Adding some lighting in garage

[simonbennetts]

Hi, I currently have a single dangly light in my garage. I'd like to replace that with two strip lights and a double spotlight for my dartboard!!

Can I use all the existing wiring and switches and simply run cables in parallel to the new lights from the dangly connectors?

Thanks
Simon

 

[Spark123]

Dangly = ceiling rose?
What else is on the same lighting circuit at the moment? What size fuse?

 

[simonbennetts]

Yep dangly as in a ceiling rose.

Not 100% sure what's on the same circuit at present. I'll have to double check in the fusebox, I think it's the downstairs lighting circuit. Again, not 100% sure of fuse in there either at present...

 

[simonbennetts]

Rest of the downstairs lighting circuit is as follows:
2 x tripe bulb dangly jobbie
1 x quad halogen light
3 x Single danglies
Outside single wall light
plus single garage dangly at present

Will check the fuse rating and re-post.

Thanks
Simon

 

[Steve]

Add up all the wattages of all the bulbs on the circuit. What do you get?

 

[simonbennetts]

It's either 760 or 800 - not sure if one is a 60 or 100w!

Will check the fuse rating and post back tomorrow...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Which leaves you 580 - 620W to play with.

You should assume the maximum at each point of use - i.e. count each GLS pendant as 100W even if you've currently got 60s in there, because they might get 100s put in in the future. Any luminaires which take GU10 lamps should assume 50W ones used, even if they are currently 35W, and so on and so forth.

But it sounds as though a couple of striplights (80 - 150W?) and a couple of spots (70 - 100W?) will be no problem.

 

[simonbennetts]

I reckon if I counted to the max on every light and included the strips and spots on max, I'm looking at heading towards 1600! I'm guessing that would be too much?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is 1600 ÷ 230 > 6?

 

[simonbennetts]

Ah, ok - takes me back to my physics days, Power = Volts x Amps or something?

So it's got a 6a fuse, therefore it can have a load of 230 x 6 = 1380w.

So if I had every light on in the house and every outlet was at it's max, I'd be pushing it. What's the rules on that then? Should I use a mains socket for my spots instead?