Adam Aglionby wrote:
On 26 Oct, 17:52, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:
ARWadsworth wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
ia.com...
Tim W wrote:
The Medway Handyman
wibbled on Sunday 25 October 2009 21:26

Tim W wrote:

Or is making use of the security light power feed the only way?

Not the only way. I could do as you suggest, but due to the
layout of the house I'd have to run a cable under the bathroom
floor.

I take it your proposed route would be up the wall to the ceiling
level, hence the bathroom?

Sorry, should have made it clear, old house, bathroom on ground
floor, nothing above. Due to large slope bathroom floor is 3' above
deck level.
Can you not go left or right and hit another room? Not intending
to doubt you, but thinking more of the occupant (including future
ones) - a SELV cable at 12V or whatever doing weird things is a
lot less likely to turn into an "issue" down the line.

There isn't anything left of right - only the neighbours bathroom
:-)

What about diving in the corner of a window frame (a Sky dish
installer favourite) - sorry hard to comment without knowing the
house in question.

That would go into the bathroom. Hole isn't the problem, I have
extra long bits & a Mak SDS.

The only tricky bit AFAICS is putting a 13A socket on the end of
the lighting circuit. People normally use 2A or 5A sockets for
differentiation purposes. That would be shafted if the
wall-warts plug is built in though.

It is one of theose 'fat plug' type wall warts e.g the plug & PSU
are one unit. Like a Nokia charger.

The one thing that could go wrong is that someone down the line
thinks: "Hmm 13A socket, I'll run me welder off that...". Clear
labelling as to the circuit origin would be a must (ie: "This is
fed by downstairs lights breaker, max load 1A" or something...).

Good point - thanks.

The other thing I think would be worth mentioning, if you do go
down this route: I would regard it as essential that that circuit
is backed by an RCD - is the security light feed already covered
by one?

Don't know, I'll check.

Sooner or later, labels, or not, someone is going to try plugging
a radio/lawnmower or something else into this for use outside.
And for those sort of loads, they'll probably get away with it
without tripping the lighting breaker.

There is a proper IP66 socket on the wall a few feet away, but a
wall wart is too big to fit under the flap.

The risk is of course very tiny, but you probably wouldn't want to
be associated with it...

No, I wouldn't - hence the question :-)

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Unless the wallmart is anything special you could repace it with a
transformer and a lightswitch in the IP66 box.

The wallmart should tell you on its label what voltage/power
transformer to replace it with.

BING Genius! Why didn't I think of that?

--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Did try and point you in that direction Dave but it confused you....

I am a bear of very little brain sometimes...

As it happens though that range *was* IP rated, must be another one
that comes potted with tails.

By the way you say 12V and LED, guess you really want 12V D.C.
regulated, not an unregulated supply which would shorten life of LEDs
considerably.

Dunno, I'll have to check.

Previously linked PSU ticks that box but not the IP rated one but as
suggested perhaps incorporation into a IP rated enclosure.

That would be easier.

Most wall warts will have a non resetting thermal fuse which means in
extreme overheat it will fail , but fail safe.

Useful to know - thanks.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk