5 Amp Lighting Sockets Help.

[schoe]

Hi all just wondering if anybody could give me some advice.

Im looking to add six 5 amp lighting sockets in my living room for table lamps, i have a spare way on my c/u so i was planning on running a 1.5mm cable to each socket on a radial circuit.

The bit im not sure on is the switching. i want to have 1 switch on the wall to turn all the lights on/off at the same time. Do i need to run my power from the c/u into a switched fuse spur and then wire it into each lighing socket to turn the lights on and off, or is there any other way?

Can i use a normal 1 gang plate switch to turn the lights on/off and how would it be wired. Would you have to put the power from the c/u into the switch and then wire into each socket as normal? Any advice would be great, thanks Chris.

 

[sparc]

Is this the BS546 socket? Small round pins - no switch? If it is I'd treat them like ordinary lights - loop-in-loop-out in the floor above, then chase down walls for a standard switch - which can be a dimmer, and chase down walls for socket positions - or you can go up from floor, of course. So you can switch them all on or off at wall, or individually using the lamp switches.

 

[schoe]

Hi Sparc thanks for the quick response, yes it is a BS546 socket. I just want to be able to switch them all ideally from a normal plate switch. Ill loop in and out of each as normal, the bit im unsure about is the switching though. in the back of the lighting socket there are just phase netural and earth terminals unlike in a pendant where you have phase, loop, netural and earth, so the bit i dont understand unless i wire into a switched fuse spur first and then loop in and out of each socket is what do i wire my switch wire into? again any help would be really appreciated.

 

[Adam W]

I'd loop the feed straight into the switch then on to the sockets.
I'd site the 5A sockets next to the existing 13A sockets.

 

[schoe]

Thanks Novus, is there any real preferance to using a 2 amp or 5 amp socket?

 

[telectrix]

cable to the switch first. either get a switch with a N terminal, or wago the N's, then loop through each socketwith S/L and N.( obviously cpc also). remember that the standard plate switch is only rated at 10A, so might be easier to use a FCU, with 13A fuse.

 

[schoe]

Thanks mate all the advice is really helpful and much appreciated!

 

[Adam W]

A 100W lamp uses less than half an amp so 2A sockets should be fine - I'd use them because they're smaller and less obtrusive.

 

[Dunc]

cable to the switch first. either get a switch with a N terminal, or wago the N's, then loop through each socketwith S/L and N.( obviously cpc also). remember that the standard plate switch is only rated at 10A, so might be easier to use a FCU, with 13A fuse.

Always just had them on a standard 10A switch. If you think about it a 2A or 5A socket is just a glorified light fitting plus the whole circuit is protected by a 6A MCB so you'll never overload it. Installed loads of 5A sockets recently, they're coming back in to fashion i think in the older/larger properties i've been working on.

From a design point of view i always treat them as a standard light fitting by way of allowing 100W demand per outlet. This is especially relavent if fitting a dimmer.

 

[sparc]

I'd agree with Dunc - treat it like a standard lighting circuit. In fact, why waste a spare slot on the CU? Couldn't you feed off the existing downstairs lighting circuit - assuming this isn't too heavily loaded? I don't see the purpose in using an FCU. As Dunc points out you'll be on a standard 6A breaker to protect the cable, and apart from looking ugly that high up a wall, you'd be cutting yourself off from all the options and styles that go with standard 10A switches and dimmers. 6 sounds like a lot of lighting sockets, so maybe you'd want to split these between two switches. And IMHO it's easier to just take just the switched live and earth to the switches - rather than the full supply.

 

[tuckermot]

Hi i have just put some of these lighting sockets in i just looped in and out of the single gang switch ( line,neutral,cpc ) and also just taped of the original lighting circuit which is closest to where your switch is going to be

Richard

 

[schoe]

Thanks guys for all the advise, I'm going to use a normal plate switch and run it off the lighting circuit, as sparc said fcu won't look right and isn't necessary!

 

[Guest123]

Welcome along.:sifone:

 

[brucelee]

Hi mate welcome and good luck with the job lol as i see you have had all the advice needed to complete

 

[Sintra]

Hi & welcome.

 

[Lighthouse Phil]

Any socket outlet, be it 2A, 5A or 13A should be protected by an RCD.
It's suppling portable appliances.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Any socket outlet, be it 2A, 5A or 13A should be protected by an RCD.
It's suppling portable appliances.

While I totally agree that any socket outlet that is being used by "ordinary persons" that do not exceed 20amps for general use, should be RCD protected, as in reg 411.3.3, this case as they are designed specifically for lights you should be able to get away without use of RCD protection. Though the RCD protection my still be needed for the cable and regulation 526.6.6.

The portable equipment again needs RCD protection if it is for use outdoors and does not exceed 32 amps, I doubt that the lamps will be used outside, but of course as the designer if you think they will be then they need to be RCD protected.

 

[Phil]

welcome to the forum

 

[brucelee]

While I totally agree that any socket outlet that is being used by "ordinary persons" that do not exceed 20amps for general use, should be RCD protected, as in reg 411.3.3, this case as they are designed specifically for lights you should be able to get away without use of RCD protection. Though the RCD protection my still be needed for the cable and regulation 526.6.6.
The portable equipment again needs RCD protection if it is for use outdoors and does not exceed 32 amps, I doubt that the lamps will be used outside, but of course as the designer if you think they will be then they need to be RCD protected.

hi malc but if the cables are installed at a depth of less than 50mm and not mechanically protected for the whole of the circuit then RCD needed i think mate

 

[Adam W]

I agree with Bruce - you could have 'got away with' no rcd under the 16th, but under the 17th just about every circuit needs rcd protection unless special arrangements are made, ie freezer socket wired in steel tube, swa, clipped direct or chased >50mm into the wall.
Lighting circuits need rcd protection as well.