Why so many homes still have halogens

Walk into plenty of homes around Warilla, Oak Flats and Dapto that were built or renovated in the 1990s and early 2000s and you will find rows of small halogen downlights. They were the fashionable choice at the time. They also run hot, use a lot of power and blow globes regularly.

An LED downlight produces a similar amount of light for a fraction of the energy. An old halogen setup typically used a 50 watt globe plus a transformer, while a modern LED downlight doing the same job usually draws somewhere around 8 to 13 watts. Multiply that across a kitchen and living area with twenty lights and the difference adds up.

Globe swap or full fitting replacement

There are two ways to go. The first is putting an LED globe into the existing halogen fitting. It sounds easy, but the old transformer often doesn't play nicely with a low-wattage LED, which can lead to flickering, buzzing or globes failing early.

The second, and the one we usually recommend, is replacing the whole fitting with an integrated LED downlight that has its own driver. You get a new, sealed unit with no transformer guesswork, better heat management and a light designed to work as a complete set.

Things to check before you buy

Cut-out size. Old halogens commonly sit in a hole of roughly 70 to 90 mm. Many LED downlights are made to suit that range, so the ceiling usually doesn't need patching.
IC rating. An IC-4 rated downlight can be covered by ceiling insulation, which matters in homes where insulation has been pulled back around every light.
Colour temperature. Warm white, natural white or a switchable model that lets you choose once it's installed.
Dimming. If you have dimmers now, the new lights and the dimmer need to be compatible with each other.
Beam angle. A wider beam spreads light evenly through living areas, a narrower one suits a feature wall or artwork.

The insulation question

Halogen downlights needed clearance from insulation because they ran so hot. That's why many roof spaces have bare patches around every light, letting heat escape in winter and pour in during summer. With IC-4 rated LEDs the insulation can usually be pushed back over the top once the new fittings are in, which is a small extra win for comfort.

What happens on the day

Each old fitting comes out, the transformer is removed, and the new LED is connected and clipped into the ceiling. In most homes this is a tidy job with very little mess, because the existing holes are reused. If we spot anything worth mentioning in the roof, like perished cable or old joins, we'll tell you in plain language and you decide what to do about it.

It's also a good moment to think about layout. If a room has always felt patchy, or there's a dark corner over the kitchen bench, adding or moving a couple of lights while we're already up there is easier than coming back later.

Do I need an electrician for this

Yes. Replacing a fitting and removing a transformer is electrical work, and in NSW it has to be done by a licensed electrician. Screwing in an LED globe is fine for anyone, but anything involving the wiring is not a DIY job.

Getting your downlights sorted

Have a look at our indoor lighting page to see the kind of work we do, or our outdoor and security lighting page if the eaves need doing as well. If your lights have been tripping the power, it's worth having your safety switches checked at the same visit.

Call or text Kalani on 0424 400 346. A photo of your current downlights and the room helps us give you a clear answer quickly.

LED downlight upgrade guide