Using light ring to power CCTV cam

[sups]

Hello
I want to install an internal CCTV camera in the kitchen facing the garden door. I need to mount the camera on to the ceiling (dome camera). The only way I can get power to the camera is by taking a feed from a near by downlight.
Am I 'allowed' to do this? Would I be breaking any building/electrical regs.
Some background:
The light circuit for the kitchen ring is fed by a 16kw MCB, and I actually have 10 x 5.5 watt led downlight on that circuit
The itself Cam needs 12 volts.

Any guidance/advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Sups

 

[EFLImpudence]

Am I 'allowed' to do this? Would I be breaking any building/electrical regs.

You are allowed. You would not be breaking any Building or Electrical regulations by doing but you may when doing it.

The light circuit for the kitchen ring is fed by a 16kw MCB,

It won't be a ring and 16A - Amps

and I actually have 10 x 5.5 watt led downlight on that circuit

That's nothing.

The itself Cam needs 12 Volts.

Your post is not the clearest, so -

did you say connect to downlight because they are 12V?

Does the camera have a separate transformer (of some sort) or a wall-wart that plugs in?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

16A - Amps

Pretty unusual for a domestic lighting circuit, I think,

It's more likely that he's quoting the breaking capacity of the device.

 

[sups]

You are allowed. You would not be breaking any Building or Electrical regulations by doing but you may when doing it.

sorry I don't understand what you mean...

It won't be a ring and 16A - Amps

correct my mistake.. its 16A

did you say connect to downlight because they are 12V?

No, the reason is because its the closest power source

Does the camera have a separate transformer (of some sort) or a wall-wart that plugs in?

yes it does.. the plan (in my head) is to take a spur from the first downlight in the kitchen as this is where the Mains feed comes in, I would install a socket on the end of this spur and plug the camera into this.

sound OK?

 

[EFLImpudence]

sorry I don't understand what you mean...

What I mean is - there are no regulations preventing you doing it, but if you don't do it properly then it will be against the regulations.

correct my mistake.. its 16A

As BAS said, that is unusual. It is normally 6A

No, the reason is because its the closest power source

That's ok, then.

yes it does.. the plan (in my head) is to take a spur from the first downlight in the kitchen as this is where the Mains feed comes in, I would install a socket on the end of this spur and plug the camera into this.

That's fine.

Some here will say that you should not have a socket on the lighting circuit but they are wrong - especially if yours really is 16A.

 

[motorbiking]

What kind of camera are you installing? Have you considered power over ethernet PoE cameras?

 

[sups]

@EFL... I've just had a look and although I thought it was 16A I can see that all my lights are running off 6A MCBs (I know it had a 6 in there somewhere) so.. its as expected but does that complicate my situation or is it still sound ok?

@motorbiking... I would have loved to go POE, but to run the cable from my POE switch to the camera would mean going around too may door frames.

 

[EFLImpudence]

No, no problem. Still ok.

 

[winston1]

sorry I don't understand what you mean...


correct my mistake.. its 16A



No, the reason is because its the closest power source



yes it does.. the plan (in my head) is to take a spur from the first downlight in the kitchen as this is where the Mains feed comes in, I would install a socket on the end of this spur and plug the camera into this.

sound OK?

Not if it is a standard 13 amp socket which should not be put on lighting circuits. Some on here will say it is OK but they are WRONG.

Clearly putting a 13 amp socket on a 6 amp circuit is wrong. One day someone will plug a kettle into it and plunge the house into darkness.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I told you.

Clearly putting a 13 amp socket on a 6 amp circuit is wrong. One day someone will plug a kettle into it and plunge the house into darkness.

It is called a 13A socket because that is the maximum current it can take. It does not draw 13A.
Clearly it will be fine with less.

 

[Risteard]

I told you.


It is called a 13A socket because that is the maximum current it can take. It does not draw 13A.
Clearly it will be fine with less.

Hopefully Winnie the Pooh doesn't have 10A light switches on a 6A circuit because otherwise it clearly would be wrong by his standards.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Sups:

When you have done the work, amend the label on your consumer unit to "camera and lights".

It will then be a camera and lights circuit and will work just fine.

 

[sups]

The socket will actually be located in the loft area.. I'll be mounting the camera on the ceiling with the cables feeding through into the loft.

Though the scenario has prompted me to perhaps install an isolation switch with say a 3amp fuse. Just incase the spiders decide to make them self's a brew that is.


Thank you EFL for the guidance... And thanks to the everyone else for their contribution.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The usual b*****ks

 

[winston1]

Though the scenario has prompted me to perhaps install an isolation switch with say a 3amp fuse. Just incase the spiders decide to make them self's a brew that is.

Also wrong. FCUs are not fitted or required on lighting circuits. A 3 amp fuse will not offer any discrimination against a 6 amp MCB. So your spiders kettle will still plunge you into darkness.

There is usually an easy way to do something which is wrong or a correct way which is more difficult.

The correct is to take a spur off the upstairs ring into the loft with a double socket up there. Use one side for your camera and the other for say a vacuum cleaner to make it nice and clean when you are working up there.