Hi i just wired up some downlighters and think i have used the wrong cable
what i have done is :
4 x gu10 mains voltage downlights
got a 0.5m in lenght going from each downlight to juction boxes
got 2 pairs going to a juction box then the 2 juction boxes going to another juction box where the 240 volt ring and switch are the cable i have used from the downlighters to the juction box is a 0.5mm 3 core flex at 3 amps then i relised this could be wrong ( after i put all my floorboards back down )
I can use a 1mm 3 core 13 amps from the juction box to the main juction box but would the 0.5 3amp be ok or do i need to rip it all back up and rewire using the 1mm??

razerindemix wrote:

Hi i just wired up some downlighters and think i have used the wrong
cable
what i have done is :
4 x gu10 mains voltage downlights
got a 0.5m going from each downlight
got 2 pairs going to a juction box then the 2 juction boxes going to
another juction box where the 240 volt ring and switch arethe cable i

Do you really mean 'ring' here? If so, oh dear.

have used from the downlighters to the juction box is a 0.5mm 3 core
flex at 3 amps then i relised this could be wrong ( after i put all my
floorboards back down )
I can use a 1mm 3 core 13 amps from the juction box to the main juction
box but would the 0.5 3amp be ok or do i need to rip it all back up and
rewire using the 1mm??

The lights should be wired with T&E cable, not flex. 1sqmm might be
OK but it's more usual to use 1.5sqmm, it's easier to use in general
(less fragile) and gives you a bit more leeway as regards current
carrying capacity.

The real worry though is where have you connected these lights to the
existing wiring? They shouldn't be connected directly to a 'ring'
if by that you mean a circuit supplying power to sockets. It's better
if you can connect them to an existing lighting circuit (if it has the
capacity) but if this isn't possible then connect them to the ring
curcuit via an FCU (fused connection unit) with a suitably rated fuse.

--
Chris Green

razerindemix wrote:
Hi i just wired up some downlighters and think i have used the wrong
cable
what i have done is :
4 x gu10 mains voltage downlights
got a 0.5m going from each downlight
got 2 pairs going to a juction box then the 2 juction boxes going to
another juction box where the 240 volt ring and switch arethe cable i
have used from the downlighters to the juction box is a 0.5mm 3 core
flex at 3 amps then i relised this could be wrong ( after i put all my
floorboards back down )
I can use a 1mm 3 core 13 amps from the juction box to the main juction
box but would the 0.5 3amp be ok or do i need to rip it all back up and
rewire using the 1mm??


240v downlighters are a poor choice imho.

0.5mm flex will run 200w fine, though its not regs compliant.


NT

so no one can tell me if this is safe then ??????

thanks for the reply and yes i mean the existing main lighting ring circuit

240v downlighters are a poor choice imho.

0.5mm flex will run 200w fine, though its not regs compliant.


NT[/quote]
thanks for the reply bud you say its a bad choice would you recomend downlighters with a transformer then?
I supose i went for the cheaper option .

razerindemix wrote:

so no one can tell me if this is safe then ??????

I thought my reply was fairly explicit. No, it's not really safe,
neither does it comply with the wiring regulations. The major risk is
that there is no protection (in the sense of a fuse or MCB) for the
fairly thin wire you've used to connect the lights.

If (as you appear to be saying) you have connected it into the ring
circuit then the MCB protecting that will probably be a 32 amp one. A
fault current considerably less than this could start a fire by
overheating your added wiring but wouldn't trip the MCB.

--
Chris Green

"razerindemix" wrote in message
...

Hi i just wired up some downlighters and think i have used the wrong
cable
what i have done is :
4 x gu10 mains voltage downlights
got a 0.5m going from each downlight
got 2 pairs going to a juction box then the 2 juction boxes going to
another juction box where the 240 volt ring and switch arethe cable i
have used from the downlighters to the juction box is a 0.5mm 3 core
flex at 3 amps then i relised this could be wrong ( after i put all my
floorboards back down )
I can use a 1mm 3 core 13 amps from the juction box to the main juction
box but would the 0.5 3amp be ok or do i need to rip it all back up and
rewire using the 1mm??

razerindemix


If I understand you correctly, you have 4 lights in total.
Two of them are connected to a junction box (Lets call this JB-1)
The other two are connected to another junction box (JB-2)

Then these two junction boxes are connected to a third junction box (JB-3)
where you lighting circuit supply is, and the cable from the switch is.
The cable that connects JB-1 and JB-2 to JB-3 is 0.5mm flex. (stranded wire)
The cable that connects the lights to JB-1 and JB-2 is the same.
The only thing connected to JB-1 and JB-2 is the 4 new GU10 lamps.
The only thing connects to JB-3 is JB-1, JB-2, the supply and the switch.

If this is the case, then it is not *currently* dangerous (but is against
the regs) as all 4 lights combined are pulling a maximum of 200w or 0.87A

HOWEVER

Your lighting circuit will be fused or MCB'd at a rating usually higher than
3A, so the wiring should be rated higher than this (mainly because someone
may uprate the lights in that room at some point in the future or connect
something else to it)

The cable you have used is also the wrong type - It should be solid core
Twin and Earth - 1mm is OK, but it is better to use 1.5mm - This should be
used in all the connections, even to the lights.

You also mentioned before "where the 240 volt ring and switch are"
Lighting circuits are not wired as a ring, so make sure you have connected
these lights to the lighting circuit (rather then a ring main where your
sockets are connected) - The easiest way to do this is to pull the lighting
circuit(s) fuse(s) or trip the lighting MCB(s).
I am assuming you have just replaced some lights rather than connecting a
new set, so if you have connected the supply to the same place as where the
old lights were, you should be OK, but it doesn't hurt to just check.

So, I recommend you take up the floorboards and do it properly, yes I know
it is a pain in the arse to do, but you will then have the fuzzy feeling you
know it has all been done properly, and any inspection of it in the future
won't raise eyebrows to the tune of "Crikey, what cowboy wired this up for
you!"

Next time, if you are not sure about something, ask BEFORE you start the job
:-)

Sparks...

razerindemix wrote:
240v downlighters are a poor choice imho.

0.5mm flex will run 200w fine, though its not regs compliant.


NT
thanks for the reply bud you say its a bad choice would you recomend
downlighters with a transformer then?
I supose i went for the cheaper option .

I wouldnt, but theyre better than the 240v ones. 12v halogens are more
efficient, cheaper, more robust and longer lasting than 240v. But all
these spotlight downlighters are very energy ineficient, and will add a
surprising amount to your bills, and heat the place up in summer.


NT

thanks for the reply and yes i mean the existing main lighting ring
circuit

Your not listening are you ?. It was pointed out that lighting is NOT a
ring circuit.

Dave

Dave Stanton wrote:
thanks for the reply and yes i mean the existing main lighting ring
circuit

Your not listening are you ?. It was pointed out that lighting is NOT a
ring circuit.

Dave

Maybe in his house it is

NT

In article , razerindemix
wrote:

so no one can tell me if this is safe then ??????

Posting without context is often unsafe.

--
AJL Electronics (G6FGO) Ltd : Satellite and TV aerial systems
http://www.classicmicrocars.co.uk : http://www.ajlelectronics.co.uk

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 10:40:06 +0000, razerindemix wrote:

Hi i just wired up some downlighters and think i have used the wrong
cable
what i have done is :
4 x gu10 mains voltage downlights
got a 0.5m going from each downlight
got 2 pairs going to a juction box then the 2 juction boxes going to
another juction box where the 240 volt ring and switch arethe cable i
have used from the downlighters to the juction box is a 0.5mm 3 core
flex at 3 amps then i relised this could be wrong ( after i put all my
floorboards back down )
I can use a 1mm 3 core 13 amps from the juction box to the main juction
box but would the 0.5 3amp be ok or do i need to rip it all back up and
rewire using the 1mm??

Rip it all up and replace the mains downlighters.

It will save you doing it in 6 months time when you realise that the cost
and frequency of bulb replacement makes 6 quid a hit for LV ones seem
really cheap.