Under cupboard lights installation using socket mounted under cabinet

Johnx14 · Feb 5, 2019

Hi all. Some advice sought.

I have 2 lights under my cabinets they plug into the wall sockets below them.

I now want to hardwire the lights as i got a new cooker hood fitted and the spark pulled the power cable out so its now accessible to use. Previously it was hidden. So it looks like a t&e cable running into a black junction box, which the hood has been connected too.

Can i feed off it, to power the lights?
What is the normal method and connections ie cable taking power from the junction box then cable to a switched fuse unit,then cable to single socket that i plug the light into?
Does it need signed off?

Spoon · Feb 5, 2019

Johnx14 said:
I now want to hardwire the lights

Johnx14 said:
What is the normal method and connections ie cable taking power from the junction box then cable to a switched fuse unit,then cable to single socket that i plug the light into?

Welcome to the forum mate.
I'm a bit confused. I thought you wanted to hard wire the lights?
You can wire a light directly to a switched fuse unit. Depending on the layout, its hard to give all the advice.
Is the black junction box connected to the socket circuit and not the light circuit? (As in kitchen lighting circuit)
Any chance of some pics?
Doesn't the hood require a fuse or does it have one build in?

Johnx14 · Feb 6, 2019

I have probably misused the term hardware. I got an error trying to upload a pic.

My lights have a plug so I was thinking of attaching a socket under the cabinet so I could plug straight into that. I read something about needing a switched fcu to isolate or maybe that's for appliances as opposed to a light. The cooker hood is connected to a cable coming in the wall using a junction box

Spoon · Feb 6, 2019

There is a problem with uploading pics using the 'Upload a File' button. If you copy and paste the pic directly into the post then that will work.
You can extend the kitchen circuit to have a socket under the cabinets for the lights. No need for a switched fuse as there is a fuse in the light plug. You can also remove the plug for isolation.
If there is no switch on the lights then I would get a socket with a switch on it. Then you can keep the plug in the socket and switch the light with the socket switch.

Johnx14 · Feb 6, 2019

Spoon said:
There is a problem with uploading pics using the 'Upload a File' button. If you copy and paste the pic directly into the post then that will work.
You can extend the kitchen circuit to have a socket under the cabinets for the lights. No need for a switched fuse as there is a fuse in the light plug. You can also remove the plug for isolation.
If there is no switch on the lights then I would get a socket with a switch on it. Then you can keep the plug in the socket and switch the light with the socket switch.

Thanks for that. The lights have a switch on the unit itself. As I like them and they only 6 months old I'd like to keep them and just plugging them in under the cabinet is the most straight forward way for me. As I'm in a bit of a rush and I've my house for sale, and I've been reading lots of info and was getting a bit unsure, seeing people say various things need signed off etc, i contacted a spark and have arranged him to come and sort it Friday. Just hope he turns up on time unlike my recent kitchen fitters