LED PIR Security light - to plug or not to plug ?!

[thetcutkid]

Hi,

We've just replaced a very ancient halogen security light with a LED version.

The light is on the side of a shed, the shed is wired with a small ring main connected to a 'garage' CU and the old light (which had a plug) was plugged into a 13amp socket (inside the shed) on the ring main.

If we ever needed to isolate the light, we just switched off the socket and pulled the plug out.

The cable on the new light doesn't have a plug, simple enough to fit of course but I've been wondering, is there actually any point in having a plug at all ? I have a 13amp DP switched FCU knocking around so was wondering about swapping the socket face plate for an FCU and wiring the light directly into it.

Can I put an FCU into a ring main and have two runs of cable connected to the source side (coming in and then out) ?

I've had a quick look online but whenever FCU's get mentioned, it's always when people are creating spurs (so there's only ever one cable on the source side) and I don't want/need to do that ?

Thanks for your help.

 

[alan333]

I have similar, here's the thread where I asked the same thing...
Basically yes you can have your light on an FCU, and have two cables on the supply side of it to maintain the ring. Probably fit a lower rate fuse for the light, and, stating the obvious here - you won't have the use of that socket for anything else you might occasionally need it for.

 

[SFK]

Leave the socket in place, put the FCU (with low fuse) in the ring (as described above by Alan) next to the socket.
Then you have both.

 

[thetcutkid]

Thanks for your replies.

Alan, thanks for the link to your own experiences, I'm suitably reassured

 

[winston1]

A plug and socket has worked fine up till now. Why spend money unnecessarily changing things.