rewiring a drinks cabinet

[HawkEye244]

Hi everyone I want to rewire a drinks cabinet that is very old. It has what looks like speaker cable feeding a fluorescent looking lamp that comes on when you open the lid. Quite nice really.

I've opened up the fitting but I can't replace it inside the cabinet so was planning to fit a 5amp terminal line connector, and then fit flex to it with a plug. There is no earth obviously.

Thanks in advance to those that will help.

 

[John D v2.0]

Earth's probably not necessary as it's a drinks cabinet not a gardening tool. You can just wire the lamp directly into an fcu or a plug, but make sure you use flex rather than solid strand cable as the vibration might cause breakages in the copper. And if you have any rubber insulated cable spare that could be used at your discretion subject to the appropriate inspections and ir testing. You can cut back the earth conductor before it enters the light, or just tape it up to any exposed metal. Make sure you use a 3A fuse, obviously no point in an RCD as there's no earth anyway.
Hope that's helpful, and don't forget to post a photo for us!

 

[HawkEye244]

John you know there's no point talking to me about inspections and testing lol.

I'll get some photos over. I understood what you said but replacing all of the strand will be difficult. I'll get some close up photos of the light tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[mwatsonxx]

You can cut back the earth conductor before it enters the light, or just tape it up to any exposed metal.

What sort of tape would you recommend?

 

[HawkEye244]

Frog tape will work?

?

 

[John D v2.0]

What sort of tape would you recommend?

Doesn't matter as long as it's conductive. I'd probably use foil tape as it's easy to get hold of.

I know you don't like testing, but I think it would be well worth getting it pat tested before you energise it. Might save your bacon.

 

[sparkwright]

Taping unused earth cores to random exposed metal work?

Not heard of that practice.

Either the metalwork needs earthing or isn't doesn't.

If it does, it should be connected using a screw or nut and bolt, or similar.

 

[John D v2.0]

Taping unused earth cores to random exposed metal work?

Not heard of that practice.

Really, I used to use tape and tin foil for all sorts when I was using my little electronics kit as a kid!

When you're unconstrained by regs or testing, it opens up quite a lot of simple techniques otherwise avoided by the professionals.

 

[HawkEye244]

No time today but will post pics up in the next few days. Thanks for the comments so far.

 

[Risteard]

obviously no point in an RCD as there's no earth anyway.

Surely that would make it more, rather than less beneficial for an RCD to be in circuit.

This idiot obviously hasn't managed to kill himself yet.

 

[John D v2.0]

Surely that would make it more, rather than less beneficial for an RCD to be in circuit.

This idiot obviously hasn't managed to kill himself yet.

maybe I should take this a little more seriously

 

[Risteard]

maybe I should take this a little more seriously

You're not the idiot I refer to - it's ChalkBrain244