Replacing a MR16 Halogen Downlight With an LED

Winter always seems to eventually swing around, much to the disappointment of some.  It’s a time when we use more energy for both lighting and especially heating.

Electricity for lighting isn’t the only potential avenue to save energy from the use of downlights; did you know that recessed lighting also affects heating?

Home heating energy efficiency

 

The ceiling insulation is the most common part of the home to turn into Swiss cheese. If this issue is improved, the savings can be considerable.  Up to $10 dollars a year per downlight on heating costs, when you fix a 400mm gap in insulation and improve the air tightness of the fitting.

With so many downlights all over Australia, it’s a not unlikely you’ve thought about replacing a halogen MR16 globe with an MR16 L.E.D.  There are also many companies out there replacing LEDs for free under government endorsed schemes!

Due to these types of older style downlights being ventilated, full of cobwebs and perhaps leaves and debris, you must also think about how you could make these lights more airtight and insulated, for both energy efficiency and reducing the amount of dust and pollen that drops into your home from your roof cavity.

There’s a problem with replacing a MR16 Halogen Downlight with an LED while focusing on heating energy efficiency and it’s important to know about it!

You need to make sure your installation complies with Australian standards. AS/NZS 5110 stipulates that although LED’s produce way less heat, but you still can’t cover them, because they can fail prematurely.  But there are other rules as well.

 

LED/MR16 LED retrofit globes are not allowed to be covered with insulation even if a manufacturer allows it, because if the transformer is still rated for a 50W Halogen MR16 lamp, the fitting must be capable of operating safely with the worst possible lamp replacement.  (50W Halogen dichroic globe)

So, the solution is…

when you finally choose to retrofit, ask your service provider for the following:

Make sure the halogen lamp transformers are replaced with an “up to 20W LED drivers” when they are retrofitting the LEDs.  LEDs will last longer when these types of transformers are being used because they are designed for them.  It is also important from a safety perspective because halogen globes won’t work anymore in the fitting.

Buy downlight covers for your LED’s which are insulative and can be installed from below the ceiling.  They will also allow the LED to breath with some air from the living area through your ventilated fitting.

Make sure these new control gears are not covered in insulation, as per AS3000 Wiring rules.  The downlight covers should have somewhere to cable tie them, allowing them to work up and away from insulation.

For more detail into this standard, click here to Understanding AS/NZS 5110

And click here to buy our Tighthouse downlight covers.