Swapping old Halogen Bathroom Downlights for new LED Lights Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[makk509]

I have 3, 12v halogen downlights in my bathroom. They run from a single transformer: philex ET-105-2 (35-105VA). It's an old house and has no earth wire in the lighting circuit. As halogen bulbs are getting difficult to find, is it possible to swap this transformer and the lighting fittings to run equivalent led lights without rewiring the house to add an earth?

[Mr White]

Yes.

[makk509]

Yes.

Thanks Mr White.
I should have been more specific in my question. I've tried to find a replacement transformer but they all appear to be marked for halogen only.
Can you point me at an equivalent transformer for led lights?

[ericmark]

Two methods, one fit large LED lights 12 watt or more so using full 35 watt, or swap the electronic transformer for a toroidal wire wound transformer then there is no lower limit.

The electrical safety council give advice about pre 1966 homes with no earth to lights, there should be a notice on the fuse box, in 1966 there was still a lot of rubber cable used, so often a house without earth wires to lights needs rewiring, but although no new lights can be installed that way, nothing to stop you using old lights.

Often it needs covers on the screws on the face plates, and no metal switches or light fittings, so it limits what can be used to class II only, but nothing to stop it being used.

[makk509]

Thanks Mr White.
I've searched for a replacement transformer but I only seem to find halogen ones. Can anyone point me at an equivalent that will run led's ?

[Mr White]

You will never find a replacement "transformer" for LED lights because LED's operate from Direct Current and a transformer supplies Alternating Current. The device you should search for is called an LED driver (It reduces the mains voltage down to a much lower voltage, and also changes it from A.C. to D.C.

You will need to select a driver suitable in voltage and current for the LED lamps you intend to use. So for example if your 3 lamps are12v 5 watts each then a 12v 10 watt driver would be too small, but you could use a 12v 20 watt driver as the the LED's will only draw the amount of current they require, where as a 24v 20 watt driver the voltage would be too high and the LEDs would only last a few seconds.

[makk509]

Thanks for the replies. They've helped a lot.