IP65 recessed spotlights

An IP65 recessed downlight is installed in the ceiling of a living room, a hallway or a wet room: its aluminium housing resists dust and water jets. To choose, start from the room and the ceiling height, then decide between a GU10 base and an integrated LED.

• What is an IP65 recessed downlight?
• GU10 or integrated LED
• How to arrange the downlights
• How many downlights in a kitchen
• Series or parallel
• Bathroom
• 12V or 220V
• White, black, gold

What is an IP65 recessed downlight?

An IP65 recessed downlight, what exactly is it?

The rating is read in two digits: the first notes protection against solids, the second against water. IP65 means the luminaire is totally protected against dust and resists water jets. All the models in this collection are made of aluminium and carry this rating, from the small white round of Ø 6 cm to the 8.5 cm square. A metal downlight keeps the same housing here, whatever the finish.

What the IP65 rating changes in a damp room

In a bathroom, the air fills with moisture at every shower and splashes rise to the ceiling. A lower rating protects against splashes, IP65 goes further and withstands jets. In a hallway or a living room, this level remains a comfort: a protected recessed downlight ages better under slightly dusty glass wool. To see where these models fit, browse our entire lighting range.

IP65 recessed downlight GU10 or integrated LED: what is the difference?

The GU10 base, a bulb you choose

A GU10 downlight connects to the 230 V mains and takes a bulb that you buy and replace yourself. The choice of light temperature is then yours, warm white in the evening or neutral white in a work room. Aurelis is one example: round with a gold trim, Ø 8.5 cm, in gold finish. Noiris plays the same card in a black 8.5 cm square.

The integrated LED downlight, a source fixed at the factory

The source is soldered into the luminaire: nothing to change day to day, you replace the whole unit the day it stops. The wattages available are 6 W, 10 W and 12 W. Celian, a white round Ø 6 cm in 6 W neutral white, suits a hallway. Talvina, 12 W neutral white in Ø 8.5 cm, is one of the dimmable recessed LEDs. A few models exist with a GU5.3 base, in very low voltage.

How to arrange downlights on the ceiling?

Spreading the downlights in a living room

You want an even light, not a constellation. In general, you draw a regular grid, with a constant gap between two points, and keep a good sixty centimetres between the wall and the first row so as not to create a bright patch on the paint. The large Ø 8.5 cm format carries far and suits a living space, as shown by our selection specially designed for the living room.

Aligning the downlights in a hallway

In a circulation area, you align the points along the axis of the passage, with the same gap from one end to the other: the eye follows the line and the room seems longer. The small Ø 6 cm format is enough there and goes unnoticed: that is the logic of the discreet white version. An adjustable downlight helps direct the light towards a painting or a niche without redoing the line.

How many downlights in a kitchen?

Starting from the work zones

The number is not decided on a plan, it is decided on use. You light first what is used: the worktop, the sink, the hob. Two points close together above the same worktop find their solution in a kitchen-specific selection, where the 9 x 17 cm double plate, like Solvane, covers a narrow run without multiplying cut-outs.

Completing with general lighting

Only then comes the ambient lighting, often in 6 W or 10 W, spread in a grid at the centre of the room. The surface area and ceiling height vary the need: a 10 m² room under 2.50 m does not call for the same number of points as an open kitchen. Compare the integrated LED models in the LED downlights for kitchen before settling on your plan.

How to wire downlights in series or in parallel?

Parallel wiring, the common case for recessed lighting

In domestic lighting, downlights are wired in parallel: each point receives the same voltage and keeps the same light intensity, whatever the number of points on the line. Above all, if one luminaire fails, the others keep working: you do not end up in the dark looking for which one has given out.

Why avoid series wiring

In series, the voltage is shared between the points, the intensity drops as you add more and the slightest faulty downlight cuts the whole circuit. This wiring belongs to other uses. Wiring is always done with the power off, circuit breaker switched off, and if you add a dimmer, start from a model designed for it, like those in dimmable recessed downlights.

IP65 recessed downlight in the bathroom: which protection to choose?

The closer to the shower, the more the rating counts

The need is read by zone: around the bathtub, the shower or the washbasin, water comes in jets and splashes, further away it remains as humidity. IP44 only protects against splashes, IP65 adds dust and jets, IP67 goes as far as temporary immersion. On a bathroom ceiling, IP65 is more than enough.

A well-lit bathroom ceiling

A neutral white, around 3500 to 4500 K, gives a faithful tone in front of the mirror and remains comfortable in a small space. Black and gold find their place on a dark ceiling or in a room with character; on the aesthetic side, take a look at the modern style, which pairs well with large-format tiles.

IP65 recessed downlight 12V or 220V: which to choose?

Downlights connected directly to the mains

Models with a GU10 base and integrated LED connect to the 230 V mains: no transformer, no box to house in the ceiling. This is the case for most of the references in this collection, and it is the simplest wiring to revisit later, whether changing a bulb or switching to dimmable downlights.

Very low voltage downlights and their transformer

The GU5.3 base works in very low voltage and requires a transformer suited to the installation. The choice therefore depends first on what already exists in the ceiling: same cut-out hole, same power supply, same control. Note this point before buying, then check it on our dimmable LED models if you want to adjust the intensity.

White, black, gold: which IP65 recessed downlight to choose depending on the room?

The finish, a ceiling choice

A white downlight blends into a light painted ceiling and almost disappears: it is the choice for bright rooms and circulation areas. Black and gold assert their line on a dark ceiling or in a room with character; gold remains rare in the collection and is reserved for a detail, like the trim of Aurelis. See also the black downlights and the design selection.

The format, a question of room

The Ø 6 cm round goes unnoticed in a hallway, the Ø 8.5 cm round holds a living room, the 8.5 cm square marks a graphic line, the 9 x 17 cm double plate handles two neighbouring points in a single cut-out. Finally check the dimmer compatibility and the warranty, which ranges from two to five years depending on the models. Noiris in black square and Talvina 12 W dimmer compatible cover these two directions well.

Designix supports this choice: secure payment, tracked delivery, returns and customer service. Measure your cut-out diameter and your ceiling height before confirming your basket, then browse our lighting catalogue to complete the room.

Frequently asked questions about IP65 recessed downlights