Help Identifying Light Fixture
December 18, 2019 10:56 AM Subscribe
Hi All!
I bought a new house (well new to me) and it has some really unique light fixtures. Today I discovered one of them is dead. :( Can you help me identify it? There are no markings outside of wattage for light bulb sticker. Here is an Image or Two..
If you can't identify it maybe you know of something similar? This is for a stairwell mid-landing and is flush mount on the wall.
Thank you!!
If you can't identify it maybe you know of something similar? This is for a stairwell mid-landing and is flush mount on the wall.
Thank you!!
Looks to me like those bare metal wires are carrying the voltage, so those bulbs would have to be 12V or it would be extremely dangerous.
posted by jamjam at 11:23 AM on December 18, 2019
posted by jamjam at 11:23 AM on December 18, 2019
Response by poster: Sorry for the confusion... I don't need to identify the bulbs... but the fixture itself.
Thanks!
posted by bleucube at 11:36 AM on December 18, 2019
Thanks!
posted by bleucube at 11:36 AM on December 18, 2019
Looks like Ikea or Home Depot circa 2008-2012. I have a few that are those same bulbs, same finish but different shapes. Hopefully that helps narrow it down. Mine are 'Portfolio' and Ikea brand, but I couldn't quite get to your round shape via googling.
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:01 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:01 PM on December 18, 2019
Have you checked that it's getting current? That would be my first concern. Although as it seems to use 12V bulbs (not GU10) it might well be a transformer issue. If so, it may be possible to replace the transformer. Not something to mess about with if you're not confident with electrics though.
posted by pipeski at 12:04 PM on December 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by pipeski at 12:04 PM on December 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
That thing would be so easy to short out (if bare metal is indeed carrying the voltage!) that I'd expect it to incorporate an internal, resettable circuit breaker of some sort. So given that it would light up even if only one bulb was functional, and that it's unlikely that all three bulbs are burned out, I'd look for a circuit breaker or fuse somewhere.
posted by jamjam at 12:21 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by jamjam at 12:21 PM on December 18, 2019
Response by poster: It is getting current... I "sniffed" the wires going into the transformer and they are hot... but not ... so internals are dead. Just looking to replace it. Something like it or the exact same thing. Love the modernish of it.
posted by bleucube at 12:50 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by bleucube at 12:50 PM on December 18, 2019
Best answer: They get power to the bulbs via the two lines (perfectly safe to touch, the wires are inside). I can't tell from your photo, but the bulb locations on mine are moveable, and they have to be really tight to get power. I have to tighten them occasionally. If they are moveable, the silver screws on the ends of each fixture loosen to move the bulbs around - you may try to tighten them a bit and it may work.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:14 PM on December 18, 2019
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:14 PM on December 18, 2019
Best answer: Maybe just get a replacement halogen transformer that does 120V to 12V? If you can find one that fits that housing and has decent reviews
posted by sebastienbailard at 2:36 PM on December 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by sebastienbailard at 2:36 PM on December 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
If you like the look I think you want to google "modern track lighting" - here is an example that is not quite the same, but similar:
https://www.lampsplus.com/products/mirage-4-light-brushed-steel-spiral-led-track-fixture__24v49.html
posted by donovangirl at 5:45 AM on December 19, 2019
https://www.lampsplus.com/products/mirage-4-light-brushed-steel-spiral-led-track-fixture__24v49.html
posted by donovangirl at 5:45 AM on December 19, 2019
Best answer: Track lighting is close - these look to me like a two rail system that supplies low voltage over the two twisty rods to the lights. I know of two cable systems (yes you can touch both cables, it's very low power), there's the terribly named Tech Cable and Bruck. Ikea also sold this type of wire system.
These low voltage dual line systems can be very expensive - each of those lamp head assemblies are 80-100 bucks on the Tech series, and the Tech transformer base is at least 300. So that's not a cheap lamp, and if you like it I would strongly encourage you to get an electrician to fix it. This sort of lighting is popular in art galleries and commercial spaces so look for a sparky who can handle low voltage light systems. Or do it yourself!
One way to tell what sort of fixture you have is that the lamps on these dual line systems are often a special 12 volt halogen, like the type MR16, a 20 watt 12 volt halogen bulb. The bulb will be labeled so check that. I am basing my guess on the appearance you can unscrew the light head and move it up and down the rails. No wires inside or hidden away because the power is in that rail supporting the light. The design enables you to quickly change your lighting.
As others have noted the transformer that takes your line power (in the US thats 120 volts) and converts (transforms, these sparkys, always so literal) that over to that special 12 volts has likely failed. This is very common - a brownout, power surge, age and heat all will doom a residential transformer, and they are designed to just shut off in failure mode. You noted power can reach the whole device but that power is likely not getting switched over to a voltage the lights bits can use.
Replacing the transformer yourself is likely less complicated that replacing the whole light fixture. You simply have to take apart that base piece (note in the pic it's got a screw on the side). Easy. Turn the power off to the circuit and then open it up. Bring a piece of string and take pictures of each step. Use the string to hang the fixture to the conduit box and be careful not to wreck the wall. Inside the lamp base you should find the transformer it will be a box with the wall power in and the lamp power out. Using your power tester you can confirm it's busted by turning the power back (after checking the circuit path isn't touching anything) and seeing if the output has any voltage.
The transformer will be labeled - and looking up a replacement is very straight forward - just match the listed input (standard in location you are in) and output. The output will be something like 12 v (volts) AC, 20KHz, 60 watts max (each lamp is likely 20w ergo, 60w total) and 20 watts minimum, and you'll likely end up with something like this WAC part which should even be small enough to fit back in the base of the lamp. Order the part, get some screw connectors and spring for decent electrical tap to wrap the connection caps and put it all back together using the pics you took earlier.
Or, once you've tracked the transformer part down then have the electrician come in and assemble it. That way you save yourself the cost of two visits by the sparky to just one visit.
Sauce: installed a rail system in my house.
posted by zenon at 11:58 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
These low voltage dual line systems can be very expensive - each of those lamp head assemblies are 80-100 bucks on the Tech series, and the Tech transformer base is at least 300. So that's not a cheap lamp, and if you like it I would strongly encourage you to get an electrician to fix it. This sort of lighting is popular in art galleries and commercial spaces so look for a sparky who can handle low voltage light systems. Or do it yourself!
One way to tell what sort of fixture you have is that the lamps on these dual line systems are often a special 12 volt halogen, like the type MR16, a 20 watt 12 volt halogen bulb. The bulb will be labeled so check that. I am basing my guess on the appearance you can unscrew the light head and move it up and down the rails. No wires inside or hidden away because the power is in that rail supporting the light. The design enables you to quickly change your lighting.
As others have noted the transformer that takes your line power (in the US thats 120 volts) and converts (transforms, these sparkys, always so literal) that over to that special 12 volts has likely failed. This is very common - a brownout, power surge, age and heat all will doom a residential transformer, and they are designed to just shut off in failure mode. You noted power can reach the whole device but that power is likely not getting switched over to a voltage the lights bits can use.
Replacing the transformer yourself is likely less complicated that replacing the whole light fixture. You simply have to take apart that base piece (note in the pic it's got a screw on the side). Easy. Turn the power off to the circuit and then open it up. Bring a piece of string and take pictures of each step. Use the string to hang the fixture to the conduit box and be careful not to wreck the wall. Inside the lamp base you should find the transformer it will be a box with the wall power in and the lamp power out. Using your power tester you can confirm it's busted by turning the power back (after checking the circuit path isn't touching anything) and seeing if the output has any voltage.
The transformer will be labeled - and looking up a replacement is very straight forward - just match the listed input (standard in location you are in) and output. The output will be something like 12 v (volts) AC, 20KHz, 60 watts max (each lamp is likely 20w ergo, 60w total) and 20 watts minimum, and you'll likely end up with something like this WAC part which should even be small enough to fit back in the base of the lamp. Order the part, get some screw connectors and spring for decent electrical tap to wrap the connection caps and put it all back together using the pics you took earlier.
Or, once you've tracked the transformer part down then have the electrician come in and assemble it. That way you save yourself the cost of two visits by the sparky to just one visit.
Sauce: installed a rail system in my house.
posted by zenon at 11:58 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by spikysimon at 11:20 AM on December 18, 2019 [1 favorite]