Replacing my halogen spots with LED's (condo)

[pepi2005]

Hello,

 

I'm not sure whether this has already been dealt with here - if it has and I've missed it, pls just foward me to the respective thread.

 

Basically, I'm living in my condo in Pattaya about 3 months per year, and every time I move in, 1-2 more halogen spots don't work anymore. Their contacts seem to be damaged or whatever, because often enough, the light goes on when I try to remove them, flickers for a few seconds, and then goes off again. Replacing the bulbs only fixes the problem about half of the times, so I suspect it's really the contacts, either of the spots or of the casings (no surprise with the humid salt water air that has a disastrous impact on computer board outlets, TV set HDMI/USB connectors etc. also).

 

All the halogen spots are connected by wires above an artificial ceiling (below the physical ceiling) which is a typical setup here in Thailand I think. The artificial ceiling consists of a thin wooden layer with holes drilled into it, painted and looking natural as if it were the actual ceilings.

 

My question is whether there is a way to replace my lighting system with LED's that also allows fading the lights in an affordable way - without having to rip out all ceilings and reconstruct them again. I heard that the warmth of the lights and the width of the beams (avoiding 'laser-light' straight beams with little light in between) are problems that have already been solved with certain types of LED lights.

Does anyone here what cost I'll have to expect and which requirements have to be met? I'm talking about 70m² with about 1 halogen spot per 4 m², and about 10 light switches (half of them with fading functionality). Guess I'd also have to replace the current transformator (?), or not? If anyone has made good experiences with contractors in Pattaya, any information on them would be welcome as well (via PM).

 

thanks!

[RichCor]

This is an issue with any metal-based power or data connection.

 

As you mentioned, disuse in a salty environment actually promotes oxidation or corrosion at the connection point, especially where dissimilar metals are used in a connection. Having an active electrical connection (where current is always flowing through the connection) tends to avoid this issue.

 

Another problem that can occur with Edison Screw or Bayonet style light bulb and sockets are the soft solder pads of the bulb flattening out, or the socket's inner metal touch 'spring' being bent away from the bulb,  each preventing a good contact from being made.

 

You can try cleaning the bulb base middle solder point with a scrap or two of sand paper, and if the spring clip of the socket is recessed and no longer springy use a hard plastic tool to try to bend it out so it makes better spring-load contact with a bulb base when inserted.

 

As always, please use safe practices with working around electrical fixtures to avoid shock hazards.

 

[AJBangkok]

You can buy a direct led retrofit light for a standard halogen 35 or 50w light. You can buy dimable or no dimable but unless you have dimmers installed already I wouldn't bother as you'd have to install them.

 

Just take you halogen light to home pro or a lighting store and tell them you want a led replacement. 

[cheeryble]

What do posters think about the aesthetics?

I've always tended to put a handful of halogens around the premises (not too many as they're hot) as they give a very high quality of light.

What do folk think of the LED equivalents?

[bankruatsteve]

If you're talking about garden lights, 6W LEDs are indiscernible to the 50W halogen I used to have (and not hot).