Can a socket be added to a lighting circuit?

[niallhanlon]

I just purchased a masthead arial booster with built in amp to split the tv arial to various rooms. It will be in the loft but needs to be powered. As I have no socket in the loft or access to the socket ring can I take a branch off the lighting circuit to power this? Rating on back of unit says: 230V-50Hz, <5W.

Thank you!

 

[pbar]

I just purchased a masthead arial booster with built in amp to split the tv arial to various rooms. It will be in the loft but needs to be powered. As I have no socket in the loft or access to the socket ring can I take a branch off the lighting circuit to power this? Rating on back of unit says: 230V-50Hz, <5W.

Thank you!

I'm only a hobbyist, not electrician, but yes you can. Sockets off the lighting are frowned upon but legal (I think) but use an FCU with 5 amp (think that's correct) to avoid someone in the future plugging something too powerful in and jeopardising the cable (although it should trip in the consumer unit before that happens). Those amplifiers only use a tiny amount.
Make sure one of the 'proper' guys ok's what I've put though!

 

[lazygit]

Why put a socket in the loft? Just cut the plug off the booster and wire it into a junction box on the light circuit. No need for additional fuse protection as it is on a 5A circuit anyway

 

[streetlighter]

What about the need for local isolation ? Surely a double pole swiched fused spur with a 3a fuse is the best way.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You could use an FCU with 3A fuse (5A fuse will not discriminate with a 6A CB on the lighting circuit in any case). Or install a 5A 3 pin socket and put a matching plug on yr TV amp.

 

[pbar]

Why put a socket in the loft? Just cut the plug off the booster and wire it into a junction box on the light circuit. No need for additional fuse protection as it is on a 5A circuit anyway

That must surely be far beyond regs. There'd be no way of isolating it.
Socket and FCU, easy to change appliance in the future when need be and safe.

 

[lazygit]

That must surely be far beyond regs. There'd be no way of isolating it.

I disagree that its FAR beyond regs as it can be isolated at the CU. You could argue that a 13A socket on a 5A circuit is beyond regs. But I must admit the wiring into an FCU idea is definately best.

EDITED: Local isolation means you wont damage the booster during insulation testing (if it ever gets tested in the future). Might be a good idea to make a note of it at the fusebox.

 

[bernardgreen]

Why put a socket in the loft? Just cut the plug off the booster and wire it into a junction box on the light circuit. No need for additional fuse protection as it is on a 5A circuit anyway

5 amp at 230volts is over a kilowatt if the un-attended forgotten about booster gets damp, pidgeon or squirrel pecked. It needs fusing down from 5 amps.

Wiring into a JB without any means of LOCAL isolation is plain stupid. What happens when you need to replace it and the lights are isolated at the CU and you are in the loft working on the JB. Have you a lock on your CU to prevent anyone turning the MCB on.

( wife comes home. no lights, no hubby, She thinks "Oh dear the fuse has tripped" and resets the MCB. She may hear the scream from the loft. she may not. )

 

[Taylortwocities]

( wife comes home. no lights, no hubby, She thinks "Oh dear the fuse has tripped" and resets the MCB. She may hear the scream from the loft. she may not. )

Surely she should be going straight into the kitchen to get tea on for her man and not messing with MCBs??

(ducks head back below parapet to avoid missiles being thrown... )

 

[niallhanlon]

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. From the options given these two seem to be the most reasonable solutions:

1) FCU with 3A fuse
2) 5A 3 pin socket

What in everyone's opinion would be the recommended choice from the above? I'm not the most profecient when it comes to electrical stuff so if you can give me a straightforward guide on this it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again!

 

[bernardgreen]

Best option

FCU with 1 amp fuse feeding socket with plug with 1 amp fuse.

Reason for 1 amp ?

If the booster or lead to it goes short circuit the MCB for the lights will trip before a 5 amp fuse burns out. Then the only way to get your lights back on would be to up into the loft to unplug the booster before reseting the MCB

Even better have the FCU acessible without going into the loft.

 

[Chri5]

Certain loftboxes and aerial amplifiers come with a transformer based plug, so it might not be suitable to cut the plug off or change the plug to a 5a 3 round pin plug.

Provide a fused spur, fit with a 3a fuse, have a single socket adjacent to it and on the assumption that the master head amp has a plug on it, away you go.

Could you not run a cable spur up from the immersion spur or the CH control spur that's normally in the airing cupboard on the 1st floor with access to the loft already available due to pipework for CW and CH tanks in the loft?

 

[Chri5]

I'd clearly mark both the socket and fspur with the 3a max fuse allowed signage.

A high quality marker pen is better than labels which will peel and fade.

A note at the CU also helps.

Some numpty might try a 13a and run a heater off it sometime after you move, safety 1st even if you have no intentions of doing so (move that is).

 

[TicklyT]

Certain loftboxes and aerial amplifiers come with a transformer based plug, so it might not be suitable to cut the plug off or change the plug to a 5a 3 round pin plug.

I have seen it done! A 9V 300ma transformer on a telephone answering machinereplaced with a 13 Amp plug (and 13 Amp fuse ) equalled one VERY fried answering machine, and an owner who learnt a very painful lesson about electricity when he pulled the DC connector out of the back of it to see what he had done wrong, and found the outer sleeve was live

 

[niallhanlon]

Ok, I've had a good look around and the only circuits I can tap into are the lighting or the smoke alarm circuits. I don't like the idea of connecting it to the latter but it's wired with heavier 2.5mm cable and considering there's only 3 smoke alarms attached to this circuit would it not be the better option?

The booster has an internal transformer by the way so no problems there.

Thanks

Niall