SaveMyLight have noticed an increase in halogen transformers and ballasts being fitted to fireplaces, cooker hoods, kitchens and conservatories which are failing at an alarming rate and this is not due to a manufacturing defect in every product.
Fireplaces / Cooker Hoods – Manufacturers are fitting halogen transformers into housings within the fireplace which do not have adequate ventilation. All transformers must have adequate ventilation. This means that during use the case temperature is increasing to the point that it starts to melt causing the product to overheat and fail. The two examples below show damage caused by overheating.
Conservatories – Customers purchasing light fittings with halogen transformers without considering the extreme temperature variation that happens during the winter and summer months, which drastically reduces the life of the product. In some cases the product is damaged within days due to damp issues.
During winter the extreme cold causes damp and condensation which sits on the internal components of the transformers. In use this causes damage and renders the product useless.
Kitchens – Lighting fittings which are fitted with a Ballast are prone to repeat failure in kitchens. There are only a few types of light fitting that use a Ballast and most notably from the same manufacturer. Upon research with each customer there is an insufficient lack of ventilation in the light housing. Some units are filled with a thick brown oily substance which is down to the collection of fumes from the kitchen over a period of use.
Bathrooms – Mostly we see light fittings powered by a Ballast which fail due to the difference in temperature, lack of ventilation and the build up of condensation on the circuit board of the product. We recommend light fittings powered by a Ballast are not fitted to a bathroom.
Resolution
Fireplaces / Cooker Hoods – Increasing ventilation to the housing or moving the transformer to the rear of the fireplace. We also recommend converting the fireplace to run on LED bulbs. LED bulbs give off far less heat. An LED driver would be required.
Conservatories – If possible convert the light fitting to work with LED bulbs or purchase a light fitting that does not use a transformer ie mains voltage fed light fitting – 240v bulbs.
If at all possible we recommend placing the transformer in an adjacent room, but not exceeding the maximum output cable length.
Kitchens – Again as above we recommend converting the light fitting to LED or moving the ballast into the ceiling space above the light fitting. This will keep the ballast ventilated due to the airflow in the void.
Bathrooms – Another environment where there is a huge temperature variation. The same information applies as above.
We will inspect any product which is not working but if the unit has failed due to overheating the manufacturer will not swap the product. It is not a manufacturing defect. We also recommend customers do not repeat buy the same product to get the light fitting to work. This is only bypassing the problem and the same end result will keep happening and of course will be wasting further money if the issue is not rectified.
