Looking for MR16, 120V replacement bulbs

[greenLED]

I'm looking for MR16-type replacement bulbs. I'll be using these for home illumination and need them to be 120V. (As an aside, why do they make them only in 12V?)

I'd prefer compact fluorescent bulbs, but LED's would work. I guess the former might be cheaper (?).

Any experience and/or recommendations with these?

 

[greenLED]

OK, so how about adapters to convert from MR16 to regular, screw-in fixtures?

 

[PhotonWrangler]

GreenLED, DX has a number of GU-10 style (similar to MR16) lights that will run on 120vac including this one and this one. Will these work for your application?

 

[LED-FX]

As PhotonWrangler said you want a GU10 base for line volatge operation.
Halogen MR16 in 230V tends to be a bit like popcorn....
CFLs in MR16 sizes are not good, folding the tube in means terrible fixture efficiency.
LED MR16s have variable connection quality with actual heatsink, more than interested to hear some first hand reports...

Adam

 

[James Jackson]

LED MR16s have variable connection quality with actual heatsink, more than interested to hear some first hand reports...

Adam

I've been using 5-Watt MR-16 LED 'bulbs' for over a year now - no problems yet.

They do tend to weigh a bit more than the regular MR-16's - due to the added heatsink, but I'm very happy with their light output and usefulness in my tracklighting arrangement - which runs off of a 12-volt SLA battery (solar charged).

Regards,

James Jackson

 

[greenLED]

GreenLED, DX has a number of GU-10 style (similar to MR16) lights that will run on 120vac including this one and this one. Will these work for your application?

:thanks: PhotonWrangler! I think those are the only 120V units I've seen - they seem to come in 12V only for some odd reason.

I'm not sure those would work, though... :thinking: Other than the physical shape of the contacts, are there any other significant differences between GU10 and MR16 sockets? Could I file down the oversized GU10 contacts to fit the MR16 socket, or something like that?

Our apartment uses MR16 lamps for ceiling illumination (I don't know who the architect was, but I wouldn't've done that) and we're looking for something that is more energy efficient.

 

[LED-FX]

Quick guide

MR 16, 16 is diameter of lamp in 1/8"s of an inch, MR 16 = 2" across

Low voltage MR16 lamps have a GX5.3 bi-pin base 2 pins spaced 5.3mm apart.

Low voltage MR16 are 12V and have a Dichroic coating on the reflector, sometimes called cool beam, the reflector is transparent to IR so heat goes out back.

Line voltage MR16 usually use a GU10 base, lamp is physically deeper but same front diameter. Reflector is aluminised, heat and light are reflected into beam.

Variation is the line voltage GZ10, holder similar to GU10 but with chamfered corners, thes have Dichroic reflectors and heat goes out back. Reason for disimilar lamp holders is to prevent wrong lamp in fitting.

Halogen is pretty good efficiency wise, moving to LED WILL give you less light, in some applications this might not really mater.

Look for premiumn IR reflective envelope halogens, typically 42W replacemnt for 50W etc.

Forget CFL and CCFL MR16s not efficient or long lived.

HTH
Adam

 

[greenLED]

I'll have to double check what the base is on the lamps we have.
:thanks:

 

[gnarly]

Hi green-LED, is a PAR16 what you are looking for?

Arraylighting have made quite a lot of noise about their products - announced but not quite in production yet by the looks of things:

http://www.arraylighting.com/products/Array_PAR16.html

I do wonder how effective heatsinking is in a lamp of this size. Array's big point is that by using more LEDs (lower power per led) they can run the heatsink at a higher temp. But with such a small bulb I would prefer to see the entire casing a very fine-finned heatsink and no mention of "recycled plastic" at all ! In an enclosed space you will need it.

On the subject of why the architect did this, many small halogen spots do give a nice light with superb color quality. I wish people wouldn't put them above the bed in a bedroom through, as you end up staring right into what is basically a projector bulb!

You should check into the CRI (color quality) of any bulbs you choose.

 

[nein166]

If you're sure you have 5.3 Bi-Pin sockets for MR-16 bulbs get some GU-10 sockets and the LED GU-10s linked above for 110v.

Then just heatshrink the exposed wires.

 

[LED-FX]

Unfortunately GU10 lamp has quite a bit of a neck behind refelector, lamp is significantly deeper than GX5.3 base, it wont fit.

Lot of CFL/CCFL GU10 MR16 `replacements` stick out the front of the fitting trying to squeeze it all in.

Adam

 

[blasterman]

If it were me I'd replace the entire fixture with some 3500K CFL pendants and call it a day.

All the LED MR-16 and E-26/27 retrofits I've used had nasty power supplies without rectifiers that flickered badly.

 

[brokemypalm]

:thanks: PhotonWrangler! I think those are the only 120V units I've seen - they seem to come in 12V only for some odd reason.

I'm not sure those would work, though... :thinking: Other than the physical shape of the contacts, are there any other significant differences between GU10 and MR16 sockets? Could I file down the oversized GU10 contacts to fit the MR16 socket, or something like that?

Our apartment uses MR16 lamps for ceiling illumination (I don't know who the architect was, but I wouldn't've done that) and we're looking for something that is more energy efficient.

Are you really thinking of filing down GU10's to make them fit MR16 sockets? I don't think I'd want to try it even if I had to. The diameters are vastly different, so it would be a real pain as well, not to mention trying to get it perfect. Also, the plastic/ceramic base is round on the GU10 and flat on the MR16, so I'm thinking no dice. They DO sell the same GU10 bulbs as MR16s but you just have to look around a bit to find it. These look very similar, if not the same style as PhotonWrangler mentioned earlier....

http://www.eternaleds.com/product_p/hp-3 mr16.htm

how many bulbs are you looking to replace? and what are the current wattages for your halogens? it's always amazing to see the power savings you get, especially with halogens. it's usually like 7-10x the savings, which is pretty ridiculous if you think about it.

One thing you want to be aware of is that there's some cheaper LED bulbs on the same site that use an older generation of LEDs, grouped into a bundle like this...

http://www.eternaleds.com/product_p/hp-mr16.htm

and they are considerably dimmer than what you would expect. It's good for basic accent lighting but they're definitely not as bright. But they ARE considerably cheaper. It would probably be better for a reading light than a room light.

 

[easytim]

About MR-16 LEDs

http://webpages.charter.net/easytims/LED_project.htm