The definitive low-energy GU10 lighting thread

[PRTVR]

garycat said:

It is clear that the product that E36GUY sells is a high quality product with many satisfied customers and he certainly knows his stuff.

But many consumers just want to replace their 50w halogen GU10 with something cheap that will do the job, so talking about ZEP1s does not help these people. E.g. a house I bought to rent out has 4 or 6 way GU10 spotlights in every room and costs a fortune for the tenants to run so I've used ledhut 4w LED replacements at a fiver each and they are fine.

I hate these rich buggers coming on here and bragging the spent £5 on lights
I gîve you £2.99


http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gu10-5w-led-lamps-...

[DS3R]

PRTVR said:

I hate these rich buggers coming on here and bragging the spent £5 on lights
I gîve you £2.99


http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gu10-5w-led-lamps-...

For a 35 watt equivalent. Useful for your desk lamp, not to actually see with.

[pmanson]

Another happy customer of Guy's here, couple of chats on the phone with him and very helpful advice/support from his team and tonight I mounted the art arms on the wall.

Hopefully these will all be connected up on Thursday by the electrician.

Hallway (cut down to 1.5m)


Lounge (2m)


Excuse the picture quality (taken on the phone)

[E36GUY]

pmanson said:

Another happy customer of Guy's here, couple of chats on the phone with him and very helpful advice/support from his team and tonight I mounted the art arms on the wall.

Hopefully these will all be connected up on Thursday by the electrician.

Hallway (cut down to 1.5m)


Lounge (2m)


Excuse the picture quality (taken on the phone)

Looks great but are they the right height? Ideally they want to come right off the top of the picture they are lighting - not significantly above. I'm sure you've covered it but just in case before you finally commit.....

[pmanson]

E36GUY said:

Looks great but are they the right height? Ideally they want to come right off the top of the picture they are lighting - not significantly above. I'm sure you've covered it but just in case before you finally commit.....

Yes, measured and double measured so hope all will be ok.

The one in the lounge is for pictures to be hung above the sofa and the one in the hallway we plan to just for ambient lighting to start with (but we want to end with a large single painting there circa 36x36")


Now I look at it again the hallway one is probably high (but any lower and it would get in the way of the coat stand etc that we have). Oh well it is what is now

Edited by pmanson on Wednesday 9th April 11:03

[Trustmeimadoctor]

i bought 6 of these the other day for the kitchen they seem a lot better than the ccfls they replaced

http://www.ledhut.co.uk/spot-lights/gu10-led-bulbs...

id like to do the bathrooms next but id like to give guys bits a go but as has been said prices put me off a bit.

as for his electric bill been £7 impossible unless that only for his lighting. my electric is about £30 a month for a 4 bed house with 2 people in it im sure i could get it less if i never used the tv and turned the freezer off etc but frankly i dont see the need

[ChrisNic]

A bit of a long shot on a BH but could someone be kind enough to PM me an approx cost of the ZEP 1's - I need to make a decision pretty quickly so today would be great.

[fizz47]

Question for Guy or those who have fitted Zep1s.


I am just about to purchase a lutron rania dimmer and wanted to make sure I won't encounter any issues...

This is the one I am buying...

http://www.gil-lec.co.uk/lutron-rndu252bscm-rania-...


altogether there will be 9 lights connected to to it.. Split 5/4....


I have the newer drivers that allow dimming ....


Will there be any likely issues or is it just a case that my electricians have to do a straight fit as per instructions....they have never fitted a Lutron device before...

[E36GUY]

fizz47 said:

Question for Guy or those who have fitted Zep1s.


I am just about to purchase a lutron rania dimmer and wanted to make sure I won't encounter any issues...

This is the one I am buying...

http://www.gil-lec.co.uk/lutron-rndu252bscm-rania-...


altogether there will be 9 lights connected to to it.. Split 5/4....


I have the newer drivers that allow dimming ....


Will there be any likely issues or is it just a case that my electricians have to do a straight fit as per instructions....they have never fitted a Lutron device before...

My reservation would be that with that split, you will be below the minimum load for the switch so the dimming may not be as good as you want.

We recommend the Varilight V-pro intelligent dimmer (version 10E or newer) as these work beautifully (and are much cheaper )

[looother]

I've got about 48 hours to decide what lights to fit in my kitchen. The electrician recommends LEDs with up to 1,000 lumen, but the much-praised ZEP1 only has 480. He (the electrician) likes Aurora lights, and their M10 has a 10-year warranty, but I don't know anyone who has them, and I'm swayed by all the Ecoled lovers here. Should I ignore the electrician and go with the ZEP1s, and if so how many do I need to light a room that's approx. 7.8m x 4.9m?

[Super Slo Mo]

If you speak to Guy directly, he'll give you a recommended distance between each lamp based on ceiling height. I can't remember what it is offhand, but he talked me down from the 9 I thought I needed to 7 (I think he recommended 5 or 6 actually). Even with 7 lamps, my kitchen is immensely bright. It's not as big as yours, but I'm sure Guy will advise if you ask him.

[hairyben]

looother said:

Aurora 10-year warranty

most supermarkets sell toilet tissue that cheaper and softer and won't hurt your bum.

[E36GUY]

looother said:

I've got about 48 hours to decide what lights to fit in my kitchen. The electrician recommends LEDs with up to 1,000 lumen, but the much-praised ZEP1 only has 480. He (the electrician) likes Aurora lights, and their M10 has a 10-year warranty, but I don't know anyone who has them, and I'm swayed by all the Ecoled lovers here. Should I ignore the electrician and go with the ZEP1s, and if so how many do I need to light a room that's approx. 7.8m x 4.9m?

Ignoring his advice would seem a good idea. I think he doesn't know what he's talking about. One one had because 1000 lumens is a ludicrous figure to suggest for a home down light (a 50W GU10 halogen would be about 500) and on the other hand, he proceeds to then recommend the Aurora M10 which is only 465 lumens from 10W (46.5 lm/w) in Warm White. The updated ZEP1 is now 560 from 7W (80 lm/w), is cheaper (for PHers), dimmable, better looking and kicks the Aurora's behind for performance.

[Skrambles]

I've got to have lots of LED spotlights installed over the next few weeks - can anyone recommend good quality, warm white, dimmable mains voltage LED lights (lamps/fittings) equivalent to 50w halogens (preferably allowing the lamp to be tilted slightly)? The Philips LED GU10 Perfect Fit looks like a good lamp (5.5w equivalent to 50w halogen, 400 lm, 3000k), but I've got no real idea how it rates compared to others, and I'm not sure what fitting to get for the lamp. Also, there are a few units which come sealed, like the JCC FGLED6, Megaman: are these better than fittings which allow the lamp to be removed and replaced?

I've got to get the spotlights for a study, 3 bathrooms, a utility room, 5 bedrooms. Also, is there any reason to go for low voltage units instead?

[E36GUY]

Skrambles said:

I've got to have lots of LED spotlights installed over the next few weeks - can anyone recommend good quality, warm white, dimmable mains voltage LED lights (lamps/fittings) equivalent to 50w halogens (preferably allowing the lamp to be tilted slightly)? The Philips LED GU10 Perfect Fit looks like a good lamp (5.5w equivalent to 50w halogen, 400 lm, 3000k), but I've got no real idea how it rates compared to others, and I'm not sure what fitting to get for the lamp. Also, there are a few units which come sealed, like the JCC FGLED6, Megaman: are these better than fittings which allow the lamp to be removed and replaced?

I've got to get the spotlights for a study, 3 bathrooms, a utility room, 5 bedrooms. Also, is there any reason to go for low voltage units instead?

:cough:

[rednotdead]

Skrambles - ^^^

We've got some of E36Guys Zep1s. Great units that give a real nice warm light. Most visitors, including the sparky that fitted them, can't believe they are LED.

[Skrambles]

Thanks. Does the Zep1 have a built-in transformer (so that it can run off mains)? It looks like a very nice unit. E36Guy: would the warm or very warm white be more suitable for a study? Is the very warm light more like a bedside lamp than an overhead 50w halogen? I'm planning to have 6 down lighters in that room (which measures 4.5m x 2.5m, with ceiling height of 2.5-2.6m).
Is the Zep1 lamp the same as the Zep1e lamp (except for adjustability)? How much do the lamps go for and where's the best place to buy them?

[E36GUY]

Skrambles said:

Thanks. Does the Zep1 have a built-in transformer (so that it can run off mains)? It looks like a very nice unit. E36Guy: would the warm or very warm white be more suitable for a study? Is the very warm light more like a bedside lamp than an overhead 50w halogen? I'm planning to have 6 down lighters in that room (which measures 4.5m x 2.5m, with ceiling height of 2.5-2.6m).
Is the Zep1 lamp the same as the Zep1e lamp (except for adjustability)? How much do the lamps go for and where's the best place to buy them?

I'd always go warm or v.warm in the home. We sell 100 3000k to every 1 2700k though. The most important thing is the LUX level they give at the working area and this is good for all three colour temps we have.
Drivers are external so pop through the cut out and side inside the void.
Adjustable - yes. Same outer bezel just one can be moved.


It's much easier if we talk through it in person as there is lots for you to understand. PHers can get best price from me directly. Office number is 020 8492 7633.

[hairyben]

Skrambles said:

Thanks. Does the Zep1 have a built-in transformer (so that it can run off mains)? It looks like a very nice unit. E36Guy: would the warm or very warm white be more suitable for a study? Is the very warm light more like a bedside lamp than an overhead 50w halogen? I'm planning to have 6 down lighters in that room (which measures 4.5m x 2.5m, with ceiling height of 2.5-2.6m).
Is the Zep1 lamp the same as the Zep1e lamp (except for adjustability)? How much do the lamps go for and where's the best place to buy them?

If you're unsure and especially if you're particular I'd advise investing in a couple first and trying (or buying something like a couple of megaman 6w GU10's in both 2800k and 4000k), stringing up on a lead to a plug and seeing how it looks.

People and environments are very particular- I've just fitted a load of 4000k to a house and it looks ideal with the decor, in particular it transformed the previously dingy bathroom (matt white paint and darkish limestone) that soaked up a frankly daft for the roomsize 600w of LV halogen light and the homeowner was ecstatic.

Her friend and neighbour had the same fittings in the warmer 3000k again to replace LV halogen and finds them cold and "pinkish" (although her husband thinks it's an improvement)

A lot of people think warmer colours are better as they seem "cosy" or simply as thats what they're used to, some will want to cling to what they're used to and others will embrace something different once you demonstrate it to them. Personally I think the slightly colder colours reduce eyestrain by increasing the contrast so stops you straining to look at something which makes them ideal in bathrooms or working rooms. 3500-4000k in particular can achieve this without looking too "hospital waiting room" like the more common 6000+k.

Although you can have too much choice, I've even seen LED tape with alternate warm and cold white LED's and user-controlled blending to create whatever shade of white you like! I'm sure most people will also "get used" to whatevers there so long as it's well specced.

[Skrambles]

E36GUY said:

I'd always go warm or v.warm in the home. We sell 100 3000k to every 1 2700k though. The most important thing is the LUX level they give at the working area and this is good for all three colour temps we have.
Drivers are external so pop through the cut out and side inside the void.
Adjustable - yes. Same outer bezel just one can be moved.


It's much easier if we talk through it in person as there is lots for you to understand. PHers can get best price from me directly. Office number is 020 8492 7633.

Thanks - I'll be in touch!