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[ashaver]

Hi, my house is full of 12V BLV Reflekto Lamp halogen downlighters, some with glass fronts and some without. They are not like the more common halogens where the whole lamp (GU10's etc) can be 'dropped' out by pushing in and turning or by releasing the spring clips etc..... these are impossible. I have managed to remove one easily accessible whole lamp assembly and can see that there appears to be a typical halogen bulb unit with two pins at the top held within the metal assembly. The bulb unit appears to be held in by a strong metal clip that runs around the end behind the lamp, pinching the two straight edges of the back of the bulb to hold in place and then running down around the outside of the bulb unit (but within the assembly). It seems obvious that somehow I need to separate the clip at either side so the bulb unit just drops out, but I can't find any tool able to do this. Given I can not access most of the downlighters in my house other than from below, how do I remove and replace these bulbs please? Thanks

[ericmark]

The GX5.3/GU5.3 base on 12 volt lamps does not hold the lamp like the GU10/GZ10 as you say and a ring normally holds them in instead. A small screw driver behind the ring will release them there is normally a point where the ring is flatter and gives a place where you can get behind. There are some advantages in that the longer LED versions will still fit without a bit sticking proud of the fitting. But also there are many wattages from 10 to 75 watt plus 3 watt for LED versions and projection angles 7 to 36 degrees plus the Dichroic version fits into non Dichroic holders unlike the GU10 which will not allow Dichroic to be used. Added to that you can’t get the cold cathode versions so once the lamps with less than 40 lumens per watt are withdrawn only option is the LED may as well use candles!
Also is the problems with using dimmers, although to use dimmers with quartz lamps really defeats the whole idea of using quartz and reduces lamp life.
Expect for the bathroom I would not fit these lamps and I would consider changing them. But even that’s not easy when the transformers/inverters are remote from lamps. OK for the garden and in the pond but as to fitting as main lighting no way.
But I am sure if my daughter bought them I would still end up fitting them. Like the shower unit and silly comments like can’t you just plug it in then? Not go anything against women but my son has never done anything like that. Then again he’s also an electrician!
Eric