Code Requirements
Recessed downlights are used in many Australian homes and businesses. Despite their growing popularity, they also represent a potential fire hazard, especially when buried in loft insulation. Numerous house fires have been caused by the ignition of combustibles in ceiling spaces caused by hot downlights being mistakenly covered with loft insulation.
For this reason the regulation for fitting downlights has been tightened and is now covered by AS/NZS 3000:2007.
To meet the stringent requirements of AS/NZS 3000:2007, TENMAT developed its range of Downlight Protection Covers. The covers meet the latest needs of AS/NZS 3000:2007 and international test standards for lighting products when covered with insulation. In addition, they adhere to the maximum external temperatures requested by the Australian Technical Regulator.
Australian Standards:
The requirements for downlight covers are included in Wiring Rules AS 3000:2007. Downlight covers must meet the thermal requirements of AS 60598.1 and AS 60598.2.2 these standards ensure that neither the lamp, light fixture nor external cover temperatures exceed preset levels even when the downlight cover is buried deeply in thermal insulation.
Product complying to AS 60598.1 and AS 60598.2.2 can use the Capped-F symbol to show that they are compatible with being buried in thermal insulation.
Please click on the following test reports
to see exactly how the TENMAT Range of Downlight Protection Covers exceed
the requirements.
FF120
Loft Cover tested with a 50W dichroic lamp - Test No. L10539B
FF120
Loft Cover tested with a 50W aluminium reflector lamp - Test No. L9807C
FF130
Flanged Loft Cone tested with a 50W dichroic lamp - Test No. L10539
A Amd 2
FF130
Loft Cone tested with a 50W aluminium reflector lamp - Test No. L9807B
AS 3000:2007 requires a downlight cover to be fire resistant, the TENMAT Loft Cover is not only fire resistant but is also fire rated for 60 minutes and therefore has been tested to hold back a fire for up to 60 minutes at a maximum temperature of over 1000 °C.
AS 3000:2007 also requires a downlight cover to be thermally insulating, the TENMAT Loft Cover is made from non combustible fibers which have similar thermal insulation to the loft insulation itself.
