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Ron Durham · May 11, 2007, 08:07 AM

I have installed Hampton Bay track lighting in five rooms of my house. They are all the low voltage (12 volt) type. In all I have 52 light heads. I had to rewire some of the 90 degree track connectors that came wired wrong from the factory. I am now experiencing the problem that when a bulb burns out and is replaced some of the light heads will not work. The first thought was the new bulbs were defective but after changing bulb after bulb I now have nine light heads that no longer work. Each light head has its own 12 volt transformer. The tracks have 120 volt line voltage. I have been unable to find replacement transformers only replacement heads for over $20 each. Your comments please.
Ron

NorCal68 · May 11, 2007, 02:28 PM

First, I've never used this brand of track lighting so I'm somewhat guessing here. Isn't Hampton Bay the in-house store brand of Home Depot? Have you checked with them?
Ok, the track itself is 120v and each unit has a 12v transformer - are you replacing the lamps with a 12v lamp (and not a 120v 'standard' bulb)? If this system is meant to be 12v then a 120v bulb is not going to work. It also seems a little weird that track connectors would have been shipped "wired wrong from the factory". What was wrong about them?

Ron Durham · May 11, 2007, 06:09 PM

Yes, Hampton Bay is owned by Home Depot but it is hard to get them to admit that for some reason. The bulbs required are 12 volt Halogen MR 16 bulbs. That is all that will fit the two prong connector. The track its self is built with one copper strip down one side of the track (the hot side) and two copper strips down the other side (the common and ground). The connector that fits in one end of the track correctly but the other end has to be rewired changing the sides of the ground and common and the hot side. I did take the connector back to Home Depot and the dept mgr. looked at others in stock and agreed they had to be changed also.

The warranty is 90 days on the product. To me the obvious problem is the transformer. I am trying to see if anyone else has had that problem. I would think making new transformers available would certainly be less expensive than buying the entire light head.
Ron

tkrussell · May 12, 2007, 03:16 AM

Fixture manufacturers are in the business of making fixtures, not parts. The manufacturer buy thousands of the transformers from various manufacturers who sell them to firms that assemble them. Retail stores only inventory the entire package, not the many parts needed to make one up.

Of course what you have is made in China, along with most of the crap available in store nowadays. The chances of getting to someone for parts or any kind of service is , well you have a better chance of winning Powerball.

If the fixture is under warranty why will it cost $20 per head? HD should just replace the defective heads. Keep all your receipts since the new ones will probably fail soon also.

Didn't the connector wired wrong at the Chinese factory tell you something?

My advice is fairly simple, bring the entire package back to HD for refund, and find a lighting store and buy some decent track lighting, such as Light-O-Lier, Juno, Halo, just to name a few.

NorCal68 · May 12, 2007, 10:46 AM

Ok, Mr. Russell beat me to the keyboard with this reply... I was also about to question the warranty situation. I think Home Depot is pretty good about that?

Ron Durham · May 12, 2007, 01:39 PM

Thank you both for your quick answers. The lights are out of warranty by only a year or two. Thanks again.
Ron Durham

NorCal68 · May 12, 2007, 08:41 PM

I apologize about the warranty question, you actually mentioned that and I didn't catch it earlier. I've been dealing with electronics engineering for 30 years and manufactured products from the component level - my thought here is that 'somehow / somewhere' you should be able to find a replacement transformer. Search the Internet if you can find any part numbers on them. But first, if it's still just a guess that the transformer is the problem, then that needs to be confirmed. You might want to try and find a qualified person to test the transformers. Although if you have to disassemble each unit and then rebuild them, well that could become a huge pain...
Only you can determine what the best answer is.

paweiss · Sep 6, 2008, 01:37 PM

I've got the same issue. Mine lasted a little longer; we put them in about 9 years ago, and they've been failing gradually over the past 3-4 years. I ended up pickup up a kit at a yardsale for $2, using the heads, and scrapping the track section. Also, at times, HD has various other track heads on closeout for $3-$8, and I've picked up a few of those. Yes, it's all fairly pathetic. I guess I'm tempted to buy a track set, take out the new heads, pack it back up with the failed heads, and give it back to them.

On an only slightly related topic, I've bought bunches of fluorescent 30W circle bulb fixtures, some LOA, some Green Lights, some other brands; maybe all made by the same company? Some from HD, some elsewhere. I've had a lot where the electronic ballast has failed in the 2-5 year timeframe. With the earliest ones, I did get them replaced, but most of them are no longer made. And now they've gotten pretty cheap, so less worth bothering about, but the big pain is having to rewire them to replace them. Now I tend to go with traditional fixtures, and screw in CFLs, which I've also had many fail early on, but at least you don't have to rewire to replace early failures.

peggyspiro · Dec 7, 2008, 09:27 AM

Just joined the help desk and am looking forward to asking and answering questions... in different areas of course! I am a Realtor in Colorado, specialty divorcing couples. Pretty darn busy even in this economy if anyone needs info happy to help.

roycehunter · Dec 19, 2008, 05:39 AM

Notice that somw of you have been successful in finding the low voltage trackheads that fit Hampton Bay tracks.. My trackheads use an MR 16 bulb.
Where can I find compatible track heads?

hsilver · Jan 18, 2009, 12:33 PM

Hi! One of the heads on my track went out too. I can't even figure out how to remove the bulb. I sprung open the metal clip holding the UV glass filter on, but the bulb doesn't spring out when I push it, and gives me no purchase to unscrew it. Does anyone know how it works? And do you think it is the transformer and not the bulb? (the others work okay)
Thanks!

ToyBoy2000 · Jan 12, 2010, 11:51 AM

I have 65 of these 12v MR16 heads in my store. They are dropping like flies, the transformers die 1 every month. Obviously junk. Home Depot knows it, as they have stopped offering them at the store.

To answer the question of bulb replacement, you have to unclip the glass diffuser, then push out the bulb with the wire on the back. You pull the bulb off the connector, and replace with a new one. If the bulb does not have a protective lens, make sure you do not touch the halogen bulb! Hopefully it will light up with the new bulb, but don't be surprised if the transformer is blown...

rabbit122851 · Mar 15, 2011, 07:49 PM

I obtained parts by calling 1-877-527-0313.This is a Home Depot phone as they own Hampton Bay. I had to take pictures of the lamp and transformer and emai them. The parts were identified and were ordered from Evision Corp 1690 Roberts Blvd Suite 106 Kennesaw GA 30144. Phone #1-678-383-4100 email [email protected]. The 12v transformer is part #EE094 tube transformer @$15.00. I also got the rewire kit which is the wire coming from the transformer includes complete bulb socket and glass bulb cover @ $15.00. Shipping was included in the pries shown.

dan1234512 · Nov 17, 2011, 06:55 PM

You might be overloading your transformers with 52 lightheads that's at least 10 per track. If its hampton bay its chinese made and cheaply done too, so you probably have a cheap tiny transformer for only 7-8 lights each track. That's why some won't work too much load on your track and transformer.