BC3 light fitting
- Thread starter seh210261
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Since we don't know what the fitting is like this is hard to answer. All we can do is direct you to this however personally I would change whole fitting and would not chance the bulb popping out.
Technically because it's a bathroom changing the type would come under Part P and so to do correctly as DIY you are looking at £100 plus and that does not include the fitting.
So cheap option is to get an electrician who is a member of a scheme to do the work. It was part of old labour government stealth tax.
Technically because it's a bathroom changing the type would come under Part P and so to do correctly as DIY you are looking at £100 plus and that does not include the fitting.
So cheap option is to get an electrician who is a member of a scheme to do the work. It was part of old labour government stealth tax.
I would strongly advise not hacking at a lampholder to force it to take a lamp it's not designed for.
I'm also unsure that a pendant fitting in a bathroom is a good idea.
(a) in or attached to a dwelling;
(b) in the common parts of a building serving one or more dwellings, but excluding power supplies to lifts;
(c) in a building that receives its electricity from a source located within or shared with a dwelling; or
(d) in a garden or in or on land associated with a building where the electricity is from a source located within or shared with a dwelling.
As it's a replacement it's not notifiable, so I don't know where you got the £100+ from.
I'm also unsure that a pendant fitting in a bathroom is a good idea.
That it's in a bathroom is irrelevant. Part P applies to any work whatsoever on fixed electrical cables or fixed electrical equipment located on the consumer’s side of the electricity supply meter which operate at low or extra-low voltage and are—
(a) in or attached to a dwelling;
(b) in the common parts of a building serving one or more dwellings, but excluding power supplies to lifts;
(c) in a building that receives its electricity from a source located within or shared with a dwelling; or
(d) in a garden or in or on land associated with a building where the electricity is from a source located within or shared with a dwelling.
As it's a replacement it's not notifiable, so I don't know where you got the £100+ from.
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In Wales the charge was £100 plus vat I think it's still the same. I know Part P applies to all in domestic buildings but NOT dwelling. As a caravan and boat are dwellings but not buildings so don't come under LABC.
It also says like for like so if you change a pendent for a 2D for example that's not like for like.
Sorry to say the English used in the documents released for Part P leaves a lot to be desired and people will try to invent loop holes. Also Electricians will try and say it must be registered. Personally not interested. Don't really care if people break speed limits either. More interested in danger. And personally I would think changing a fitting is less dangerous than bending bits of metal in old one. So would suggest best option is to change fitting.
It also says like for like so if you change a pendent for a 2D for example that's not like for like.
Sorry to say the English used in the documents released for Part P leaves a lot to be desired and people will try to invent loop holes. Also Electricians will try and say it must be registered. Personally not interested. Don't really care if people break speed limits either. More interested in danger. And personally I would think changing a fitting is less dangerous than bending bits of metal in old one. So would suggest best option is to change fitting.
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Sheddy doesn't seem to be having a good day today with his reading
As you say, it's a real bodge. I'm therefore a little surprised that you and BAS are bringing it to people's attention - particularly given that it doesn't even relate to the OP's question.
Kind Regards, John
I'm not
Hi, and thanks for the replies - and the interesting debate which ensued!
For anyone interested, I recommend this site/article: http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2008/07/21/how-to-fit-a-normal-bulb-in-a-bc3-fitting/
The fitting currently in place is a straight batten type. My desire to change it relates to the limitations having such a fitting places on choice of light shades etc. When I asked, in a specialist lighting shop, if they had an alternative bulb (I needed a shorter bulb to work with the shade I'd bought, in the fitting as is) to the one currently in place (3-pin, as required by the BC3 fitting), the comment was "good luck with that"!! There are a lot of posts on places like moneysupermarket.com commentating on the expense involved in 3-pin bulbs - this is evidently a controversial issue. Dan Lockton's (article ref above) view is that it's a rip-off, and doesn't actually fulfill the claims related to energy-saving that are made by manufacturers.
Dan Lockton does show how to fit a 2-pin bulb to a 3-pin fitting, but I agree with other posts here, that it's not a good idea unless you understand electrics.
The wiring for the light fitting I have is complicated, and my question to this forum was based on something I'd read, suggesting that you could attach a standard pendant to the BC3 fitting by simply wiring the pendant rather than removing the batten fixture. Evidently, based on the responses folk have made, it isn't that straightforward! I can't afford an electrician so will just have to find an alterative to the shade I bought!
For anyone interested, I recommend this site/article: http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2008/07/21/how-to-fit-a-normal-bulb-in-a-bc3-fitting/
The fitting currently in place is a straight batten type. My desire to change it relates to the limitations having such a fitting places on choice of light shades etc. When I asked, in a specialist lighting shop, if they had an alternative bulb (I needed a shorter bulb to work with the shade I'd bought, in the fitting as is) to the one currently in place (3-pin, as required by the BC3 fitting), the comment was "good luck with that"!! There are a lot of posts on places like moneysupermarket.com commentating on the expense involved in 3-pin bulbs - this is evidently a controversial issue. Dan Lockton's (article ref above) view is that it's a rip-off, and doesn't actually fulfill the claims related to energy-saving that are made by manufacturers.
Dan Lockton does show how to fit a 2-pin bulb to a 3-pin fitting, but I agree with other posts here, that it's not a good idea unless you understand electrics.
The wiring for the light fitting I have is complicated, and my question to this forum was based on something I'd read, suggesting that you could attach a standard pendant to the BC3 fitting by simply wiring the pendant rather than removing the batten fixture. Evidently, based on the responses folk have made, it isn't that straightforward! I can't afford an electrician so will just have to find an alterative to the shade I bought!
Even though you 'strongly advised against it', you mentionedI'm not
- which is something the OP probably had not even considered.
Kind Regards, John.
For anyone interested, I recommend this site/article: http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2008/07/21/how-to-fit-a-normal-bulb-in-a-bc3-fitting/[/QUOTE]
Err.... that's the link that Eric posted in his reply to you....
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ba...a=X&ei=PPcnTqLRL9KBhQe10rD_CQ&ved=0CEcQpwUoAQ
So have you just got an open shade on the lampholder?
Which Zone is it in?
And when you do you realise that it's a Bad Idea.
In what way?
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting
Pendant:
Batten fitting:
It could well be impossible.
Replace the batten fitting with a bathroom light?
Can we have the full quote, please:
Well he might have considered it, after Eric pointed him at a site showing how to do it in the first reply in this topic:
i.e. before I said "I would strongly advise not hacking at a lampholder to force it to take a lamp it's not designed for".
FFS.
If you want to criticise anyone for possibly putting the idea into the OP's head, speak to Eric, not me.
If you read the pre-amble I added, I think you'll find that the full quote was effectively all there (albeit not all 'quoted').
My sincere apologies - I missed that. As you say, my criticism now shifts from you to Eric (and remains with TTC).
Kind Regards, John.
If the light currently fitted is a pendant, then get one of these for 41p. Only 2 wires to connect, and it doesn't matter which way round the wires go either.
If a batten type fitting, then get one of these, as in many cases, just the centre part can be swapped over, which again is only 2 wires.
Failing that, replace the entire lot, and if this isn't something you feel you are capable of, then it's 1 hour labour for your local electrician.
If a batten type fitting, then get one of these, as in many cases, just the centre part can be swapped over, which again is only 2 wires.
Failing that, replace the entire lot, and if this isn't something you feel you are capable of, then it's 1 hour labour for your local electrician.
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