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Remodeling my family room, installed 3 magnetic low voltage housings, (Jesco LV4000ba). Actually all the wiring was already installed with incandescent lighting, I removed the old 3 way dimmer and installed a MLV dimmer 3 way. 3 lights wired in a series. I changed out the housings and installed the Jesco MLV units. They worked fine for a couple months. Then, suddenly the first light in the series overheated, major overheating, melted the back of the transformer. Thank God it set off a smoke detector or the house would have gone up. The other 2 lights are okay, the transformers are cool to the touch. I thought maybe just a bad housing transformer so I ordered another. Installed it and the same EXACT thing happened, worked fine for months, operating cool to the touch then today it melted down, same position, 1st light in the series. Anyone had problems with MLV lights?
 
Posts: 1580 | Location: Ohio | Registered: May 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
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I didn't think that technology was still in use. I would scrap it all and replace it with LED retrofit. I could never trust that product again. If you don't want LED at least buy a product with an electronic transformer. They make less noise and are easier to replace.

What kind of socket is in the housing?



Jesse

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Posts: 20815 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Thanks
MR16 LED with 2 pins.
 
Posts: 1580 | Location: Ohio | Registered: May 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
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There are 120v LED lamps for MR16 bipin lamps, they aren't as common as other lamps but they are out there online. You could bypass the transformer and use something like these or these.

Depends on the set up if you really want incandescent you can replace the magnetic transformers with electronic in most circumstances and you would need a new dimmer. I've used these in the past they will usually fit in the compartment with the magnetic transformer which may be hard to remove. Alternatively if the wiring compartment is large enough you could put it in there, but you would need free space for heat dissipation. If the transformer is external to the fixture and has no enclosure around then you would be forced to put it in the wiring compartment. All wiring would need to remain in the wiring compartment.



Jesse

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Posts: 20815 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Thanks again. I just got off the phone with Jesco technical support. The transformers are not rated for LED bulbs, you can only use halogen bulbs. Hopefully this is the problem and I won't have to rip down the ceiling to replace the housings.
 
Posts: 1580 | Location: Ohio | Registered: May 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
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Skipped over the part about LEDs yeah you can't mix LEDs in with that setup. You would need to bypass the transformer or switch to a different type to use LED.



Jesse

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Posts: 20815 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Actually all the bulbs were LED's. I bought them because on the cut sheet for the housing they had trims and LED bulbs as accessories for that specific housing. Why in the hell would they recommend LED's if they won't work and are actually very dangerous.
Anyway I got the halogen bulbs and installed them, turned on the lights and 2 of the transformers popped very loud and the lights won't work. So now I have 4 housings bad. I'm done with this, I'm going to take down the ceiling and change out this Jesco garbage. I've found ELV LED housings that are specifically rated for MR16 LED's. Learned an expensive lesson, cost me close to a grand when you add up 8 total housings, 7 trims, and LED and halogen bulbs.
 
Posts: 1580 | Location: Ohio | Registered: May 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
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That's an extremely expensive move. Consider this option.


quote:
There are 120v LED lamps for MR16 bipin lamps, they aren't as common as other lamps but they are out there online. You could bypass the transformer and use something like these or these.


$100 worth of lamps and 1.5hrs of labor from an electrician and you don't have drywall repairs or expensive new fixtures.



Jesse

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Posts: 20815 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
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Please tell me you have considered other options above redoing the ceiling. A electrician can save you a bunch of money either threw the option I said or a retrofit LED trim. Call one before you tear out the ceiling.



Jesse

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Posts: 20815 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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