Down lights that are mounted in the ceiling are nowadays very popular in home decoration. They are useful for lighting living areas, kitchens and bathrooms. Down-lights provide an even, gentle, low shadow lighting within a room. For this reason they are very useful in home decoration.

Generally, the main part of a bulb is contained within a can above the ceiling. The can is normally sealed to avoid the bulb to act as a chimney. If sealing is not done, when the bulb gets warm, air may be drawn up into the void above the ceiling.

Most modern cans are secured to the ceiling with the help of simple clips. These clips engage when the fitting is pushed up into the ceiling from below. To remove the can, first remove the bulb and grip the inside of the can and pull down. Make sure that the clips work in reverse, so that the ‘can’ can be pulled down clear of the ceiling to the extent of the cable.

Apart from ordinary down lights with round bezels, other options are also available which are explained below.

Mains or low voltage down lights:

Down lights may be mains powered or low voltage. Low voltage means typically of 12 volts. But low voltage does not mean, the bulbs are highly efficient. In case of low voltage bulbs, the transformer wastes energy. So a low voltage installation uses more electricity than a conventional mains installation.

Generally, most transformers for low voltage down light incorporate a thermal cutout. So if the transformer overheats, it cuts off the supply before it causes damage. Transformers should overheat only if – they are used to drive more bulbs or higher wattage bulbs than what they are designed for or they are not surrounded by free air to allow heat to dissipate.

Bulbs:

The most recessed down lights use halogen bulbs. These bulbs have a fairly longer life. LED lights are now a days becoming popular for giving colored lighting, which is great for children’s rooms. They may not be able to give enough light for ambient lighting.

Typically mains bulbs used are 50 watt while low voltage systems use 20 watt each give similar levels of illumination. Using normal light dimmers can dim halogen bulb, mains down lights. But low voltage bulbs need a special kit to dim.

Down lights in Bathrooms :

When choosing down lights for bathrooms you have to be extra careful. They have to conform to the electrical regulations, which depend upon their actual position.

Positioning down lights:

For general, ambient lighting, down lights has to be positioned about 6 or 7 ft apart in both directions i.e. across the room and along the room. Check the position of the joists above the ceiling before deciding on spacing. You have to use a spacing, which positions the down lights between joists. If you keep adjacent down lights between the same pair of joists, it makes running the cables easier.

Don’t position the down lights close to walls. If you do it the down light will show up every imperfection. Keep them 3 to 3 ft 6 in from the ceiling or wall corner.

Don’t overload your existing electrical wiring. Most mains house lighting circuits can handle up to 400 watts per room. So, this allows for up to 8 down lights per room per circuit. In case of any doubts, consult a qualified electrician.