Halogen recessed spotlight stopped working. Not the bulb.

[Porcupinepantaloons]

We have 4 recessed halogen spotlights in the kitchen. One has stopped working. It's not the bulb as we've tried replacing it with multiple working bulbs.

Any idea how to fix it?
I'm hoping it's simple electrics that we could do ourselves.

[ConvertedTry]

When ours did this it was the transformer that had burnt out. When you follow the wire from the light it comes to a plastic box which (apparently) is the transformer.

We got someone in to sort it as neither of us are confident to play with the electrics but it didn't take more than a few minutes to fix.

[fabulousathome]

It probably needs a new transformer. We had lots of these "go" and had to call in an electrician each time. Eventually we spent even more money and had different kind of lights put in without transformers. Problem solved.

[Effic]

As pp said, will be the transformer. I change these myself. You can get a new one from b&q - as long as the wires are long enough, you should be able to gently pull the transformer through the hole and dangle it down. The join to the wires is usually just a little white boxy thing (technical term there,) with four tiny Phillips head screws holding the wires. Unscrew and replace.

[Effic]

Clearly, you will have turned the electricity off at the FUSEBOX before doing this!

[PigletJohn]

to faultfind, you will have to unfix the lamps from the ceiling and let them hang down.

See if there is power going to all the lamps. If they are mains voltage, they will be wired together in a string, and there will probably be a bad connection either at the not-working one, or at the one before it.

If they are low voltage and fed from a transformer, the transformer should be mounted in the notional middle with an individual wire going to each lamp like the legs of a spider, with each leg being the same length. The transformer will probably have been poked up into the ceiling through one of the holes. There is a chance it will have been done in a way that makes it easy to access.

Turn off the power and test for dead before you touch anything. A neon screwdriver is only suitable for cleaning your fingernails, you need a multimeter.

[LuisCarol]

OP is the bulb GU10 or GU5.3? (The key difference is in the metal pins)

[Porcupinepantaloons]

I've not got the ladders out to look today but I think it's a GU5.3.

Would it make a difference - other than buying new bulbs?

[LuisCarol]

GU5.3 means it's a 12v bulb, which means pp are right and there is a transformer somewhere to be found and possibly replaced.

[Porcupinepantaloons]

Ok so I finally got the ladders out. It's a 5.3 bulb I think (small stick like prongs out the bottom).

The transformer for it has a nasty looking black burn on it! So it'll be needing replacing.

Is it an easy job if the power is turned off?
Or do I need an electrician?

[fabulousathome]

If you are not sure use a qualified electrician. Maybe you have some other electrical jobs to be done at the same time?

[Porcupinepantaloons]

I did it!

I made sure the power was off and went slow and steady.

Then I danced around like a loon when it worked!