With the cold weather and a close call with frozen pipes I had a 300w infra red bulb on an extension cable in the roofspace. I was hoping to wire said bulb permanently in the roof space but the only power up there is the alarm control box. In the downstairs fuse box the alarm fuse is 3amp and there is an isolator switch in the roofspace with a 3 amp fuse. Could I wire another switch out of that isolator switch and run it at 3amp
Wiring a light onto the alarm isolator fuse
- Thread starter kylemalco
- Start date
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An unattended electric heater in a loft space can only be described as a serious fire hazard.
Surely a better solution is to insulate the pipes and whatever they are connected to?
Surely a better solution is to insulate the pipes and whatever they are connected to?
look up trace heating
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I bet you have got a lighting circuit up there, fused at 5A or 6A.
I prefer Pipe Heaters or Tubular Heaters which are low power and get no hotter than a mug of tea.
You might also consider moving the loft insulation, so there is none under the pipes, but a wide roll is flopped over the top of them. This puts the pipes into the warm, heated, insulated house space instead of the cold loft space, without having to move them.
Im not looking something complicated like trace heating or to have to go through suspended ceiling to get at the light ciruit. I just want to know can I wire a 3amp switch to a 300w bulb sorry just want to keep it simple
Make it too simple and it can become un-safe.
To effectively warm the tank the lamp will need to be under the tank. Where damp and condensation will be a problem.
The very simple idea to remove insulation from under the tank and put it over the tank does work very well if the room under the tank is heated. BUT fit a condensation tray under the tank with a drain to the outside.
To effectively warm the tank the lamp will need to be under the tank. Where damp and condensation will be a problem.
The very simple idea to remove insulation from under the tank and put it over the tank does work very well if the room under the tank is heated. BUT fit a condensation tray under the tank with a drain to the outside.
What good is your light going to do then if your tank is insulated?
You have been told how to cure the problem you have been having. Perhaps it wasn't the answer you were expecting, or you were hoping someone would agree with your idea, but it simply is not the way to cure your problem, and it's not especially safe either.
You have been told how to cure the problem you have been having. Perhaps it wasn't the answer you were expecting, or you were hoping someone would agree with your idea, but it simply is not the way to cure your problem, and it's not especially safe either.
The idea was it would heat the roofspace I know alot of people who do it who had no problems, I don't know why people keep refering to the tank I had no problem with it. I asked would a 300w light run ok on a 3amp circuit. Yeah trace heating or a blow heater would work but that requires alot more time and money than I have, so if know one can tell me if a 300w light will run on a 3amp then dont bother answering with stupid comments
From an electrical point of veiw it should be ok. I doubt your alarm company will be happy about it though and in may breach one or more of their regs.
Oh and it might set fire to your house, but you don't seem to care about that.
Do what you want, by the sounds of your comments and attitude to the recommendations you will do anyways so as the saying says
Go Ahead punk make my day
Go Ahead punk make my day
Here is another stupid comment. #
You are going to put 300 watts of heat into a roof space that is ( or should be ) ventilated to the outside. That is why there is insulation on the ceilings to prevent heat escaping into the loft from the house. It is very un-likely that a 300 watt radiant heater will keep the ventilated loft more than a few degrees above outside air temperature. Any air that does get warmed will up into the top of the roof and nowhere near the pipes. And as they are insulated the warm air wouldn't effectively heat them even if it was down around the pipes.
The advice you have been given is sensible and if you want to prevent another freeze up take the advice. My experience includes the frost protection of a sewage pump located out doors and it remain operational in air temperatures of minus 13 Centrigrade.
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