Hi

We're in the middle of a renovation/extension project and looking at a low-energy lighting solution to give a similar effect to halogen spotlights.

We've heard that Megaman does some good products - bulbs which allegedly have a similar colour temperature to halogen, and therefore a warm light: http://www.megamanuk.com/megaman-products/lamps/?series_name=led-reflector-series.

Three questions:

1. Does anyone have any experience of using this product? If so was it successful, and is there anything we need to be aware of?

2. As complete novices in the field of lighting, we're not sure what kind of bulbs are most suitable for use in our rooms (very large kitchen/diner plus small bathroom, ceilings about 8ft high; shower room under stairs with low ceiling of extremely shallow depth). Megaman offers many different products in this range. Can you advise?

3. Can you recommend a suitable fitting for these bulbs? The builder says we must be careful about fire regulations, as the light fittings will breach the integrity of the ceiling. Some lights will also be in shower/bath areas and need to comply with water-resistance regulations. We want something extremely simple and minimal in appearance, and preferably at a reasonable price (this project has only just started, and already costs are escalating beyond expectations!).

Thanks for your help!

Anne

Posted By: sl638e We've heard that Megaman does some good products - bulbs which allegedly have a similar colour temperature to halogen, and therefore a warm light:http://www.megamanuk.com/megaman-products/lamps/?series_name=led-reflector-series." rel="nofollow" >http://www.megamanuk.com/megaman-products/lamps/?series_name=led-reflector-series.

That link doesn't work for me but I am using 7 megaman 9W 3000K Warm White GU10 bulbs in adjustable spot lights a home office. Once they warm up they work fine but they do take awhile to do so. They are pretty dim for the first 15 seconds but after 30 or so they are more or less full brightness. They aren't as "crisp" as a halogen but I'm quite happy. Just wish the warm up time was faster.

What I would do is buy one or two magaman bulbs (or lower cost CFL bulbs) and a GU10 spotlight fitting (not a recessed downlight). Have someone wire it up temporarily to a 5 meter length of flex and a plug so you can test different bulbs in a dark room. Do your own comparison with 35 and 50W halogen. Won't cost much and you will learn a lot about CFL bulbs.

Posted By: CWattersI am using 7 megaman 9W 3000K Warm White GU10 bulbs in adjustable spot lights

I have the same Megaman GU10 CFLs, except they are 11W versions and may not be the latest production. They warm up slowly, they have a funny purplish light, and they don't put out a beam, more a kind of soft hemispherical fuzz. In the right location they might be fine, but don't ask them to perform as spotlight replacements.

I haven't tried Megaman LEDs (the money I would have needed was spent on lighting books) but I saw some Halers LED spotlights on demo in an electrical wholesaler. It was hard to judge their output in that environment but they seemed to put out a nice directional beam and the colour was OK.

There were also some decent LEDs at Ecobuild but the exhibitors were mostly importers or manufacturers trying to get distribution, so actually buying the things could be problematic.

There is a tech-specs page, but I'm blowed if I can find it at the moment. Will dig it out for you.

Meanwhile have sent LP an email suggesting that they be less coy about the numbers for those of us who can add up!

Rgds

Damon

Hi,

Here is some of the data at the foot of the page:

http://www.lightplanet.co.uk/products/led-spot-lights/gu10-spotlights-c-344_311_312.html?p=shop

though he's fighting against his content-management system at the mo and has something better planned in a week or so...

Rgds

Damon

Sorry for the slow response (you know how it is with a building project in full swing!). Megaman are annoying me because I put in an email to them last weekend, asking for advice, and got zero response. So the LightPlanet products are of interest. However, it doesn't seem to state exactly what colour temperature they give. 'Warm white' could mean anything, whereas Megaman do actually say '2800K'.

I've seen Megaman's older spotlights in action, and they do seem very slow to warm up and have a slightly odd light, as CWatters says.

The new lights (the LED reflector series) are theoretically better. However, I think they are so new that nobody has tested them yet! I'm assuming they can be placed in any standard fitting suitable for a bathroom, kitchen or living room, although I can't be certain from the info on the website. Also, I have no idea what kind of fitting is suitable anyway! Not getting very far, really...

Anne

Simon is the boss! I am testing several and am pretty happy with them all so far. We're using a daylight spot for the cooker and I use one (bayonet fitting in an anglepoise) for my desk light. I think 'daylight'/'cool' is better for working by.

Rgds

Damon

we've been using 5watt warm white led gu10's with a wide (90deg?) beam angle in 10 spotlights for about 18 months now as a direct replacement for 35watt halogen spots, and all are working fine still with no complaints from anyone.

we've also been using 10 x 3 watt warm white led gu10's with a narrower beam angle in 10 spotlight's (some intermingled with the 5 watters), and I'd say they are about a 20 watt halogen replacement, and not really bright enough by themselves. We've been using these for around 2 years, and all are still working.

the 3 megaman CFL spots we've got are good when they've warmed up, but do take too long to warm up, and have caused complaints about this, and result in those lights actually getting left on quite a lot.

I contacted LightPlanet and thought I'd share the response they have given to my various questions, which is really helpful:

Our lamps are suitable for most GU10 fittings. They are 50mm long from front face to rear of the bulb, excluding contacts. If your fittings do not permit the use of 50mm lamps, then we are able to supply reasonably priced fixtures that do.

The colour temperature varies between different products. Assuming that you are replacing standard 40w or 50w halogen lamps, I would recommend that you use our V3 warm white product, item 14565. This has a nominal colour temperature of 2900K, a wide beam angle and a high light output.

We have done a number of large installations of the V3 product, where we have replaced 50w halogen lamps and these have been done on a one-for one replacement basis. Our clients have been very pleased with the results, so I can confidently say that the V3 can replace your existing bulbs without the need to increase the density of lamps.

CWatters re bright LED strip lights for under cupboards - I got some from Ikea about a year ago.

Very good to hear.

Rgds

Damon

Hi,
I used
GU10 LED - kitchen/hall/dining down light
G9 LED in fittings - kitchen/hall/dining down light & bedrooms
GX53 LED discs - bedrooms

I like the colour tone (or lack of) for all LED light everywhere although the family are not so sure.

Cheers

Mike up North

Posted By: CWatters

Posted By: sl638eJust thought I'd update you all - we have installed LightPlanet LEDs and are very pleased with the effect.

Do you happen to know which model? The seem to have a huge range.

I know you didn't ask me, but just for info we got the
7 Watt GU10 LED Spotlight V3
- Beam Angle: 120 degree
- Colour Temperature: Warm White

Previous GU10 LED lights we'd tried had more like a 25 degree beam angle and it made for a very gloomy room.

It really is time to move beyond LED 'bulbs' to go in fittings designed for other technologies like halogen and CFL. The thermal engineering is all wrong. If you get decent LED luminaires they should last for 10-20 years (at 5hrs/day) so the whole concept of changing 'bulbs' becomes irrelevant.

Sadly these 'proper' LED lights are mostly aimed at the commerical market currently who seem happy to pay 70-150 quid/fitting, so the 'LED bulb' stuff is often cheapest, but understand that it's not (generally) very good.

I just read issue 1 of Lux magazine http://luxmagazine.co.uk/prelaunch/home.php
which had a lot of sensible stuff in it, although most of it wasn't cheap. It included a set of tests on 3000K downlighters. e.g. the one with the best colour rendering was the Projection Lighting 'Alphaled artist', which was a 400 lumen Ra98, 70 degree beam angle lamp for GBP 75.
'Best halgen downlight replacement' was Photonstar laser lite a 9W, 650 lumen, 3000K Ra80, 70-12 degree beam lamp for GBP 76.

The 'Best CFL downlight replacement was the philips luxspace, but at GBP 600 I don't think many of us will be buying one just yet!

Here's a useful comparison doc ( http://bit.ly/fftJ73 ) of various lamps comparing dedicated LED luminaires (from photonstar) with LED replacement bulbs, CFLs and halogens. Lots of good numbers and a handle on how much to allow for in the optical efficiency and light output ratio of the fitting (50-95%) and the power efficiency of the control gear (85% for the good LED ones).

The art of this game currently is to find good stuff at reasonable prices. photonstar's ecostar6 and 6+ look interesting. The former is 52 quid for driver, LED and lamp. 46 l/W _including driver and luminaire_, which is pretty good. And available online from photostar's shop. There are plenty of other suppliers but this lot have excellent datasheets, reasonable prices are in the UK, are using good LEDs (Cree XPG/MCE) and have had their claims independently tested, so seem well worth considering.

Other suppliers/devices fro the Lux list (3000K downlights)
John Pullen polestar 8W, 400lm
Exled solara Aeon 20W 1040lm, 175 quid
ACDC Hurricane 50 20W, 1000lm 95 quid
Osram Ledvance 13.5W 680lm, 100 quid

As I've posted before, I'm testing some cool white strip lights and have recently found a couple of good sources of drivers who actualy provide specs: Glacialpower and Howard Engineering. I'm looking into costs.

You're spot on (!) Wookey, dedicated LEDs must be the way to go but I can't agree with you that 'it really is time' to move to such items. I certainly can't imagine when I might be able to afford them. Meanwhile 'data' is the key to impoverished DIYers like me saving the planet and getting kid's bedroom finished for Xmas.