16W CCT Adjustable LED Bulkhead Gear Tray

A gear tray is the working half of a bulkhead light: a round LED board carrying the diodes, the driver and the on-board controls, which drops into a bulkhead housing in place of the old lamp and control gear. This one draws 16W and gives 1725 lumens, a bright figure for a fitting of this size, and it is colour temperature adjustable rather than fixed. Four positions are marked on the board itself, 3K through to 6K, so a single part number covers anything from a warm domestic white to a crisp daylight tone.

Gear trays like this are bought for two reasons. The first is refurbishment: a bulkhead housing on a stairwell, in a garage, a plant room or a communal landing is often perfectly sound while the light source inside it has failed, and replacing the tray is quicker and cheaper than taking the whole fitting off the wall. The second is specification, where one adjustable tray covers several buildings running different lighting schemes. It sits alongside our other bulkhead gear trays at 8W, 9.5W, 15W and 17.5W, and alongside bulkhead bodies such as the 15W IP65 polycarbonate body in white.

Set the colour temperature before you close the fitting up, because the switch sits on the face of the board and is awkward to reach once the diffuser is back on. The board is not dimmable, so wire it to a plain switched circuit rather than a dimmer, and it runs from a standard 220-240V mains supply. The manufacturer does not state an IP rating for the tray itself; any protection against dust and moisture comes from the housing it is fitted into, so check that housing's own rating for the position you have in mind. It is sold as one tray, with a minimum order of one.

What exactly is a gear tray, and what does it replace?

It is the complete light engine from inside a bulkhead: the LED board, the driver and the colour temperature switch on one round plate. It replaces the lamp and control gear inside a housing you already have on the wall or ceiling.

How do I change the colour temperature?

There is a small switch on the face of the board with four positions marked 3K, 4K, 5K and 6K, running from a warm domestic white up to a crisp daylight tone. Choose the setting before refitting the diffuser, as the switch is hard to reach afterwards.

Will it fit the bulkhead body I already have?

Check the diameter of your existing tray and the position of its fixing points before ordering, because the manufacturer does not publish a diameter for this board. Gear trays are not universal, so a like for like measurement is the safe way to buy.

Can I run it on a dimmer switch?

No. The board is non-dimmable, so it needs a plain switched lighting circuit. Feeding it from a leading or trailing edge dimmer can cause flicker, buzzing and early failure of the driver on the board.

Does it carry an IP rating?

The manufacturer does not state one for the tray, so we make no claim about its protection against dust or water. Whatever protection the finished light has comes from the sealed housing and diffuser the tray is fitted inside.

What supply does it need?

It runs directly from a 220-240V mains supply with no separate driver to find, so the existing switched live and neutral feeding your bulkhead is all it asks for.