The Home Improvements Thread (2)

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I want to replace my outside wall-mounted lights with something more efficient.

Currently the bulbs inside the housings are Osram Dulux S CCFL jobbies, with a G23 base:

osram-dulux-s-11w-827.jpg


The housings themselves have ballasts inside them. From what I could tell, they seem to be Magnetic Ballasts of this sort:

Fluorescent-Lamp-Magnetic-Ballast-EEI-B2-MB18-.jpg


Would it be a simple enough job to remove the ballast and get an LED alternative bulb instead? I wasn't even aware that these type of bulbs would need ballasts at all, as I thought they would have a built-in ballast like many Edison screw or bayonet CCFL's
 
PhireSide said:
I want to replace my outside wall-mounted lights with something more efficient.

Currently the bulbs inside the housings are Osram Dulux S CCFL jobbies, with a G23 base:

osram-dulux-s-11w-827.jpg


The housings themselves have ballasts inside them. From what I could tell, they seem to be Magnetic Ballasts of this sort:

Fluorescent-Lamp-Magnetic-Ballast-EEI-B2-MB18-.jpg


Would it be a simple enough job to remove the ballast and get an LED alternative bulb instead? I wasn't even aware that these type of bulbs would need ballasts at all, as I thought they would have a built-in ballast like many Edison screw or bayonet CCFL's
Click to expand...
Your local China mall will have LED version of these
 
Can anyone recommend a not over the top bench vice for general purpose use?
 
PhireSide said:
I want to replace my outside wall-mounted lights with something more efficient.

Currently the bulbs inside the housings are Osram Dulux S CCFL jobbies, with a G23 base:

osram-dulux-s-11w-827.jpg


The housings themselves have ballasts inside them. From what I could tell, they seem to be Magnetic Ballasts of this sort:

Fluorescent-Lamp-Magnetic-Ballast-EEI-B2-MB18-.jpg


Would it be a simple enough job to remove the ballast and get an LED alternative bulb instead? I wasn't even aware that these type of bulbs would need ballasts at all, as I thought they would have a built-in ballast like many Edison screw or bayonet CCFL's
Click to expand...

Replace the whole fitting, will be the same price as changing bulbs. You get very nice lighting now, bulb built right into the housing, fully sealed. They are cheap enough to buy a spare as well.
 
alqassam said:
Your local China mall will have LED version of these
Click to expand...
I was thinking that, but I am not sure if I should need the ballast - I would think not but most LEDs say you need to use them with electromagnetic ballasts? Weird.

The_MAC said:
Replace the whole fitting, will be the same price as changing bulbs. You get very nice lighting now, bulb built right into the housing, fully sealed. They are cheap enough to buy a spare as well.
Click to expand...

Do you have any places you'd recommend I try? I'm based in PE but we have the usual array of franchise stores - Builders, Makro, Mica, Build It, etc.
 
PhireSide said:
I was thinking that, but I am not sure if I should need the ballast - I would think not but most LEDs say you need to use them with electromagnetic ballasts? Weird.



Do you have any places you'd recommend I try? I'm based in PE but we have the usual array of franchise stores - Builders, Makro, Mica, Build It, etc.
Click to expand...
Livecopper.co.za for fittings

Also with China mall you can the type that you remove the entire ballast and just put the led in. Or get an LED replacement bulb.
 
PhireSide said:
I was thinking that, but I am not sure if I should need the ballast - I would think not but most LEDs say you need to use them with electromagnetic ballasts? Weird.



Do you have any places you'd recommend I try? I'm based in PE but we have the usual array of franchise stores - Builders, Makro, Mica, Build It, etc.
Click to expand...

I saw some nice ones in Builders, they were surprisingly cheap - Game and PnP Hyper also sometimes stocks not badly priced light fixtures.
 
The_MAC said:
I saw some nice ones in Builders, they were surprisingly cheap - Game and PnP Hyper also sometimes stocks not badly priced light fixtures.
Click to expand...
I'm going to pnp hyper this week. Need to replace my sensor light. This is the cheapest ice seen for a while.
02e55428c104e1ee385897fe527ced0f.jpg
 
alqassam said:
Livecopper.co.za for fittings

Also with China mall you can the type that you remove the entire ballast and just put the led in. Or get an LED replacement bulb.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the link, bookmarked!

I went to the local shop around the corner, but they only had security lights with sensors and that wouldn't fit my usecase too well. Ideally I would like a sensor light that I can override, but finding ones that have that feature in is a little tough. Most lights don't have the feature listed and the sales staff are also a bit clueless.

In the absence of any suitable lights I walked out there with a LED fitting for my garage, as the fluorescent bulb is on it's last legs and struggles to turn on lately.
 
I found this product at Makro for a decent price (R169), for a 10W LED floodlight with a sensor. I mailed them to ask if the product supports bypassing/overriding the sensor, so I will probably wait to hear back before I purchase as it's something that I would like to have (seeing as decent outdoor lights are R400+)

https://lumolighting.co/product/led-10w-sensor-floodlight/
 
I've moved away from the sensors to Automation stuff instead, except for my gate floodlights where are on a 6m high pole...

Means that I can use cheap floodlights around the outside of the house, and have them on either timers, or sunset/sunrise schedules.. but still control them manually myself.
 
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HA is an avenue I don't want to go down, because with my luck, I'll turn it into a rabbit hole of spending that will probably ultimately bankrupt me:ROFL:
 
PhireSide said:
HA is an avenue I don't want to go down, because with my luck, I'll turn it into a rabbit hole of spending that will probably ultimately bankrupt me:ROFL:
Click to expand...
I'm not suggesting full HA... Just a sonoff with a schedule... Then you have control via their app if you want or you just leave it to do its own thing.
 
So I have a gas geyser, and usually in winter, when turning on the hot water tap, sone gas bleeds for a while then it ignites the flame. I've noticed that this only happens in winter. Problem is that when it bleeds, and the flame is ignited, there is an explosion of some sort every time.

Now with an explosion, it obviously affects the air in the room, there is some pressure/force or whatever and the result is that my ceiling cornices become loose. I replaced my bathroom ceiling twice within a time period of 4 years. The cornice nearly fell on my head this morning.

Is there perhaps a strong ceiling board and cornice that can withstand this problem? Does anyone experience the same type of explosion during winter?
 
ToxicBunny said:
I'm not suggesting full HA... Just a sonoff with a schedule... Then you have control via their app if you want or you just leave it to do its own thing.
Click to expand...
I actually stuffed a sonoff into my old light fitting. It points Iver the drive way do it was convenient with sensor. Don't really want it on all night with sonoff. And the WiFi range is nit the best either.

There is an alarm beam there as well, will look into getting that to trigger the light once I get HA set up.
 
The_MAC said:
Get 2, they usually last 2-3 years at most
Click to expand...
Yeah this is not the first sensor light to fail. Although it was only the sensor part that was the problem. Opened it up and disconnected it and the light works fine with bypassing the sensor.

As above I stuffed a sonoff in there, will probably use this one at the braai where a schedule isnt necessary.
 
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