs, you can use dimmer switches to control their brightness. A problem of these devices is that the ring contact of the socket (contact two in photo) digs into the lead seal on the lamp bulb’s contact ring and this connection tends to fail early (sometimes in months), leading to intermittent flashes, popping noises, and loss of power to the low wattage filament as the lead seal on the bulb’s ring alternately melts and solidifies. The majority of light bulbs are for use with mains circuits, except for ‘low voltage’ light bulbs, which must be used with a compatible transformer ( see below ). All low voltage light bulbs should be clearly stated as such on product listings and packaging. Of course some fixtures use smaller bulbs of 10 watts or less, so more of these lights may be tied together. The newer halogen bulbs on the other hand, produce a white light giving a truer color but operate in a narrower voltage range of 10.8 to 12 volts. If your lights aren’t working right, you may have a loose connection inside the transformer. We’re all familiar with the traditional, pear shaped omnidirectional (emits light in all directions) light bulb – and a lot of the time that’s all you need. Low-voltage lamps also break less frequently than high-voltage lamps because they’re made to be more shock and vibration resistant. The existing lights are running through a Low voltage dimmer. We have the YGS-Tech LED landscape lights for your choices. Special twinkle bulbs often have special bases which they are permanently glued into, to keep the user from putting too many in a strand, or into strands not designed for them. Some landscape lighting systems operate on “line voltage,” the 120-volt current from your house. But you are right, they are nowhere near as great as if you were replacing old-fashioned light bulbs. If you are using LED lamps, be sure that they are rated for outdoor use in both enclosed and open fixtures. The next product is the Hypergiant LED landscape light. For medium base PAR-20, PAR-30 (long neck), & PAR-38 LED, Halogen, Metal Halide or CFL spot or flood reflector lamps up to 250 watts. See my other answers (and guide below) about replacing low voltage lighting. Generally, it is worth remembering you get what you pay for, so with a few exceptions, very cheap LED bulbs won’t perform well or last long. An LED bulb that is designed to replace a regular mains voltage bulb would therefore require a ‘driver’ to change the electricity supply. All in all, the Meikee LED landscape light is a good product to get started with. Using a light bulb with too high of wattage can lead to overheating of the light bulb. When you are lining up the lights, use a 14-gauge cable for lighting systems that have 200 Watts or less. Low voltage landscape lighting is definitely a project you should try. If you install dimmable CFL lights, you’ll still need to check your dimmer to make sure it works with these types of bulbs. If your fixture doesn’t have a wattage recommendation, the rule of thumb is to choose bulbs with 60-watts or lower.

Replaces old style or worn out landscape light sockets. LED accessories HVL760 24V Description The 7.6mm mini HVL760 connector System is a 2 position appliance Wiring system, developed for the Lighting industry It includes the coupling(plug&outlet), a 6-way Distributor with optional switch function as well as an PCB Alternative + several led Accessories and ready cable Assemblies Power socket for LED Low Voltage Lighting system Package: 1.Inner package: plastic bag. Use 14 gauge wire in your low voltage system rather than the cheaper, thinner 16 gauge, which introduces more power loss on long cable runs. 452 low voltage light sockets products are offered for sale by suppliers on , of which plugs & sockets accounts for 11%, wall switches accounts for 5%, and lamp holders & lamp bases accounts for 4%. A wide variety of low voltage light sockets options are available to you, such as standard grounding, non-grounding, and isolated ground. A 5W LED spotlight, for example, can offer the same brightness of light as a 35W halogen spotlight. And when the switch is on, only the tab at the bottom of the socket is hot.” But if the wiring is reversed and the power goes to the threaded socket, the threaded socket is always hot, whether the switch is on or off. As most low voltage lights are, this is a 12V or 24V compatible product. Maybe a smallish battery with some LED headlights would work best. The transition to LED low voltage lighting within our industry was slow, as the quality of the lights and their effects were uncertain and untested early on. Unique Lighting was at the forefront of the movement, providing samples and lighting demonstrations to prove the effectiveness and benefits of LED lights. The metal threads of the bulb base touch the socket shell, which creates the neutral connection, and this is how the electrical circuit is completed. In the mood for vintage, add Edison light bulbs. Using the old standard wiring method, we would literally need to know exactly where each light fixture was going to be placed before we even started trenching for the irrigation. There is no international standard for connectors and cables and each manufacturer has developed their own products. I assumed this would run any led light bulb. That landscape lighting system of yours used to look so nice. You will have a range of light bulbs in your home with different fittings – just make sure you match the fitting to the one you are buying. Tip: Always disconnect the power source from the transformer before doing any work, to avoid accidental electrical shock or injury. Socket Extenders easily screw into an existing medium base socket and allows you to extend lamp position. As there were 3 light switches in the room, I had the multimeter attached to the wires in the ceiling to see which switch (or switches) controlled the light. Just a word of warning – occasionally, because LED lights use so little energy, you may need to change your dimmer switches too (ask a qualified electrician to do this for you). Set the low-voltage electrical cable in the trench. The first thing to determine is what kind of LED bulbs will fit the sockets in your fixtures. Perhaps you’d do best using some LED lights. The problem is that in order for low voltage cable to be flexible it is composed of stranded wire and with every connection made, some voltage loss occurs because a secure connection could not be obtained every time. Remember, these are generally low voltage bulbs so you will need to ensure that they are compatible with your system. Low-voltage lighting is available in a wide range of styles, including recessed can lights , track lighting , rail lighting systems , low voltage pendant lighting , display lights and suspended cable lighting. Converts from medium base to GU or GZ-10 base for line voltage ES20 or ESD20 halogen lamps up to 75 watts. It’s easy to think that all low voltage lighting is the same, but there are some important differences. When it comes to garden lighting, a low-voltage set-up is the simplest and safest to install. Sometimes a 3-way 2-circuit switch is incorporated together with a regular socket, to be used as the main lamp socket in a lamp with a night light. When it comes to landscape lighting, sometimes you want more of a spotlight than an ambient glow. Shown are G4, G5.3, G6 and G8 bulbs in both LED (left) and halogen (right) technologies. Use medium base reflector halogen lamps, maximum 150 watts. Often a two conductor and GND is ran between light fixtures and a pair dropped down to the switch from the light point, one of the drop pair is connect to L1 the other becomes the switch wire. Now use a square-blade shovel to cut a 2- to 3-inch-deep trench along the line where you want the light fixtures. Fixtures have a manufacturer-recommended wattage rating that you need to follow, and if you exceed it, intense heat is the result.