"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
A lighting circuit is supposed to have a max of about 1200W or
12 x 100W bulbs. If you were to change all of the bulbs to the
low wattage(?) ones, eg 11W, would this mean you could have more
bulbs on the same circuit?

No. You must allow 100W per fitting so that the cretin that buys your
house
doesn't take out the electrics when he decides he prefers that warm glow
(i.e. global warming). If the fittings are only capable of taking low
energy
bulbs, then you may allow for the likely output of the fitting. (i.e. an
18W
fluorescent strip fitting could be assumed to draw 18W, not 100W because
you
can't shoehorn a 100W GLS into it).

12 fittings is pretty excessive for a lighting circuit anyway. You should
divide into several circuits so that a fault on one doesn't take out all
your lights. Traditionally, one lighting circuit per floor is used. I
prefer
a random pattern, so that in the event of a lighting fault, several lights
on each floor, and every other hallway still works. I think it is safer.

Christian.


Food for thought!

We have upstairs lighting, downstairs lighting.

Just went round and totalled up all the light fittings and came to 1194W,
which is slightly scary.

The uplift of those nice Ring fittings which have 4 * 40w reflector lights
on a single fitting is fortunately balanced by some low wattage bulbs, but I
must be pushing the boundaries of safe lighting.

I am fitting a new ring main anyway, and have spare real estate on my
consumer unit, so I think I will split off one half of this lighting onto
its own circuit.

Shows that you should total up your light fittings each time you make what
seems to be a minor change!

A slightly embarrassed.
Dave R