Bathroom light, no earth. Ok to add one?
- Thread starter cubegame
- Start date
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You beat me to it
Yes, it is a good guide - very sound advice.
The OP needs to read it a couple of times to fully understand it, and ask here about anything they are uncertain about.
No CPC lighting can be...
1. Polyethylene/PVC = ok if good IR results AND visual inspection
IR results can be good, but check every termination for brown (once red!), burnt or split insulation caused by ceiling rose cable hanging on a terminal block. Also check for a chain of junction boxes, that terminations are ok.
2. VIR/TRS rubber = fail no matter what
Rubber insulation rots in air & light, whilst VIR in its sheath appears ok (until bent whereupon it can crack through sheath & insulation electrocuting you).
IR figures can be good, because air is an excellent insulator at the terminations where the rubber is perished, dried, cracked & hanging off - any movement can cause a fire.
In EITHER case Class-1 (earthed) light fittings NOT be fitted and SHOULD a) be removed or b) 4mm 6491X run back to the CU with departure noted on the CU (because the CPC is not in the same cable as LN/PN).
You can NOT use a "local water pipe" as an earth, at the minimum follow the document above and ideally use a double-insulated (class-II) light fitting.
A pig with lipstick is still a pig.
An 85yr relative still has 2-core lighting simply due to decorating upheaval, cost. However it a) passes all tests including visual inspection and b) has been broken into 4 circuits with 6A RCBO, EmLight & Class-2. Two class-1 chandeliers carefully converted to Class-2 which is more involved than a mere sheathed cable change. New cables w/CPC are in place on the landing for up/down/hall/kitchen ready for a migration on a room-by-room basis as decorating permits.
A note...
When redecorating a room, check if its lighting circuit is run in oval.
You may be clueless with wiring, but there is nothing to stop you putting oval in a wall to HUGELY ease eventual replacement. Just ensure it is in the permitted vertical zone from a wiring accessory (light switch) and sized ok for the number of cables.
So many people omit this, but it can negate the need to redecorate later.
we find places with VIR run in un earthed steel conduit still, and it makes me shudder every time.
But invariably, the IR is acceptable as said.
Minimum IR is changing to 0.5M per circuit though isn't it, which is only a good thing IMO.
But invariably, the IR is acceptable as said.
Minimum IR is changing to 0.5M per circuit though isn't it, which is only a good thing IMO.
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