Help - Can’t change these light bulbs - what new nightmare is this?

[Flyingsouthwiththeswallows]

Newly renovated house with downlighters in every room.

Despite numerous attempts I can’t seem to change the light bulbs in these downlighters. I have managed to twist the outer rings off but can’t get the light bulbs to release. Have tried everything I can think of, including plunger tools etc.

My painter tried for me today and thinks they might be sealed units. He says I will have to change the whole unit if one blows.

Really? I can’t believe that !!

Has anyone wrestled with these units before (photos attached). Can anyone tell me the make from the symbol on them?

I just need to know if I should be buying spare bulbs for the cupboard or complete spare units

Can you take them into screw fit or a lighting shop and see what they say?
It's there a brand/name on them?
(Sorry not very helpful!)

Complete units. We have similar in the bathroom and they are £30 each!

Yes, those are sealed units. I bought my replacements from this website and find their service excellent: www.electrical2go.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2b7uBRDsARIsAEE9XpFZxvsS9wtzbNwyKA9EC1cRtxFN1LV8X4GeZDbfiPQOkQPaqSN1PgoaAqYrEALw_wcB

Thank you ElizabethinherGermamGarden the link has shown me the are Ansell units and confirmed that it appears you have to replace the who unit.

I am shocked. There is no way I will be able to manage that without an Electrician. It took my Painter ages to extract the unit from the ceiling. That will mean a call out fee for the Electrician, his time and quite possibly damage to my ceiling.

Never mind the environmental impact of replacing large plastic units like these instead of just changing a bulb.

Pure madness !!

No, you'll be able to do it yourself, I think. I was horrified when mine went and really worried about it, particularly pulling them out of the ceiling, but it was easy in the end.

They have strong bendy clips that hold them in place, so you have to pull them out of the ceiling a little way and then hold them tight so the springy arms pull through. This takes a bit of confidence and releases a bit of dust but is okay and doesn't damage the ceiling.

The new ones have instructions and diagrams but basically it's just plugging one bit into another, easy as putting in a plug once you've worked out what bits to link.

To put them back, you squeeze the springy arms together, feed them and the wires into the hole and then just ease it into place.

I promise it's easy. I have NO skills and I could do it with no bother. You need a steady place to stand that's high enough for you to be stable while you get the fitting out of the ceiling, but that's all - no tools or anything. I expect there's a YouTube video that shows how to do it, but I doubt you'll actually need one.

That's an Ansell unit.

www.superlecdirect.com/p-aorbledww-ansell-orbio360-dimmable-warm-white-led-downlight?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2b7uBRDsARIsAEE9XpHx8JBcYAxAYUDVFQ4JtsqSdhbuaE_v2JDT4mO2hBoRyWbHlQJGSXkaAk32EALw_wcB

The unit should last a long time. The idea being that you are not trying to change bulbs in the ceiling every couple of years. Can you find out when they were fitted as they may be guaranteed and it could be faulty?

We have hundreds of these in our new build house. They are a nightmare!! Ours have been discontinued so the wiring needs to be changed each time one goes (ours our halogen and we lose around one a month, replacing with LED ones in the hope they last longer).

I've learned to do it myself to avoid electrician charges.

Those fittings are on quick release plugs you should have no issues changing them, not that you probably ever will i've fitted literally thousands of these and i'm yet to see a single failure.

I had these fitted in my kitchen just under 4 years ago and one has already gone. Bearing in mind the light is probably on in there 3 or 4 hours a day that is massively under what I understand to be the expected life span.

I have no idea what make they are so I now have to decide if I am going to replace all the lights to make them match. What’s wrong with normal bulbs for God’s sake!

Pop

The main downside of them lasting a long time, is that you're almost guaranteed to not be able to find replacements by the time one of them burns out....