Wiring downlights question

PottersBar · 17 Jun 2010

Hi all, newbie on here so go easy on me

Need some advice from someone who knows regarding fitting some downlights.

My house has 1.0mm wiring lighting cable into the loft which currently connects to the single ceiling rose for a pendant type light.

I would like to do away with that and fit 6 x downlights and I am thinking GU10 bulb downlights.

Without upgrading to 1.50mm wiring, so sticking with the original 1.00mm wiring, what type/wattage GU10 bulbs(6) can I run safely?

Many thanks for shedding any light on this

ricicle · 17 Jun 2010

How many lights are on the existing circuit and what rating is the protective device ?

PottersBar · 17 Jun 2010

ricicle said:
How many lights are on the existing circuit and what rating is the protective device ?

Three bedroom lights, bathroom light and upstairs hall lights.

Bedroom 1, 1 x 60w bulb (being replaced as described above).
Bedroom 2, 6 x 20w low voltage spots with two transformers.
Bedroom 3, 1 x 60w bulb.
Bathroom, 2 x 40w bulbs.
Hall, 2 x 60w spots.

All the above on a single old type 5A fuse, been like that for years working fine.

londonboy · 17 Jun 2010

PottersBar said:
....

Many thanks for shedding any light on this

Steve · 17 Jun 2010

PottersBar said:
ricicle said:

How many lights are on the existing circuit and what rating is the protective device ?

Click to expand...

Three bedroom lights, bathroom light and upstairs hall lights.

Bedroom 1, 1 x 60w bulb (being replaced as described above).
Bedroom 2, 6 x 20w low voltage spots with two transformers.
Bedroom 3, 1 x 60w bulb.
Bathroom, 2 x 40w bulbs.
Hall, 2 x 60w spots.

All the above on a single old type 5A fuse, been like that for years working fine.

That'll be 440 watts then.

230v x 5a =1150 watts.

1150-440=710 watts.

You have 710 watts spare capacity on your circuit.

Downlights are hideously inefficient. I just had my new house rewired, and asked that the electricians remove all the halogen monstrocities and fit pendants.

The only place I have downlights is in the kitchen. I have two, total load 52 watts. Total light in the kitchen 72 watts. And its VERY bright.
______________________________________________________________

If I were you I'd re-prioritise my spending on replacing that fuse box. A fuse wont save your life if you touch a live wire, a new RCD protected consumer unit will. Also, your wiring may need updating.

londonboy · 17 Jun 2010

Steve I must as the obvious...

how come you didnt rewire yourself?

Reading your posts it seems you are already experienced

Steve · 17 Jun 2010

londonboy said:
Steve I must as the obvious...

how come you didnt rewire yourself?

Reading your posts it seems you are already experienced

To be honest, I didnt want to make the mess myself.* I dont have a wall chasing diamond saw (with a henry attached) and SDS drill. Doncaster MBC's LABC dept makes it hard work notifying too. I didnt fancy chasing with a chisel and hammer. Electrician can get things on the cheap. I'm not paying full whack because he did it as a "weekend job".

*Think about it, you just paid for the biggest single investment in your life, got into loads of debt for it, would YOU want to go knocking it about making a big mess of it as soon as you're in?

londonboy · 17 Jun 2010

Ah yes I think I remember a post about Doncaster LABC.

Shame because skilled people like yourself are being put off, whilst unskilled joe bloggs is going round and doesnt give a monkeys

PottersBar · 17 Jun 2010

Steve said:
If I were you I'd re-prioritise my spending on replacing that fuse box. A fuse wont save your life if you touch a live wire, a new RCD protected consumer unit will. Also, your wiring may need updating.

That is something that I will get done sooner rather than later - anyone care to throw in a ball park figure to have that done by a proper electrician?

Thanks for your input, looks like I am safe to go with the above then

ban-all-sheds · 17 Jun 2010

PottersBar said:
anyone care to throw in a ball park figure to have that done by a proper electrician?

About the same as a weekend away for 2.

PottersBar · 17 Jun 2010

ban-all-sheds said:
PottersBar said:

anyone care to throw in a ball park figure to have that done by a proper electrician?

Click to expand...

About the same as a weekend away for 2.

£210.50, not too bad then

(I knew I might be pushing my luck but it was worth a try

)

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Wiring downlights question

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