LED MR16 FOH lighting

[torch1972]

I have changed some of the MR16's Front of house at the theatre hallways with Kosnic LEd 6w G5.3 45 degree they give a nice warm light. However in a couple of fittings where I have replaced the 12V MR16 to LED the lamp has started to flash, could this be the age of the transformer that is making them flash?

 

Has anyone changed their MR16 to LED Front of house and had similar problems?

[timsabre]

I have changed some of the MR16's Front of house at the theatre hallways with Kosnic LEd 6w G5.3 45 degree they give a nice warm light. However in a couple of fittings where I have replaced the 12V MR16 to LED the lamp has started to flash, could this be the age of the transformer that is making them flash?

 

Has anyone changed their MR16 to LED Front of house and had similar problems?

 

Caused by insufficient load on an electronic transformer. The LED will be a much smaller load than the halogen lamp it replaces. Some transformers will work down to a smaller load than others. If you can pair up some of the fittings to a single transformer that would fix it.

[jonathanhill]

Or you could replace* the transformer with one designed for extra low voltage LED lamps.

Make sure that whatever solution you choose, it is noted somewhere that a change has occurred, or Bad Things May Happen.

* Assuming competency to muck about with low voltage things.

[top-cat]

Or if you're not in a position to change your transformer arrangements; you could load some of the fittings with LED and some with Halogen, to increase the load to a suitable level. This would make you more energy efficient than all halogen but obviously less so than all-LED, so it's not the preferable method but it'd be a good starter if you're not in a position to change your transformer arrangements and would be a 'quick fix' until you have somebody who can.

[adam2]

As others post the problem is PROBABLY insufficient load on an electronic transformer.

It is also possible that the transformer and lamp are incompatible in some other way.

I would replace* the problematic transformers with proper 12 volt LED drivers*, these produce a regulated DC output and are said to increase the life of the LED lamps.

 

It is also possible that you have some defective lamps, I have known new ones on the correct driver to flash. The supplier should replace them in the case of early failures.

If you find the LED lamps generaly satisfactory, then I suggest purchasing a few spares. LED technology is still advancing and any replacements purchased in say a years time might not match.

 

*Usual caveats about mains voltage electrics, the task is generally very simple, but cant be recomended for the novice since a mistake could have serious consequences.

[bigclive]

On the subject of mixing halogen and LED lamps, can I suggest that a sensible appraisal of what each point is lighting is made before choosing halogen for good colour rendering and lumen output and LED for general non-critical space filling. LED lamps are very variable in quality and even the best lose their intensity gradually over time while still consuming the same amount of power. The biggest issue with the drop in intensity is where the reduction will be so that you only realise how dim they are when someone falls down a staircase.

 

Also note that some LED lamps really don't like being hooked up to electronic transformers. Unlike halogen transformers that put out 12V at 50Hz the electronic ones put out a very spiky waveform that can be in the region of 30V at 20,000Hz which may well average to a 12V supply when averaged across a tungsten filament, but could cause over-voltage issues with LED lamps that are rectifying and smoothing the supply.