LED vs halogen downlights: which should you choose? LED, in almost every home. The Australian Government's energy.gov.au says LEDs use about 75% less energy than halogen globes and last 5 to 10 times longer, and a range of halogen lamps, including the 240-volt GU10 globes used in many downlights, is being phased out of sale in Australia.
Nothing in the official guidance says you must remove halogens you already have: the rules govern supply and sale. When a halogen downlight fails, or you want lower power use and a cooler ceiling, replace it with LED. Changing a globe you can do yourself. Replacing the fitting or its transformer is a job for a licensed electrician.
- Energy use
- LEDs use about 75% less than halogen (energy.gov.au)
- Globe life
- LEDs last 5 to 10 times longer
- Halogen phase-out
- Phased out of sale, with old stock sold until 4 October 2030 at the latest
- Who does it
- Globe swap: you. New fitting: a licensed electrician
LED vs halogen downlights at a glance
| Question | Halogen downlight | LED downlight |
|---|---|---|
| Energy use | The higher of the two | About 75% less than halogen (energy.gov.au) |
| Globe life | Shorter | 5 to 10 times longer (energy.gov.au) |
| Government example, GU10 globe | 50 watts for about 330 lumens, rated about 2,000 hours | 5 watts for about 380 lumens, rated about 15,000 hours |
| Heat | Very hot. The lamp can reach up to 370 degrees Celsius | Runs far cooler |
| Ceiling insulation | Older wiring rules set clearances around the fitting | Only IC or IC-4 rated fittings can be covered |
| Buying globes | 240-volt halogens are being phased out of sale | Not part of the halogen phase-out |
| Who can change it | Globe: anyone. Fitting or transformer: a licensed electrician | Globe: anyone. Fitting or driver: a licensed electrician |
The GU10 figures come from the Australian Government's Energy Rating comparison chart. The 370 degree figure is NSW Fire Brigades', as cited in a 2016 Sustainability Victoria report.
Are halogen downlights banned in Australia?
Not in the way most people think. The official word is "phased out", and it applies to what can be sold, not what you can use.
- What changed. A new national minimum energy standard for incandescent lamps, the family halogens belong to, commenced on 4 October 2025. It phases out a range of halogen lamps that no longer comply, both general globes and directional lamps such as downlight globes.
- Which downlight globes. The Government's Energy Rating chart marks mains-voltage (240-volt) halogen directional lamps, such as the GU10 and R80 types, as to be phased out.
- Existing stock. A non-compliant model registered under the earlier rules can only be sold from stock imported or made before 4 October 2025, until that stock runs out or until 4 October 2030, whichever comes first.
- 12-volt halogens. Low-voltage halogen globes, including the 12-volt MR16 type, are not phased out outright. They must be registered and comply with the new requirements.
- Halogens already in your ceiling. No official page says installed halogens must be removed. They can keep working until they fail.
In practice, replacement 240-volt halogen globes are likely to get harder to find as stock runs out. If you have a ceiling full of them, plan the change to LED rather than waiting for the last box on the shelf.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
240-volt or 12-volt: which halogen downlights do you have?
Older halogen downlights come in two kinds, and the kind you have changes what an LED upgrade involves.
- 240-volt (mains-voltage) halogens usually take a GU10 globe, which twists into its holder on two short, thick pins. There is no transformer. These are the globes being phased out of sale.
- 12-volt (low-voltage) halogens usually take an MR16 globe on two thin pins, with a transformer above the ceiling that steps the power down. Sustainability Victoria's 2016 halogen downlight trial report found the transformer itself draws about 4 to 10 watts, on top of the globe.
To check, switch the light off and let the globe cool completely before you touch it. Do not open the ceiling or handle a transformer.
In a 12-volt fitting, a plug-in LED MR16 globe keeps the old transformer. Old transformers and dimmers were designed for halogen globes, so an LED globe on them may flicker or buzz. Replacing the whole fitting with an LED downlight that has its own driver takes the old transformer out altogether, which is usually the better fix. If lights flicker for other reasons, see why are my lights flickering?
Energy use and globe life
energy.gov.au puts lighting at around 5% to 10% of the average household electricity budget, so a switch to LED trims a power bill rather than transforming it. Per downlight, though, the gap is large:
- About 75% less energy. That is energy.gov.au's figure for LEDs against halogen globes.
- 5 to 10 times the life. Fewer blown globes, which matters on a high ceiling or in a room with a dozen downlights.
- A like-for-like example. In the Energy Rating comparison chart, a 50 watt 240-volt halogen GU10 gives about 330 lumens with a rated life of about 2,000 hours. A 5 watt LED GU10 gives about 380 lumens and is rated for about 15,000 hours.
- The hidden load. In a 12-volt system each transformer draws power as well as the globe.
When you compare globes, Energy Rating's advice is to look for lumens, not watts, to judge brightness. Watts tell you how much power a globe uses. Lumens tell you how much light it gives. We do not quote running costs here, because they depend on your tariff and on how many hours the lights are on.
Heat, insulation and fire risk
Heat is where the two differ most, and it is a safety question as well as a comfort one.
- Fire risk. A 2016 Sustainability Victoria report on halogen downlights stated that downlights are a significant cause of house fires in Victoria, and cited NSW Fire Brigades on halogen lamps reaching up to 370 degrees Celsius.
- Clearances. Because of that heat, older wiring rules set default clearances around halogen fittings. The same report lists 200 mm above the fitting and to any combustible part of the building, and 50 mm at the sides to bulk insulation and the transformer. Ceiling insulation was often cut back around each halogen light as a result, leaving a gap.
- Insulation over LEDs. LED downlights run far cooler, but that does not mean any LED can be buried in insulation. Only fittings rated IC or IC-4 are made to be safely abutted against or covered with insulation. Check the rating marked on the fitting, and install it to the manufacturer's instructions.
If you see scorch marks around a downlight or find a fitting that has gone brittle, switch that light off and have it checked. A burning smell is urgent: call our 24/7 emergency electricians.
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
Changing the globe or the fitting: what you can do yourself
- Changing a globe is not licensed work. Victoria's Electricity Safety Exemptions Order exempts inserting or removing a light globe. Swapping a GU10 halogen globe for a GU10 LED globe in the same holder is a globe change. Let the halogen cool first.
- Replacing the fitting is. A downlight wired into the ceiling circuit is part of the fixed installation. Replacing it, or its transformer or driver, is electrical installation work for a licensed electrician, and you should receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety. The only downlight exemption covers one sold with a cord and plug as part of the manufactured fitting.
- DIY wiring is illegal. Energy Safe Victoria says electrical work is not a DIY job, even for small jobs such as changing light switches, and sets out why on its don't do it yourself page.
Our guide is DIY electrical work legal in Victoria? covers the rest of the line between what you can and cannot do.
Choosing LED downlights
Once you have settled on LED, these choices decide whether you like the result:
- Brightness. Compare lumens, not watts.
- Colour. Warm white (around 3000K) is closest to the look of halogen and suits living areas and bedrooms. Cool white (around 4000K) suits kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. Many fittings have a switch on the back so you can choose in the room.
- Dimming. Choose a dimmable fitting and an LED-rated dimmer. An old halogen dimmer is a common cause of flicker and buzz.
- Insulation rating. IC or IC-4 wherever insulation will touch or cover the fitting.
- Hole size. A fitting that matches the existing cut-out avoids patching, and many LED fittings suit common hole sizes.
- Wet areas. Bathrooms, laundries and eaves call for fittings rated for moisture.
Our downlight installation page shows the fittings and colours we install most.
What affects the cost of changing halogen downlights to LED
A changeover is quoted after we see the ceiling. The main things that move the price:
- How many fittings, and whether you do one room or the whole house in one visit.
- 12-volt or 240-volt. A 12-volt system has transformers above the ceiling to remove.
- Hole sizes. Odd or oversized holes need a fitting that covers them, or patching.
- Roof access. An open roof space is quicker. A flat roof or a ceiling under a second storey means working through the light holes.
- Dimmers and switches that need replacing to suit LED.
- IC-rated fittings, if you want insulation that was cut back from old halogens closed up again.
- Faults found on the way, such as scorched or brittle fittings.
LED fittings cost more up front than a halogen globe, but they use less power and need replacing far less often.
Which should you choose, and what to do next
For a new downlight, choose LED. For a halogen that still works, you can leave it until it fails. For a whole ceiling of halogens, especially 12-volt ones with transformers, or anywhere the ceiling insulation was cut back, replacing the fittings with LED is worth planning now: lower power use, a cooler ceiling, fewer blown globes and no hunting for halogen globes as stock runs out. Planning a fan in the same room? Read ceiling fan rules in Victoria and plan the two together.
CabledIN's licensed electricians (REC 30925) replace halogen downlights with LED fittings across Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast and Golden Plains, with a Certificate of Electrical Safety and our lifetime workmanship warranty on every job. See LED downlight installation in Geelong or call 1300 025 555.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, LED or halogen downlights?
LED, for almost every home. energy.gov.au says LEDs use about 75% less energy than halogen and last 5 to 10 times longer, they run far cooler, and 240-volt halogen globes are being phased out of sale.
Are halogen downlights banned in Australia?
Not to use. A range of halogen lamps, including 240-volt GU10 downlight globes, is being phased out of sale under a standard that commenced on 4 October 2025, with existing stock able to be sold until it runs out or until 4 October 2030 at the latest. No official page says installed halogens must be removed.
Are 12-volt MR16 halogen globes being phased out?
Not outright. Low-voltage halogen globes such as the 12-volt MR16 must be registered and meet the new requirements, but the official chart does not list them for phase-out.
Can I put an LED globe in my halogen downlight?
Yes. Changing a globe is not licensed work, and a GU10 LED globe fits a GU10 holder. In a 12-volt fitting the old transformer or dimmer may not suit an LED globe, and flicker or buzzing can mean the fitting should be replaced.
Do I need an electrician to replace halogen downlights with LED?
For the fitting, yes. Replacing a hard-wired downlight, its transformer or its driver is electrical installation work for a licensed electrician, with a Certificate of Electrical Safety. Changing just the globe is not.
Can LED downlights be covered with ceiling insulation?
Only fittings rated IC or IC-4, which are made to be safely abutted against or covered with insulation. Check the rating marked on the fitting before insulation goes near it.
Are halogen downlights a fire risk?
They run very hot, and a 2016 Sustainability Victoria report described downlights as a significant cause of house fires in Victoria. Keep insulation clear of halogen fittings and have any scorched or brittle fitting checked.
Are LED downlights as bright as halogen?
Compare lumens, not watts. In the Government's Energy Rating example, a 5 watt LED GU10 gives about 380 lumens against about 330 lumens from a 50 watt halogen GU10.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.