Office lights

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
Not quite what you may think but we have many geniuses here.

I have an office at home, Loft conversion (before our time) with 3 recessed spot lights. Not even great as a bedroom light source, bloody awful for an office.

They are MR16 (currently LED) bulbs, so 12v. I thought to replace them with something rather brighter and less 'focussed'. Currently expecting some 120deg beam bulbs from Amazon tomorrow, but in the event that that doesn't work....

The smart bastards that did the conversion have, instead of mounting the transformer, or the rose, near the 'loft' hatch, they've screwed both to a beam near the middle spot. So 7 feet roughly from the hatch opening. With the apex of the roof and joists and stuff, getting to it is just about impossible (unless I can hire one of your children. Probably one of your least favourite as the odds of safely returning them are not high)

I have a nasty feeling that the only sensible solution would be rather destructive: i.e. cut a hole in the plasterboard ceiling so I can get to the mains and then repair / hide when done.

Any other possible solutions to use the 12v that is present at each of the spotlights? Or catch mains from somewhere else? (remember the 147!)

TIA

C
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
If you have a single transformer for all the lamps then the wiring might need upgrading anyway. I think you have got the right answer in your post, your probably going to have to do the dirty on the plasterboard.
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,932
Not quite what you may think but we have many geniuses here.

I have an office at home, Loft conversion (before our time) with 3 recessed spot lights. Not even great as a bedroom light source, bloody awful for an office.

They are MR16 (currently LED) bulbs, so 12v. I thought to replace them with something rather brighter and less 'focussed'. Currently expecting some 120deg beam bulbs from Amazon tomorrow, but in the event that that doesn't work....

The smart bastards that did the conversion have, instead of mounting the transformer, or the rose, near the 'loft' hatch, they've screwed both to a beam near the middle spot. So 7 feet roughly from the hatch opening. With the apex of the roof and joists and stuff, getting to it is just about impossible (unless I can hire one of your children. Probably one of your least favourite as the odds of safely returning them are not high)

I have a nasty feeling that the only sensible solution would be rather destructive: i.e. cut a hole in the plasterboard ceiling so I can get to the mains and then repair / hide when done.

Any other possible solutions to use the 12v that is present at each of the spotlights? Or catch mains from somewhere else? (remember the 147!)

TIA

C

Not sure you should be offering to hire children !!!

Joking aside. Can you disconnect the transformer or rose from further back up the chain and leave it disconnected in situ. Then run your new lights as they should have been done with access near the hatch ?

If the only way is the more destructive method you can get a cutter that cuts a chamfered puck out of the plater board or flooring which allows you to put the same piece of board back in. Makes it a lot easier to repair afterwards. You can also get a cutter that cuts a straight sided hole that has matched size plastic covers.

Can you fit an extra light where you have to cut the ceiling to hide the damage afterwards.

Last option i can think of is i can probably get to the transformer and return safely. Im svelte enough to get into awkard spaces including the boot of a 4200. :lol:
 
Last edited:

Oneball

Member
Messages
11,075
If there’s room for a child you should be able to thread a new mains feed to each spotlight with a cable threader and change them out to something more modern.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
Not sure you should be offering to hire children !!!

Sorry, is this not the Victorian era? ;)

Joking aside. Can you disconnect the transformer or rose from further back up the chain and leave it disconnected in situ

I don't think so. The rose (by which I mean junction box) is right next to the transformer on the joist. The feed cable comes from somewhere else I can't get to and feeds to somewhere else it needs to go. I might be able to get to that incoming feed and splice into it. Hmm.

If the only way is the more destructive method you can get a cutter that cuts a chamfered puck out of the plater board or flooring which allows you to put the same piece of board back in. Makes it a lot easier ro repair afterwards. You can also get a cutter that cuts a straight sided hole that has matched size plastic covers.

Oooh, link?

Can you fit an extra light where you have to cut the ceiling to hide the damage afterwards.

Last option i can think of is i can probably get to the transformer and return safely. Im svelte enough to get into awkard spaces including the boot of a 4200.

My thought about the light exactly. And having met you, I don't think even you're that svelte!

C
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
For sure get rid of the 12v system and transformer.
The system wasn't energy saving, just a means of using halogen bulbs before it was possible at 230V.
I know a few who have removed their system just in time, recovering a transformer that was in partial meltdown!
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,932
Sorry, is this not the Victorian era? ;)



I don't think so. The rose (by which I mean junction box) is right next to the transformer on the joist. The feed cable comes from somewhere else I can't get to and feeds to somewhere else it needs to go. I might be able to get to that incoming feed and splice into it. Hmm.



Oooh, link?



My thought about the light exactly. And having met you, I don't think even you're that svelte!

C

I will come back to you with a link. Just waiting on the info back from the chap i know that bought one recently. Once the cut out section is removed you flip it over and it fit flush back into the hole.

The plastic cover ones are just a standard hole saw with a matching sized plastic plug /puck that fits flush into the hole.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,557
I will come back to you with a link. Just waiting on the info back from the chap i know that bought one recently. Once the cut out section is removed you flip it over and it fit flush back into the hole.

The plastic cover ones are just a standard hole saw with a matching sized plastic plug /puck that fits flush into the hole.

Cheers

I just stuck my head up there again. I can get to the supply and the switch cable, so I can just splice into the supply and cut and insulate the switch cable. Then it's just a simple matter of running cable to the new light mountings, which should be quite easy with my cable poky tool

C
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,123
My lights have just flickered here in France.
Have you started messing with your electrics ?
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
My lights have just flickered here in France.
Have you started messing with your electrics ?

Do you still have a red light that illuminates at random to indicate the electricity is at premium rate and you need to go around and turn everything off!!
 

lifes2short

Member
Messages
5,821
I have a nasty feeling that the only sensible solution would be rather destructive: i.e. cut a hole in the plasterboard ceiling so I can get to the mains and then repair / hide when done.

what you just said is the best option, and not as destructive as you think, drill/cut a nice opening near the tranny and run as 240v, jigsaw for the plasterboard and then simply replace the same piece as following, place a piece of say 2x1 or bigger depending on hole size through hole and resting on top of plasterboard in roof space, secure this with plasterboard screws either side from underside and then screw the cut piece to the timber spanning the hole, polyfilla the cut gaps, splash of paint, job done and totally invisible repair

You don't realy need this but here is link for a fancy hole cutter

 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,123
Do you still have a red light that illuminates at random to indicate the electricity is at premium rate and you need to go around and turn everything off!!
When we bought the house as it had been empty for 2 years the electricity company put in these new smart meters.
Not sure yet whose favour it's in though.
 

MarkMas

Chief pedant
Messages
8,796
Take out light fitting.
Tape bit of string to end of man-sized tape measure.
Tape cable to other end of string.
Lean into crawlspace, extend tape measure to over the light fitting hole.
Grab tape and string through the hole, detach string, and pull string and cable through.
Simples.