1.5mm or 2.5mm cable for extra switch to power socket?

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Hi All,

Quick question I hope - I have a traditional 2 gang socket outlet that I am moving for a wardrobe installation. It will be moved to a place where some wardrobe lighting will be plugged into it and the socket will be out of site / reach so I want to add an additional switch so that I can switch the socket on and off from a wall switch.

The socket wiring is straightforward, but the junction boxes I can find have problems fitting in 4 x 2.5mm cables (Circuit in/out, socket out, and switch cables). Can I use a 1.5mm cable from the switch into the Junction box? I have a better chance of getting that to fit into the junction box I am using, than I do trying to fit 3 x 2.5mm live cables into the same connector on the box.

The JB's I have are 6 terminal 20A or 3 terminal 30A, so if I cant use 1.5mm cable for the switch will I need to get ahold of 4-terminal 30Amp JB's?

Appreciate any advice.

Thanks.
 
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30 amp jb for socket wiring, 2.5 mm2 cable or in some cases 4.0 mm2 cable.

20 amp jb for lighting cable, 1.0 or 1.5 mm2 cable.

You either wire the socket via a 20 amp double pole switch all in 2.5 mm2 cable - so the switch controls the socket which the light is plugged into.

A more usual method is to fit a switched fused spur unit with a 5 amp fuse in it from the socket circuit. This switch will control a light fitting, without using a socket. The switch will be 'fed' with 2.5 mm2 cable. The 'outgoing' cable will be 1.0 or 1.5 mm2 cable, which then gets wired directly to the light.

(Typically your sockets will be wired in 2.5 mm2 cable, but a slim chance 4.0 mm2 could have been used - so look out for that.)
 
Thanks Sparkwright. The wardrobes are being installed by the company we bought them from, and they state that they need a 13A socket to plug into - makes it easy for them on install I guess.

I'll head off and try and find 4 terminal 30A JB somewhere...B&Q, screwfix and wickes don't seem to stock them so may have to go to an electrical wholesaler.

Cheers again.

30 amp jb for socket wiring, 2.5 mm2 cable or in some cases 4.0 mm2 cable.

20 amp jb for lighting cable, 1.0 or 1.5 mm2 cable.

You either wire the socket via a 20 amp double pole switch all in 2.5 mm2 cable - so the switch controls the socket which the light is plugged into.

A more usual method is to fit a switched fused spur unit with a 5 amp fuse in it from the socket circuit. This switch will control a light fitting, without using a socket. The switch will be 'fed' with 2.5 mm2 cable. The 'outgoing' cable will be 1.0 or 1.5 mm2 cable, which then gets wired directly to the light.

(Typically your sockets will be wired in 2.5 mm2 cable, but a slim chance 4.0 mm2 could have been used - so look out for that.)
 
Hi, i would suspect that they have a switch fitted as part of the wardrobe design, may be when the doors are opened ? and you do not need to switch your existing socket.

Regards,

DS
 
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Hi DS - The switch is just for some pelmet style lights that will sit at the top of the wardrobe. So its either on or off - unfortunately its not a pressure switch when the door opens. We had the installation guy round today and the socket outlet is what they have stipulated.

Cheers,

-Steve
Hi, i would suspect that they have a switch fitted as part of the wardrobe design, may be when the doors are opened ? and you do not need to switch your existing socket.

Regards,

DS
 
Presumably they want a socket so they can simply plug in their equipment without touching the electrical installation itself.
 
For what is worth, i would hand the fitter an extension lead and when "the installation" is complete I would wire the pelmet lighting into lighting circuit which is switched at the bedroom door.

Kind regards,

DS
 
Thanks Sparkwright. The wardrobes are being installed by the company we bought them from, and they state that they need a 13A socket to plug into - makes it easy for them on install I guess.

I'll head off and try and find 4 terminal 30A JB somewhere...B&Q, screwfix and wickes don't seem to stock them so may have to go to an electrical wholesaler.

Cheers again.

30 amp jb for socket wiring, 2.5 mm2 cable or in some cases 4.0 mm2 cable.

20 amp jb for lighting cable, 1.0 or 1.5 mm2 cable.

You either wire the socket via a 20 amp double pole switch all in 2.5 mm2 cable - so the switch controls the socket which the light is plugged into.

A more usual method is to fit a switched fused spur unit with a 5 amp fuse in it from the socket circuit. This switch will control a light fitting, without using a socket. The switch will be 'fed' with 2.5 mm2 cable. The 'outgoing' cable will be 1.0 or 1.5 mm2 cable, which then gets wired directly to the light.

(Typically your sockets will be wired in 2.5 mm2 cable, but a slim chance 4.0 mm2 could have been used - so look out for that.)

They don't do a 4 terminal 30 amp junction box as far as I know.

You shouldn't need one. You need a 3 terminal 30 amp jb. A maintenance free one if it's going to be inaccessible. Ashley/Hager do them.

You use the existing cables from the existing socket to feed a new 20 amp double pole switch. A 13 amp fused spur switch would also do the job.

From the outgoing side of this switch you need a 2.5 mm2 twin and earth cable going to your new wardrobe socket.

Unless I'm missing something here.
 
I think you are right...I was working on the basis that everything would come into the JB and I would run a feed from the JB to the socket, but the method you have described means that I can do the same thing but without needing the 4 terminal JB. Yeah, I was struggling to find them which made me think I was probably heading down the wrong track

Cheers again,

-Steve
Thanks Sparkwright. The wardrobes are being installed by the company we bought them from, and they state that they need a 13A socket to plug into - makes it easy for them on install I guess.

I'll head off and try and find 4 terminal 30A JB somewhere...B&Q, screwfix and wickes don't seem to stock them so may have to go to an electrical wholesaler.

Cheers again.

30 amp jb for socket wiring, 2.5 mm2 cable or in some cases 4.0 mm2 cable.

20 amp jb for lighting cable, 1.0 or 1.5 mm2 cable.

You either wire the socket via a 20 amp double pole switch all in 2.5 mm2 cable - so the switch controls the socket which the light is plugged into.

A more usual method is to fit a switched fused spur unit with a 5 amp fuse in it from the socket circuit. This switch will control a light fitting, without using a socket. The switch will be 'fed' with 2.5 mm2 cable. The 'outgoing' cable will be 1.0 or 1.5 mm2 cable, which then gets wired directly to the light.

(Typically your sockets will be wired in 2.5 mm2 cable, but a slim chance 4.0 mm2 could have been used - so look out for that.)

They don't do a 4 terminal 30 amp junction box as far as I know.

You shouldn't need one. You need a 3 terminal 30 amp jb. A maintenance free one if it's going to be inaccessible. Ashley/Hager do them.

You use the existing cables from the existing socket to feed a new 20 amp double pole switch. A 13 amp fused spur switch would also do the job.

From the outgoing side of this switch you need a 2.5 mm2 twin and earth cable going to your new wardrobe socket.

Unless I'm missing something here.
:D :D
 
For what is worth, i would hand the fitter an extension lead and when "the installation" is complete I would wire the pelmet lighting into lighting circuit which is switched at the bedroom door.
And the reason you know that the lighting isn't powered by a wall-wart is....?
 
I am the fitter ;)

We have non switched 13a sockets in our loft for ww wired to the lighting circuit. All marked as lighting 3a max.

Easy ! :eek:
 

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