Track Light

[sumobear 0]

Hi everyone,

Can anyone advise me what has happened to my track light. I have shifted in to my newly renovated home for quite a while...probably like 3 months...my lightings are doing well until recently my track lights start to blow one by one...one of the exploded light even cause the dimmer to be damaged. 4 light adaptors at different locations are blown. i am so stressed and scared to turn on the lights at night because they will blow with a loud pop.

[applefreak 1]

oh my goodness

can totally understand how you feel coz my tiles 'exploded'

could it be that there is a surge in current?

[sumobear 0]

oh my goodness

can totally understand how you feel coz my tiles 'exploded'

could it be that there is a surge in current?

I do not know:(...called my contractor but no sure if he is going to help me as we are in a bad term during renovation.

[yoongf 11]

Hmm.. check the halogen bulb. Those unheard of brands from China spoil very fast. I suspect is manufactured cheaply just so shop can claim "bulb included". So far, the Philips and Osram ones still the best.

Dimmer and the halogen adaptor spoil? Check the dimmer. May be use wrong kind. Got 2 types look the same. One is for ventilation fan, other for light dimming. They look identical but works very differently. Maybe installed one is for fan control.

[sumobear 0]

Hmm.. check the halogen bulb. Those unheard of brands from China spoil very fast. I suspect is manufactured cheaply just so shop can claim "bulb included". So far, the Philips and Osram ones still the best.

Dimmer and the halogen adaptor spoil? Check the dimmer. May be use wrong kind. Got 2 types look the same. One is for ventilation fan, other for light dimming. They look identical but works very differently. Maybe installed one is for fan control.

Hi Yoongf,

Thanks for the info...so far most of the track lights that have blown are the adapters and not the bulb. There is 2 occasion that the light blown and all power got tripped and 1 dimmer is damaged. When I got my adapters...the suppliers gave me funny assorted bulbs which the colour of lights are different so to play safe, I change all the bulbs to Osram halogen.

The dimmer is fixed by the electrician so i do not think he will make such a mistake by getting the fan control. Then all these problems only happens recently after living there for so many months...so many light damaged at the same time...it is quite questionable on whether is it the electricity supply or the light fixtures got problem...

Both my wife and I are scared to on the light right now....the "POP" is shocking...

Edited August 19, 2007 by sumobear

[matlucio 0]

Maybe the initial bulb they give is 'chia_pal_lang ' type. Why don u use the branded type for a change. Don mind throwing the extra$$. Or maybe the bulb rating is different. Good luck

[cha_alex 0]

no point guess here and there call the professional (electrician) to check.......

many fire hazard cases start from electrical faulty.....

[MaCe 3]

since the culprit is not the halogen lamp(OSRAM) - then I suggest you take out the transformer and bring it to electrical shops - change a new one.

go sungei road/jalan berseh.

[sumobear 0]

Yah I am getting the electrician to come and check but I do need some info and advice from people, just in case the electrician tries to push the blame to my light fixtures....but then again I do have doubts on the light adapters too. Do not know how to explain the light adapters because so many exploded at different points within 2 days after we have move in for a few months.

The electrician just called and he claimed that my light fixtures got problem and not his wiring....I expected that kind of answer before he call. Then he advise me to change all the light fixtures which is like...

1 x 3m track

5 x 1m track

10 x track light adapters

then he still have to charge me workmanship.

Gosh that is additional cost! I dunno how and I am super duper tight on my pocket.....

[MaCe 3]

Yah I am getting the electrician to come and check but I do need some info and advice from people, just in case the electrician tries to push the blame to my light fixtures....but then again I do have doubts on the light adapters too. Do not know how to explain the light adapters because so many exploded at different points within 2 days after we have move in for a few months.

The electrician just called and he claimed that my light fixtures got problem and not his wiring....I expected that kind of answer before he call. Then he advise me to change all the light fixtures which is like...

1 x 3m track

5 x 1m track

10 x track light adapters

then he still have to charge me workmanship.

Gosh that is additional cost! I dunno how and I am super duper tight on my pocket.....

frankly, quite unlikely it's the electrician's fault - cos his job is to bring power to track lights.

once at the track light, it's transformer that converts the 230v electricity into 12v to power the halogens.

and since you are using osram, the more i think it's the transformers.

oh no, I miss out your dimmers.

if your halogen bulbs are 12V, a special dimmer is required! cant just use ordinary dimmers.

lots of home improvement websites even recommend to have the dimmer turn to full brightness for 1 min for every 1 hour of half dim.

Edited August 20, 2007 by MaCe

[sumobear 0]

erm I dunno how loh...I think it is 50/50 chance for either the lighting or wiring problem....but then again I think it is the tracklights are giving problem because most of the tracks are having problems...other lighting like toilet and kitchen's IKEA pendant lights are still ok...

I am planning to use the existing tracklight adapters from my old home and mount them to the track to test...those adapters have not fail me for 5+ years and I have not change much bulb since day 1 I moved in to that home....My worry now is whether the main problem is with the track and will it spoil my reliable old tracklights....sigh

[MaCe 3]

erm I dunno how loh...I think it is 50/50 chance for either the lighting or wiring problem....but then again I think it is the tracklights are giving problem because most of the tracks are having problems...other lighting like toilet and kitchen's IKEA pendant lights are still ok...

I am planning to use the existing tracklight adapters from my old home and mount them to the track to test...those adapters have not fail me for 5+ years and I have not change much bulb since day 1 I moved in to that home....My worry now is whether the main problem is with the track and will it spoil my reliable old tracklights....sigh

try this, dont dim the halogen, turn the knob all the way to full brightness. see what happens.

[sumobear 0]

try this, dont dim the halogen, turn the knob all the way to full brightness. see what happens.

I will try tonite and hope everything is fine....after so many saga with my home reno, I am mentally worn out already....

[MaCe 3]

I will try tonite and hope everything is fine....after so many saga with my home reno, I am mentally worn out already....

do read these articles;

http://www.houseinprogress.net/archives/001060.html

http://www.lutron.com/wtb/wheretobuy.aspx?cid=0

[sumobear 0]

do read these articles;

http://www.houseinprogress.net/archives/001060.html

http://www.lutron.com/wtb/wheretobuy.aspx?cid=0

Wah...u so resourceful...so detailed research on tracklights. Well...last night I tried mounting 2 old light adaptors and they are doing fine, never explode...will try to on again over the weekend to test. i just hope that the fault lies with the new light adapters and not other problems like the track or wiring...or else I have to incurr more cost.