Ceiling lights for Irish homes and businesses, from an independent Irish electrical supplier. Fire rated downlights, slimline battens, backlit panels, bulkheads and corrosion proof fittings. Free delivery applies to every order from the first euro, with no minimum spend.
What is the difference between a downlight, a batten and a panel?
A downlight is recessed into the ceiling and lights a spot. A batten is a surface mounted strip. A panel is a large flat square or rectangle giving even, shadow free light.
Downlights suit rooms where you want the fitting to disappear and the light to be directional, which is why they dominate kitchens and hallways. Battens are the practical choice for a garage, utility room, shed or attic, because they are surface mounted and need no cut out. Panels are usually 600 by 600mm and belong in offices, shops and commercial ceilings, though they also work well in a large utility space.
What ceiling light suits a low ceiling?
Recessed downlights or a flush mounted fitting. Anything that hangs will feel oppressive under about 2.4 metres, and you will notice it every time you walk under it.
Recessed fittings take up no headroom at all because the body sits above the plasterboard, so they are the obvious answer in a low room. If you cannot recess, because there is concrete or no void above, a slim surface mounted fitting is the next best thing. Keep pendants for rooms with height, or for over a table where nobody walks.
How bright should a ceiling light be?
A rough guide for Irish homes is 300 to 400 lumens per square metre in a living room, and 500 to 600 in a kitchen or utility room where you are working.
Lumens measure light output, watts measure power drawn, and with LED the two no longer track each other the way they did with old bulbs. A 6W LED downlight typically gives 500 to 600 lumens. So a 12 square metre living room wants somewhere around 4,000 lumens total across all its fittings, which is easier to reach with several modest fittings than one bright one.
What colour temperature should I choose for a ceiling light?
3000K warm white for living rooms and bedrooms, 4000K neutral white for kitchens, halls and bathrooms, 6500K cool daylight for garages, workshops and commercial spaces.
Many of the fittings here are CCT switchable, meaning a small switch on the fitting sets the temperature at installation. That is genuinely useful, because it lets an electrician carry one product for the whole house and set each room appropriately, and it means you are not locked into a decision made in a showroom.
Do I need an IP rated ceiling light in a bathroom?
Yes. Bathrooms are divided into zones under the wiring rules, and the fitting must match the zone it is installed in. Over a bath or shower needs the highest protection.
Outside those zones a standard fitting is generally acceptable, but a sealed one will still last longer in a room full of steam. This is a case where the zone boundaries matter and the answer depends on the room layout, so have your electrician confirm the zone before you choose the fitting rather than after.
Can I fit a ceiling light myself?
Replacing a like for like fitting on an existing point is straightforward. Anything involving new wiring, a new circuit or a recessed cut out should go to a registered electrician.
Downlights in particular are not a simple swap, because each one is a hole in the ceiling and, where that ceiling separates two floors, a hole in a fire barrier. That is why every downlight in this range is fire rated. If you are unsure, call us and we will tell you honestly whether it is a swap or a job.
Where can I buy ceiling lights in Ireland?
Shamrock Electrical supplies ceiling lighting across the Republic of Ireland, online with free delivery on every order, or over the counter in Rathcoole, County Dublin.
We are an independent Irish electrical business at Unit 22, Block 613, Jordanstown Road, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 TX98, just off the N7 and well positioned for the M50. The counter is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm. Call 01 401 9907 or email sales@shamrockelectrical.ie. For a specific room, see kitchen lights, bathroom lights or downlights.
