I recently moved into a house which has a number of recessed, tiltable LED spot lights in the ceiling and (rather embarrassingly) I can’t figure out how to change the bulbs!
Has anyone come across a light fitting like these and can help me figure out how to change the damn things??
Another fail as I can’t even post a picture successfully!
I stored the pic here https://ibb.co/t20Q5kp
Looks like GU10 bulb, up there on the top 5 list of works worst consumer products for usability.
Make sure it’s cool, push firmly up about 1mm The whilst pushing up, rotate 1/8 turn counter clockwise then let out drop out. If you are lucky there will be a couple of small lips on the face to help you get purchase, if not you will need to create friction between skin and glass.
Then look forward to the fun and games of putting the new one in!
Yep, need a suction cup as suggested above. Life's too short otherwise 🤣
That might be integrated, ie you can't replace the bulb if it fails, need to replace the complete fitting. Doesn't look deep enough for a GU10.
I think that there's a retaining/trim ring that needs removing first
Middle bit pops out and then bulb inserts from back? That's a funny one as it doesn't look like the bulb pushes in nor is there a visible retaining ring
I'd say that's an integrated fitting, so you'll need to replace the whole thing. If you can get the same model then that white ring which bodges the original hole then it'll fit straight in. Otherwise you might need to take it down to an electrical wholesaler and see if they can find an close replacement.
Thanks for the responses so far, but I don’t think it’s a straightforward GU10 as that’s what I have elsewhere in the non pitched bits of the roof which I’ve managed to figure out
I’ve uploaded a couple more pictures to see if anyone has any bright ideas… I’m really hoping they’re not integrated as it was built in 1996 so I can’t imagine the same model will exist…
https://ibb.co/XykP689
https://ibb.co/kgrgyMd
https://ibb.co/KLpw2Pj
https://ibb.co/j8fsNBZ
So far I’ve tried pushing the bulb in, turning the bulb, turning the central white ring and prying out the central white ring, but no luck!
That to me looks like an intergrated downlight in a converter. The larger ‘outer’ ring is there to cover a larger hole than the new downlight. Get something in the middle ring to prise the light out of the converter and that should tell you the brand and K value to replace with. When pulling it down be very careful of the retaining springs, they hurt a lot when they trap you’re fingers!
10 points to each of you who suggested they are integrated units, I’ve just had a message from the person I bought the place from, confirming that to be the case!
So now the question becomes how to I get the integrated unit out of the ceiling in order to see what it looks like and try and source a replacement?
Am I aiming to prise the middle white ring and the lamp (as one piece) out of the outer white ring? Or should I try and remove the whole lot in one go? I can’t quite get my head around what is attached to what, and don’t want to go from simply having 1 out of 4 spot lights not working to having 3 working spot lights and a gaping hole in the ceiling!
I'd have thought the inner ring would pull out leaving the outer plastic hole cover behind, you then un plug the light fitting and fit a new one.
Should look something like this when you get it out...
Hateful, hateful products. I put some cheap Chinese shit ones in my kitchen ceiling. Worse decision ever....
But of a thread resurrection, but I finally got this light out!
The way it was assembled makes me angry as it was effectively a one way assembly of the three components… an inner ring (which you can’t see) with two clips which screw in to bite on the plasterboard, then a larger blanking plate held in by the light, then the light was pushed in and clipped into place. But there is no way to either unscrew the inner plate, or unclip the light once installed!
Anyway, it’s out and I’m definitely not replacing like for like!
Next question is can I replace a single LED spot with a multi bulb pendant?
(I suspect the answer is “yes if…” so what do I need to check?? Gauge of wires? Size of the fuse on the consumer unit? Type of LED driver used?)
Or am I very obviously out of my depth and in need of an electrician? 🤣
A multi-lamp pendant will be able to connect to the existing wiring, especially if it's LEDs as they all seem to be these days. The circuit breaker in the CU should be 6A and will more than cope, as should the cable if it's wired in flat twin and earth, which it should be.
Just make sure you get good fixings for the new fitting, preferably into a joist or other piece of timber, or you'll find the new fitting on the floor shortly afterwards. The plasterboard fixings don't work brilliantly around the edges of an existing hole where the plasterboard has crumbled and lost its integrity.
Make sure all of the connections are tight in the new fitting, or if there's not enough room get a small junction box and make the terminations in there. Use green and yellow sleeving on the earths!
The lack of good fixings was the final sticking point! The existing hole is halfway between timbers and it’s in a pitched roof section with no access to the back side (without removing roof tiles…)
So for now I think the answer is to replace with a new spot (with replaceable bulbs this time!) until I have a plasterer in for another job at which point I can remove enough plasterboard to put a beam in to span the timbers and get them to make good afterwards.
Thanks to all those who offered advice!
