Downlights

dlockers

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Hi folks,

Need some guidance please -- I am going to buy some downlights for the Garden Room. I am debating Hue Milliskin (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Hu...hting&sprefix=hue+miliskin,lighting,73&sr=1-3). They are quite spenny but there is a 40% off if you buy 2 packs.

I have just done a bit of reading though and apparently they are only 250 odd lumens, which seems very very low. Would 6 be enough to tackle a 6x3.5m ceiling? It is quite low (2.3m roof height).

Are there other ways to go around this? Downlight holders with Hue GU10 bulbs? Better systems in general?

I like I can switch it between warm and cold light as it'll be for movies and for office work. I can also control zones independently which means less faff with wiring.

Thoughts?
 

Firegod

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We're upgrading my bro's bathroom. It's quite compact, about 2.1m x 1.8m. Call it 2m².

We put in 4 led downlights pretty much 1m apart in the center of the ceiling. So in a square pattern. They are 9w and 750l each. And illuminate that room, what I'd call, nicely. They can also be dimmed.

You have a much larger room and want to put in 6 at 250l? I'm guessing 3 rows of 2? That's just 1,500l vs my bro's small bathroom which has 3,000l.

I would personally either go for 4 rows of 3 (meter spacing between the rows) or find something brighter. Especially if they can be dimmed.
 

GeX

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Note that maximum brightness will be only for one colour temperature too. I use GU10 holders and Hue bulbs throughout rather than ones like you’ve linked
 

dlockers

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GeX said:
Note that maximum brightness will be only for one colour temperature too. I use GU10 holders and Hue bulbs throughout rather than ones like you’ve linked
Click to expand...
Just started sniffing down that route - looks to be much more cost effective. I can get the GU10 white bulbs for £17ea with the current offer. Which holders did you get? Had a quick search on Amazon but was greeted with a billion indecipherable results lol.

I also have a Hue outdoor sensor I need to sell which will offset the cost a bit :cry:

Firegod said:
We're upgrading my bro's bathroom. It's quite compact, about 2.1m x 1.8m. Call it 2m².

We put in 4 led downlights pretty much 1m apart in the center of the ceiling. So in a square pattern. They are 9w and 750l each. And illuminate that room, what I'd call, nicely. They can also be dimmed.

You have a much larger room and want to put in 6 at 250l? I'm guessing 3 rows of 2? That's just 1,500l vs my bro's small bathroom which has 3,000l.

I would personally either go for 4 rows of 3 (meter spacing between the rows) or find something brighter. Especially if they can be dimmed.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think you're right. I have 2400 in my bathroom atm (Hue colour/ambiance), which is a similar size.
 
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GeX

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The later ones, with Bluetooth are 350lm. We have a mixture Hue White Ambiance and Hue Colour, in cans from screwfix, istr looking for ones that where deeper as the original Hue Colour bulbs where long bois - but it doesn’t matter now.
 

dlockers

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GeX said:
The later ones, with Bluetooth are 350lm. We have a mixture Hue White Ambiance and Hue Colour, in cans from screwfix, istr looking for ones that where deeper as the original Hue Colour bulbs where long bois - but it doesn’t matter now.
Click to expand...
Ah top man. Probably best I go Amazon then vs. the charity shop on eBay lol.
 

DarkBahamut

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dlockers said:
Ah top man. Probably best I go Amazon then vs. the charity shop on eBay lol.
Click to expand...

They actually just updated the GU10s a few weeks ago, I think the latest ones are 400 lm @ 4000k and 350 lm @ 2700k (previous gen were 350/250). They're still pretty low compared to most down lights though. If you go this route I'd make sure to get the new 2024 bulbs though, but you can bet the discounted ones are the old ones probably!

These aren't in the UK yet, but Hue have released a slim integrated downlight with much higher brightness (~1000 lm) in Europe. I'd expect to see this here at some point! They fit in the same sized hole I believe. Not cheap though, but it's Hue :p

www.philips-hue.com

Slim Einbauleuchte, 90 mm | Philips Hue | Philips Hue DE

Das dünne Profil der schlanken Philips Hue Einbauleuchten macht es Dir möglich, Einbauleuchten überall in Deinem Zuhause zu verwenden, beispielsweise in Räumen mit Zwischendecken. Dank des breiten Abstrahlungswinkels und der hohen Lichtleistung kannst Du problemlos auch größere Räume beleuchten.
www.philips-hue.com www.philips-hue.com
 

GeX

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Given they say 90mm.. I’m going to guess they’re bigger than the 50mm GU10 bulbs and that would explain the light output
 

DarkBahamut

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GeX said:
Given they say 90mm.. I’m going to guess they’re bigger than the 50mm GU10 bulbs and that would explain the light output
Click to expand...

The 90 mm includes the surround though. My downlights I have here are around 85-90 mm including the surround too, so I think they're sized to match typical downlight fixtures. They do have a more diffused light compared to the GU10 spots though, so there is that to consider!
 
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dlockers

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Think I am going to grab some...

Govee x4 for the roof overhang - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Govee-Brig...0+hue&qid=1721115696&sprefix=,aps,135&sr=8-12

I already have Govee underlighters and string lights, so might be fun to join all these together.

And then on Prime Day the GU10s are down to £15ea which isn't bad. I'll grab 4 of these I think.

 

dlockers

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Am I just getting something like this to hold them?
 

GeX

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They'd do it, but I prefer ones with backs on (usually fire or IP rated) like https://www.amazon.co.uk/firstchoic...justable-Downlights-Compatible/dp/B0CJB4YVZY/ (I've not specficially used those, just an example of the style).

I prefer those my house is over a hundred years and old and the ceilings have a lot of detritus on top of them, the fittings you linked would allow that crud to get through the fitting and into the room
 

PermaChanged

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I have these throughout our hallway and lounge - each light switch remains in the permanently on position and they're controlled via Alexa voice commands, or through the Alexa app


Each group of bulbs is associated with a "Room"

For the lounge we have the following voice commands;

"Cosy Time" - Only the rear two bulbs come on, warm setting minimal brightness.

"Bright Lounge" - All bulbs cool white at max brightness

"Crochet Time" (lol) - Only the bulb above where the missus sits comes on, so she can crochet while not making the whole lounge bright for the TV.

The hallway has

"Day Time" - All max brightness and cool setting

"Quiet Time" - All low brightness and warm

"Movie Night" - Only the two far end lights on, low brightness and warm setting

Can brighten and dim ad-hoc using voice commands too - so if we were on "Bright Lounge" I could say "Alexa, dim lounge" and drop the brightness of all bulbs in that group.

Plan to get them for more rooms eventually.
 

dlockers

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GeX said:
They'd do it, but I prefer ones with backs on (usually fire or IP rated) like https://www.amazon.co.uk/firstchoic...justable-Downlights-Compatible/dp/B0CJB4YVZY/ (I've not specficially used those, just an example of the style).

I prefer those my house is over a hundred years and old and the ceilings have a lot of detritus on top of them, the fittings you linked would allow that crud to get through the fitting and into the room
Click to expand...
Cheers - brand new roof here and space is tight so I've gone for non-IP/fire rated holders in white, and some chrome ones for outdoors (we'll see how long they last!).

PermaChanged said:
I have these throughout our hallway and lounge - each light switch remains in the permanently on position and they're controlled via Alexa voice commands, or through the Alexa app


Each group of bulbs is associated with a "Room"

For the lounge we have the following voice commands;

"Cosy Time" - Only the rear two bulbs come on, warm setting minimal brightness.

"Bright Lounge" - All bulbs cool white at max brightness

"Crochet Time" (lol) - Only the bulb above where the missus sits comes on, so she can crochet while not making the whole lounge bright for the TV.

The hallway has

"Day Time" - All max brightness and cool setting

"Quiet Time" - All low brightness and warm

"Movie Night" - Only the two far end lights on, low brightness and warm setting

Can brighten and dim ad-hoc using voice commands too - so if we were on "Bright Lounge" I could say "Alexa, dim lounge" and drop the brightness of all bulbs in that group.

Plan to get them for more rooms eventually.
Click to expand...
Yeah my plan is to do something exactly like this (y) (I'll use your list as a reference, thank you!). The Hue ones came down on PrimeDay so I paid £14 a bulb and they fit into my already quite large Hue ecosystem.
 
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GeX

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We have similar automations, tho more controlled via motion sensors or Hue Dimmers. The motion sensors react differently depending on the ambient light level and time of day they're triggered. My kids are growing up with no real knowledge of what a light switch is for :D
 
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