How to Choose Budget Downlight, Is eBay a Good Place to Buy?

• 

  thatonethere on 28/12/2020 - 23:10

  +9

  Could be the cheapest house fire you ever bought on Ebay!

  • 

    SF3 on 28/12/2020 - 23:31

    +1

    Already smells of buyer’s remorse.

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  SF3 on 28/12/2020 - 23:39

  +3

  Thinking out loud, must post to OzB.

• 

  AustriaBargain on 28/12/2020 - 23:51

  I suppose smart downlights are out of the question if you need 40.

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  OldBugger on 28/12/2020 - 23:57

  I wouldn't buy an unbranded light. Not worth the risk when there are plenty of B&M stores around. Contact Middy's. They will give you the advice you need.

• 

  salmon123 on 29/12/2020 - 00:13

  Will the Bunnings budget led downlight (Arlec or Delta) perform better?

  With any brand, you'll get a few lights that fail within a few days/weeks/months, especially when you're buying 40.

  Unless you're going to DIY the installation/replacements, you probably want to get someone to supply and fit the lights. They will give you a warranty which covers the installation.

  You only need a few bad lights that need replacing to eat up all your savings from buying the lights yourself.

  • 

    Keplaffintech on 29/12/2020 - 09:19

    +1

    Downlights have a plug connection on the end, and any smart electrician would run quick connects on a circuit and plug the downlights directly in (saves a lot of labour). Therefore you can just unplug the faulty ones and return them to Bunnings.

    • 

      salmon123 on 29/12/2020 - 18:20

      -1

      Therefore you can just unplug the faulty ones and return them to Bunnings.

      Yes - but not everyone is comfortable doing that as DIY.

      • 

        Keplaffintech on 30/12/2020 - 18:54

        There's a difference in competency needed to be comfortable with illegal DIY replacement of a hardwired downlight, compared to popping one out from a socket and unplugging it. The most challenging part is getting on a step ladder.

• 

  websterp on 29/12/2020 - 07:26

  Not a store I'd usually buy from but recently I got around 50 down lights from Beacon during a sale and their trade packs ended up being a pretty good deal. This was after buying around 10 different lights from Bunnings, Middys and few reputed online stores to test their flicker and full range dimming before making a bulk purchase ( If I remember correctly the Arlec and Deta lights from Bunnings started to humm horribly at lower dimmer settings or had very bad flicker otherwise I'd have gone with them due to the convenience but this could be due to a specific smart dimmer I was testing those with)

  https://www.beaconlighting.com.au/ge-buddy-700-lumen-white-d…

  Not the tri colour light you are looking for but since you are replacing all lights and not trying to match the colour temperature of any existing lights buying tri colour doesn't make much difference over buying one with a preset colour temp. When you buy that many lights it's normal to expect few DOAs but to my surprise all 50 worked fine and still going strong and being a B&M store I can always take back for a replacement if any fail during the warranty period.

  SAL seems to have the reputation you have mentioned most likely due to widespread use by volume builders ( meaning they are getting better deals from SAL) but doesn't necessarily mean their lights are any better or you will get the same price through retail channels ( you will notice their prices are higher for comparable products from other reputed brands)

  Also try to get a light with a seperate driver over a all-in-one unit if you can. LED arrays usually get quite hot during operation and with the electronic driver packaged in one compact unit right above th LEDs could reduce the lifespan of the driver specially with CAPs failing over the years due to heat. Also lights with external drivers work better with a wide variety of dimmers ( YMMW)

  As many have already mentioned stay away from no-name brands on eBay.

• 

  bloom on 29/12/2020 - 07:33

  +2

  Go for downlights with a plug in base, that way you can DIY changeovers if one fails

  Can’t go wrong with Phillips
  https://reductionrevolution.com.au/products/led-downlight-di…

  • 

    Presence on 29/12/2020 - 07:38

    And future proof for whatever new tech comes out.

  • 

    rantapawan on 12/01/2021 - 21:46

    Phillips downlights are pricey.

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  Keplaffintech on 29/12/2020 - 09:22

  Buy the Deta ones from Bunnings.

  Any warranty issue can be easily taken care of (unplug downlight and return to Bunnings).

  If they were at any risk of catching on fire you would have heard about it now and they would be taken off the shelves, with the volume of these that are sold.

  Don't run the new lighting circuit yourself unless you're a licensed electrician.

  • 

    netjock on 29/12/2020 - 10:39

    If they were at any risk of catching on fire you would have heard about it now and they would be taken off the shelves, with the volume of these that are sold.

    Plus you have a solid company to sue if it does burn down your house vs ebay seller.

• 

  Oofy Doofy on 29/12/2020 - 11:24

  -1

  Downlights actually suck, for many reasons, been totally put off putting them in with property/unit reno's and the like. Would not recommend. Get a more traditional light fitting that comes out of the ceiling.

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  Gumster on 31/12/2020 - 15:39

  I had bought lights from beacon, but then the electrician could supply them cheaper so ended returning them.

  If your after basic downlights I would ask the electrician that's putting them in as they are often buying them in lots of 100.