Cable for low voltage downlights

[dal5band]

Is there a flex or cable for wiring the low voltage side of down lights ? I know people seem to use 1mm or 1.5mm twin and earth with the earth wire unconnected but this seems wrong to me.
Is there a 1mm twin flex made ?

 

[EFLImpudence]

The Low voltage side is actually the mains 240V.

12V is Extra-low voltage.

Which did you mean?

 

[Echo the husky]

^

There is but it depends on the load connected and the length of cable.

 

[333rocky333]

http://www.qvsdirect.com/2-core-low-voltage-lighting-cable-cut-length-sold-by-metre

 

[dal5band]

OK thanks - that seems to be the stuff. I also notice TLC do a 1mm Squ flex. - It seems it's too specialist for DIY stores.

I am replacing some 12V downlights and I wanted to run 3or4 off the same transformer and the current gets quite high. However with LED bulbs it should not be an issue so it's more a case of differentiating from the mains side.

The IEC may well define low voltage as up to 1000V for distribution systems but in every day language I think the term refers to voltages below 50v.

 

[ericmark]

We see again and again on this forum how people are having problems with extra low voltage LED lighting, it seems there are so many options as to how the lamp turns the 12 vac feed at unknown frequency and unknown wave form into a mA feed to LED that there are many combinations which simply will not work or result in short lamp life. If re-wiring why not move to low voltage lamps where we know the wave form and frequency so we know they will work?

 

[EFLImpudence]

The IEC may well define low voltage as up to 1000V for distribution systems but in every day language I think the term refers to voltages below 50v.

That may (unfortunately) be the case but there was nothing in your question to indicate whether it was written correctly or in every day language.

 

[JohnW2]

The IEC may well define low voltage as up to 1000V for distribution systems but in every day language I think the term refers to voltages below 50v.

That may (unfortunately) be the case but there was nothing in your question to indicate whether it was written correctly or in every day language.

That is true.

However, I suspect that the virtually ubiquitous everyday use of the phrase 'low voltage' (essentially to refer to voltages that were very rarely going to 'do harm') may well have been well-established before the IEC introduced their definitions (and hence potential confusion). If that was the case, they could easily have 'moved all their bands up' to accommodate the everyday term but, for some reason, they didn't.

Kind Regards, John

 

[333rocky333]

You are aware that most electronic transformers limit the length of the wire on the output side, sometimes to as short as 1.5 metres

 

[flameport]

I am replacing some 12V downlights and I wanted to run 3or4 off the same transformer

Get rid of the transformer, fit mains voltage lights. Far easier, less to go wrong, much greater choice for lamps and fittings, no need to obtain 2 core flex.

 

[ericmark]

You are aware that most electronic transformers limit the length of the wire on the output side, sometimes to as short as 1.5 metres

Some are down to 300 mm it seems it down the frequency used and it transmitting interference to other items rather than it will not work, so often people are unaware that it is the length of cable with is causing problems with other equipment. I tried extra low voltage LED's in the bathroom with a toroidal transformer and they did work, however only for about 6 months, slowly one by one they failed. The 230 volt same make worked great. I am loathed to buy more 12 volt units as they seem to have nothing to say AC or DC or what wave form they will work with so if you get one which is not compatible it could be a year before you realise they have a reduced life with an AC supply. Easy way is stick to low voltage 230 volt types, and get rid of the extra low voltage.

 

[bhm1712]

The IEC may well define low voltage as up to 1000V for distribution systems but in every day language I think the term refers to voltages below 50v.

No it doesn't.

 

[JohnW2]

The IEC may well define low voltage as up to 1000V for distribution systems but in every day language I think the term refers to voltages below 50v.

No it doesn't.

Which part(s) of the statement are you disputing?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Well, the statement doesn't actually make much sense but we know what he meant.

 

[JohnW2]

Well, the statement doesn't actually make much sense but we know what he meant.

I know what the original statement meant, but I'm not clear as to what "No it doesn't" refers to.

Kind Regards, John