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.
See
AS 60598 test report to see exactly how the TENMAT Loft Cover exceeds the requirements.
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.