fire hoods

vertigodj · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:22 am Post Subject: fire hoods

A friend is having his conservatory plasterboarded with a false ceiling.He has asked me to install down-lighters in the new ceiling,will i need to install fire hoods above the down-lighters being there is no room above the conservatory

Lectrician · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:54 am Post Subject:

No - only if there is a habitable room above, or a means of escape.

Adam_151 · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:54 am Post Subject:

No, the ceiling is not acting as a fire barrier, so there is no need to install firehoods to maintain the fire rating of the ceiling. You should however ensure that the light has adequate ventilation, so keep insulation away from it, etc

Cooch · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:31 am Post Subject:

What's the best way to keep the insulation away from downlights in a loft and what distance should be kept clear around them?

Steve · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:37 pm Post Subject:

Cooch wrote:

What's the best way to keep the insulation away from downlights in a loft

Not to install downlighters.

Alternatively use CFL or LED lights, which produce little or negligible (respectively) amounts of heat.

Quote:

and what distance should be kept clear around them

about 15cm each way. Use teracotta pots or home made plasterboard boxes with ventilation.

beebolbod · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:28 am Post Subject:

Does anyone know the regs regarding downlight installations? You have to maintain fire protection i know but what constitutes keeping the protection? Must you buy specially made downlighters to make them compliant?

You can buy downlighters without covers from everywhere but fire protected covered ones are harder to find, so does this mean that all the ones for sale in say B&Q are basically illegal to install?

Anyone know of pre made downlight covers that are up to spec?

beebolbod · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:36 am Post Subject:

Sorry, i've now found all teh related topics on this but still want to know if anyone knows of pre-made covers that would do the job.

I take it that in a house with no other dwellings above it, you can install downlighters without protection and be legal, but not as safe as with said protection.

It's a bit confusing really.

Steve · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:44 pm Post Subject:

Downlighters WITH fire hoods are more dangerous. Heat builds up around the fitting. They should only be fitted where absolutely nessecary.