The trend towards lighting with compact fluorescent lamps and LED downlights is constantly growing in offices large buildings. At the same time,Electrical Electronic planners are turning their attention to the overall energy efficiency of the entire building. Hence, installers increasingly encounter installation challenges from insulation and vapour barriers in areas where the lights are planned. Irrespective of the specific type of illumination selected, care must be taken that all lights are properly installed. Read here how downlight covers are an ideal solution for safe lighting installations.

Downlights are popular because they add accents which contribute to the general ambience of a room. Recessed spotlights can be used to illuminate specific objects or spaces.

No matter whether the choice falls on LED or fluorescent lights, special downlight covers simplify the mounting of recessed lights in insulated ceilings. Above all, they help ensure that the lighting installation complies with safety and energy efficiency requirements and reduce the risk of fire or heat damage.

The new HellermannTyton SpotClip products “Kit”, “Plate” and “Box” provide ideal solutions for the safe installation of all downlight sizes. These products have been designed specifically for the larger recessed downlights which are now commonly installed in office and industrial buildings.Lighting installed in insulated drywall structures always poses a latent fire risk. In the case of halogen lamps, which can generate temperatures over 200° C, it is obviously necessary to prevent direct contact between the lamp, insulation or vapour barrier. Yet, take heed: the fire risk from LED lamps should not be discounted. Their comparatively cool lamp surface is deceptive. Although they save far more electricity than halogen lamps, LED lamps convert more than two-thirds of their electrical power into heat.This heat, generated by the LED electronics, radiates from the rear of the lamp to the surrounding ceiling structure. If the gap is narrow and also filled with insulation material, then an unfavourable heat build-up can occur.

The consequences can be catastrophic, beginning with lamp failure as a result of a shortened service life or even ending in a fire cause by localised overheating.

The solution to these problems could not be simpler, cheaper and easier to install – namely SpotClip from HellermannTyton. With the correct SpotClip for a given light, a safe distance to surrounding insulation material can be ensured. SpotClip products minimise the risk of a fire or heat backup many times over. They are tested to EN 60598-1 and EN 60598-2-2 and are made of flame-resistant and heat-stabilised polyamide 6.6 according to UL94 V2.