Understairs cupboard light from consumer unit

Tomc86 · 17 Feb 2020

Hi all, new to the forum and I'm pretty much a novice but keen to learn

I want to put a light in the understairs cupboard that comes on when I open the door. The fuse box/consumer unit is also in this cupboard so I'm thinking it should be easy enough.

Wondering what the easiest way to go about this would be...Couple of images attached

Any advice welcome

Cheers,Tom

terryplumb · 17 Feb 2020

You can do it a number of ways ,starting at the consumer unit ,or from the downstairs lighting circuits cable ,by extending the circuit. Once you decide where you are going to pick up the supply ,you will need to plan the wiring routes to the switch and light fitting.

dannyboi2003 · 17 Feb 2020

As terryplumb said there's a few ways you can do this, I would start by finding out if that junction box is live and what circuit feeds it, if from one of the lighting circuits then happy days just tap off that to a light with integrated PIR, if its on one of the power circuits then swap the JB for a fused connection unit and feed the light from the load side fused at 3/5 amps.

Also have to ask, who fitted the wonky alarm box?

winston1 · 17 Feb 2020

I wouldn't use a light with an integrated PIR. Just use a door switch.

Preferably take it from the upstairs lighting circuit, so that if that goes you can still see from the hallway light. Better still put it on its own MCB if you have a spare way.

Tomc86 · 17 Feb 2020

Thanks for all your Swift replies folks!

Looks like that junction box is on the ring main rather than the lighting circuit. If I run cable from the junction box in the top of my pic into the fused switch and then up to the light that should work Ok right? I have bought a door switch but now thinking I can locate the 5 amp fused switch by the cupboard door opening and just turn it on an off with this? Is there any problem with using the 5 amp fused switch as the on and off switch rather than having a separate PIR sensor or a door switch for the on/off.

The fused switches all seem to be sold as 13amp which I'm guessing is referring to the maximum rating and I can simply use a 5 amp fuse?

Ha, not sure about the alarm box, it's the mother in law's place! Looks like Stevie Wonders dog did it.

Cheers!

dannyboi2003 · 17 Feb 2020

No problem at all with using the fused switch as the light switch, that's how my under stairs light is wired. Just take a 2.5mm T&E from the junction box to the fused switch and then 1mm T&E to the light, pop in a 5 amp fuse and job done. Being on the ring main isn't a bad idea as if your lights trip out then the under stairs light will likely still be working, making resetting the MCB a little easier in the dark lol!

I only suggested a PIR fitting rather than a door switch or a switch by the door as you said you were a novice so didn't want to cover complicate things for you. Good luck with the project

Tomc86 · 17 Feb 2020

Good to know! Yeah good point about being able to use the cupboard if the lighting circuit trips, hadn't thought of that.

On the subject of the T&E cable the stuff I currently have in the garage is 1.5mm and was hoping to use that from junction box to fused switch and to light. All in all it will be about 1.5m of cable and the light is used for about a minute at a time... How important is the thickness of the cable in this instance? Don't want to completely bodge it but would like to use the stuff I have ideally as only bought it last year.

Cheers again

EFLImpudence · 17 Feb 2020

Yes, you can use 1.5mm² all the way.

It can take 20A but will be protected by the 5A (or 3A) fuse.

Tomc86 · 17 Feb 2020

Thought so, thanks for confirming.

Cheers all

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Understairs cupboard light from consumer unit

Tomc86

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