3 core and earth instead of 2 core and earth?

[bobbiecool]

Hi. I want to put in a new light in a bedroom and wondered if I could use 1.5mm 3 core and earth lighting cable instead of 2 core and earth? I have some spare and wondered if it would suffice? Thank.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Assuming you're putting it on a lighting circuit, yes.

Sleeve the live conductor brown, and the neutral blue.

Some people regard it as good practice to earth the unused conductor, sleeving that G/Y.

 

[winston1]

Bit wasteful though. All you need is 1.0mm 2 core and earth.

 

[JohnW2]

Bit wasteful though. All you need is 1.0mm 2 core and earth.

Maybe, but it would arguably be even more 'wasteful' for the OP to buy some 1.0mm² T+E when he already has some cable adequate for the job.

Kind Regards, John

 

[bobbiecool]

That's great, thanks. I'm also putting in a fan and isolator switch, so the 3 core is needed. But as I have quite a bit of it on a reel it is cheaper for me to use some on a new light than buying some 2 core cable.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Bit wasteful though. All you need is 1.0mm 2 core and earth.

Winston - try reading the original post properly.

 

[winston1]

Winston - try reading the original post properly.

I did.

 

[Taylortwocities]

…but didn't understand it.

 

[winston1]

…but didn't understand it.

Of course I understood it. He asked if he could use 3 core he had instead of 2 core. I pointed out it was wasteful, but didn't bother to add that perhaps he could use the 3 core for something else later.

 

[JohnW2]

... I didn't bother to add that perhaps he could use the 3 core for something else later.

DIYers will only infrequently need to use 3C+E - so, given that he has "quite a bit of it on a reel", if he bought some 1mm² T+E now it could be a good few years (if ever) before he got that 'wasted' money back.

Kind Regards, John

 

[bobbiecool]

I pointed out it was wasteful, but didn't bother to add that perhaps he could use the 3 core for something else later.

I didn't need to "bother" saying I needed to use the 3 core for anything else anyway, it's irrellevant. I had some spare, it was all you needed to know. Why would I go out and buy some other cable when I had some 3 core spare that can do the job???

 

[mwatsonxx]

I pointed out it was wasteful, but didn't bother to add that perhaps he could use the 3 core for something else later.

I didn't need to "bother" saying I needed to use the 3 core for anything else anyway, it's irrellevant. I had some spare, it was all you needed to know. Why would I go out and buy some other cable when I had some 3 core spare that can do the job???

Ignore them, you're the only one in this thread with any common sense

 

[winston1]

I pointed out it was wasteful, but didn't bother to add that perhaps he could use the 3 core for something else later. Why would I go out and buy some other cable when I had some 3 core spare that can do the job???

Because you just might need 3 core for another job in the future.

 

[JohnW2]

Why would I go out and buy some other cable when I had some 3 core spare that can do the job???

Quite so - as I said way back! However, some seem to be selective in what they do (or can) read!

Kind Regards, John