Apart from one being low voltage and the transformer and the other mains
voltage , whats the difference between low voltage and mains voltage
downlighters?
Is there any difference in the light?
I have been told that the low voltage lighting is being phased out?
Many thanks for any help
Piff

I suppose the main difference is that a low voltage system consists of what
is known as a selv. This provides a double isolated supply method to the
lights at a non fatal voltage. The transformer provides earth isolation to
reduce the risk of electric shock, although this varies from one product to
another. The down side is that you may suffer from voltage drops in a LV
system. In a 230Vac system the voltage drops form a lesser percentage
(considering constant impedance and ohms law against I squared R losses) and
thus you can kind of ignore them.



"Piff"  wrote in message
news:4254314a_1@mk-nntp-1.news.uk.worldonline.com...

> Apart from one being low voltage and the transformer and the other mains
> voltage , whats the difference between low voltage and mains voltage
> downlighters?
> Is there any difference in the light?
> I have been told that the low voltage lighting is being phased out?
> Many thanks for any help
> Piff
>
>

Piff wrote:

> Apart from one being low voltage and the transformer and the other
mains
> voltage , whats the difference between low voltage and mains voltage
> downlighters?
> Is there any difference in the light?
> I have been told that the low voltage lighting is being phased out?
> Many thanks for any help
> Piff


Mains halogen downlighter bulbs:
shorter lived
lower efficiency, ie more energy hungry
more fragile
bulbs more expensive
and blowing bulbs are liable to trip your lighting circuit.

LV halogen has none of these problems, the £6 for the transformer is
well worth it.


NT