Current rated LED’s require a constant current such as 350mA or 700mA, these LED products will also require a forward voltage that is specific for the particular LED being used in the product. A current rated LED needs to be specified with these two factors taken into consideration i.e. 4 x LED’s rated at 700mA with a voltage of 3.2vDC each will require a driver that produces 700mA with a minimum voltage of 12.8v. Current LED’s also need to be wired in SERIES.

Volatge rated LED’s require a constant voltage such as 24vDC, these LED products will also consume a power (wattage) that is specific for the particular LED product being used. A voltage rated LED can be specified much the same as regular low voltage products i.e. having the required volatge (24vDC) and having a wattage output suitable to the amount of wattage consumption. Voltage rated LED’s also need to be wired in PARALLEL.

LED’s can be easily dimmed but require slightly different equipment and wiring. Most LED’s are 0-10v, this dimming requires a 0-10v dimmer module (which can fit in the JCL wall plates and dimmer plates) rather than a regular dimmer. Secondly 0-10v dimming requires a pair of cable to be connected to the dimmer module.

Some LED drivers allow for the product to be dimmed on regular dimmers, however compatibilty with the particular module needs to be checked.

Sometimes it is advisable to use a burial sleeve. These should only be used when the integrity of the installation surface is unstable such as old plaster board or loose uneven ground.

An IP rating refers to the products ability to prevent water entering the product.

The last number refers to its water ingress protection, each product contains this information with reference to what it is waterproof against.

A PIR is a presence detector that can turn on a light circuit through the detection of a moving object. This can be used within bathrooms, porchways etc.

John Cullen power supplies are compatible with all of the above systems, for advice on any other compatibilities please contact Sales on 020 7371 9000.

We sell recessed downlights, wall lights, uplights and steplights that are IP rated for bathroom use. Aside from these, many exterior fittings can be used within the bathroom to create more dramatic effects, including uplights and floor washers. There are government safety restrictions to the lighting that can be used in the bathroom which can be discussed with your approved electrical installer.

At JCL, we supply discreet light fittings which concentrate on the effect of light as we believe that good lighting should not really be noticed. We do not supply decorative fittings except for some wall mounted, bathroom wall lights and exterior wall lights. However, decorative wall lights or table lamps for example, when combined with other light sources, give a good balance of light to a space and can be very effective. We would always allow supplies for this type of lighting within our design service.

These are created by a single light source located remotely in what is known as a light box. A special reflector focuses the light down individual glass fibres, usually enveloped in black sheaths, which emit light at their ends. They emit no ultra-violet rays and no heat. If side emitting, they have no black sheath and their entire length is lit. They are best used where a cool source of light is reguired eg walk over uplighters, water features, where maintenance is an issue eg swimming pool or inassessable spaces where very small light sources are required eg in cabinets, water spouts etc and for the introduction of colour – a colour wheel can be used for a changing array of colours.

Light emitting diodes provide a very low heat source with a very long lamp life – around 50,000 hours. John Cullen uses state-of-the-art new warm white LEDs in its latest fittings such as the Lucca, Riva, Siena and Alexander.

They can be used to introduce accents of colour or are ideal in situations where no heat is a requirement such as uplighters and floor washers where little fingers could be burnt.  Linear versions can now be used for shelf lighting such as the Contour. They are also more energy efficient than standard halogen fittings which help in our efforts to be greener consumers.

We have designed the Polestar to be a very discreet fitting in several ways. Its visible bezel on the ceiling is very small at just 69mm diameter, and we have reduced the glare of the fitting by setting the lamp away from the surface 25mm deep into the fitting, whilst our unique design of a black baffle inside the fitting further reduces the glare. The Polestar is also compatible with the use of lenses to create different effects, including wall washing or picture highlighting and a honeycomb louver for extra low glare. The effects can be altered as the use of the space changes by simply changing a lens, without needing to change the fitting itself. The Polestar is designed and manufactured in the UK.

Mains voltage is normally 240v in the UK. Low voltage means that the bulb fitting operates at 12v. The advantage of 12v is low voltage bulbs use halogen gas, which provides a much whiter and brighter light with higher clarity than the more traditional mains voltage incandescent bulbs. You can purchase mains voltage tungsten halogen but they will produce more heat than the the 12v versions and have their lamp life significantly reduced.