Lights

[grandfatherd]

12 light alogen light changed bulbs from 10w to 20w on putting light on every thing O.K. following morning only got the bulbs flickering on a very low light tried switch at the other side of the room no joy switched off left alone for awhile tried again all O.K. after about an hour lights went back to low light flickering.
anyone out there any idea and or salution or should I contact
a electrician?
Danny,

[The Builder]

Does the flickering occur when the lights are off or on?
I assume you have two-way switching?
Is there a dimmer switch?

[grandfatherd]

thanks for reply builder. the light is O.K.when switched on and will usualy stay on for a while but then goes to the low light and flickering yes I have two way switching could it be another item in the house such as a freezer or central heating switching on taking the power away from the lights
Danny,

[The Builder]

Effects caused by other loads coming on would be minimal, Danny. This is more "dramatic" ;o)

Without getting too technical, the first thing anyone would look for is a loose connection in the circuit; most likely in the ceiling rose. Very easy to check. Do that first.

[grandfatherd]

the son in law did as advised and looked at the connection in the rose and every thing looked O.K. as he had just motered from ports mouth I told him to disconnect the light and come back tomorrow to put it back up and I will speak? to you as to what the next step is in this conunderom
The motering s/l was to Yorkshire. Danny

[grandfatherd]

we have done as advised by you builder and the light acted just the same i.e. staying on for a while then going dim again
I wnder if the bulbs rating as anything to do with it raising the watage from 10w to 20per bulb Danny,

[bhg481]

I know nothing about this sort of light-fitting but I'm wondering if the bulbs are (say) 12v driven through a transformer and doubling the power is overloading the transformer.

[The Builder]

Picking up on bhg's post, you didn't mention if they are 12v driven. If so, then check the power output of the transformer (driver.)

Previous load was 12 x 10w = 120W. The new load is 240W.

[grandfatherd]

BHG& Builder,
I know very little about transformers but think you mean the very small box? within the rose of the light if so we have not seen any writing on it so cannot tell power it is
If I have got the wrong info. I am lost. P.S. I hope that I am not being too frustrating for you Danny,

[Dogsbody2]

You didn't say whether these halogen lights are 12V or 240V in your last post, but I suspect the former.
In which case the small box you refer to inside the rose is a driver, and you are overloading the driver, which has some kind of thermal reset when this happens.

There will be one driver for each light, if the 12 lights are spaced all over the ceiling.

If, however, you have a single bar with all the halogens driven from one ceiling rose, then there is one single driver (of about 120VA) inside the rose, and you are still overloading it by what you have done.

You need a driver of at least 240VA. That (if it exists) is going to be quite a size to stuff up inside the ceiling cavity and cost around £45. At a quick search, I couldn't find one bigger than 210VA - which would only run 10 off 20W bulbs.

[The Builder]

Somewhere in the light fitting there is possibly a junction box where all the wiring for all 12 lamps come together.

One solution would be to split these into 2 x 6. Then buy another 120W transformer. Run both transformers with 6 lamps each.

[grandfatherd]

To Builder @ BHG.
Thanks for your help and and share of your knowledge I am a little bit wiser about modern lighting Onlooking at my light I can only see one place for a transformer to be and this is factory sealed So I am either going to revert back to the 10 watt bulbs or buy a new lamp
Anyway thank again and I have realy enjoyed the experience
Danny,