Correct set-up for low voltage socket on lights circuit (for LED strip)?

[Matt723]

Hi All,

Ground floor are on a dedicated lights circuit on MCB. In the Kitchen, one of the switch is linked to a cable coming out of the wall, above cabinet (not easily accessible). The cable (2.5mm), is directly plugged into a brick transforming current to 24v to power a LED strip. That way the LED strip can be controlled with the light switch. To do this the brick has been drilled to pass the loose cable through it and the whole thing is just sitting on the top cabinet. It works, but looks quite trashy.

The goal is to keep that functionality but make the setup cleaner and up to regs. I thought of:

- Neatly plug the cable in a MK box with a FCU and place a 3A fuse. Attach the box on the whole, above the cabinet.
- From the FCU have a cable going into an adjacent power socket
- Plug the Philips Hue brick in the socket.

That said, I thought I could find a single MK Box to do this job but don't seem to find a fused socket easily, can you think of a better setup than what is suggested above?

Please shoot me down if not adequate or if you have a better idea. Constructive feedback gratefully received. Thank you All.

 

[flameport]

You do not need an FCU. If you want a socket there, connect a socket to the cable.

 

[ericmark]

I have LED strips, and also have a problem to hide the units, turning the low voltage to extra low voltage. But without pictures, it is hard to comment on what you are trying to do.

Note, 50 volt AC is the line between extra low voltage and low voltage, so 24 volt is extra low voltage, and 230 volt is low voltage it gets confusing when wrong names are used.

I had to hide the low voltage socket and transformer to extra low voltage, and it works when no seating in the kitchen, but if we had seating it would not work, so no easy to comment without seeing what is being done.

 

[Matt723]

You do not need an FCU. If you want a socket there, connect a socket to the cable.

I thought it was forbidden to add a standard 13a socket into the light circuit? In anyway I would not want anybody to plug just anything in there, even if the socket is not directly accessible, using a 3a fuse in a FCU seems sensible, maybe I am overthinking?

But without pictures, it is hard to comment on what you are trying to do.

Yes, agreed, I have now added a couple of photos below.

Quite simply the setup is: 6amp MCB module for the ground floor lights => lights circuits => one of the switch goes directly into the below PSU, which then goes into a 24v led strip. Trying to have this a lot neater, using an actual socket, attached to the wall.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I thought it was forbidden to add a standard 13a socket into the light circuit? In anyway I would not want anybody to plug just anything in there, even if the socket is not directly accessible, using a 3a fuse in a FCU seems sensible, maybe I am overthinking?

No, you certainly can add a 13amp socket, to a lighting circuit. If you think someone might plug something larger in, then add a suitable, clear label to the socket.

 

[JohnD]

I thought it was forbidden to add a standard 13a socket into the light circuit?

There are people who don't like it and try to give the false impression there is a regulation against it.

There isn't.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

What were they thinking drilling through a power brick like that??!! How is the cable connected internally? Be careful as I can see exposed remains of the plug pins that might still be live.
That brick with the cable through a drilled hole needs to be replaced and a socket fitted to the cable. If the socket is fitted to the back next to the wall it is less likely to be seen

 

[ericmark]

There are covers to take wallmart plugs

not sure I like the idea, as can't disconnect in a hurry.

 

[JohnD]

wallmart

W A R T

 

[flameport]

I would not want anybody to plug just anything in there, even if the socket is not directly accessible

If someone was to climb up there and plug in a welding set then the 6A MCB would trip.
Then they would hopefully realise that it was not an appropriate location to connect high powered equipment.

 

[flameport]

What were they thinking drilling through a power brick like that??!!

Probably someone who was convinced that socket outlets cannot be fitted to anything other than a Ring Main so they wasted their time contriving a dangerous mess instead.

 

[Matt723]

Thanks All, seems like a direct socket it is then.

For my understanding, would there be any benefit, even minimal, to add a 3a FCU?

For example protecting cables from overheating (I am not 100% sure they are all 1.5mm or 2.5mm on the circuit) or all the spot lights (many!)?

If there is any benefit you can think of, happy to go with an FCU, it will be easy anyway. If it's 100% irrelevant then it will be skipped.

All the best

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

For my understanding, would there be any benefit, even minimal, to add a 3a FCU?

The fuse in the plug, which goes into the new socket, connected to your lighting circuit - will have a similar fuse fitted. Just change it to a 3amp.

Wiring the socket, from the lighting circuit, with 1.5mm, will be perfectly adequate.

 

[flameport]

would there be any benefit, even minimal, to add a 3a FCU?

None at all. It would actually be slightly worse as you will then have an fuse in the FCU and another identical fuse in the plug. Either of which could fail if a fault occurs, adding inconvenience to whoever had to replace it.

protecting cables from overheating

The 6A MCB does that.

 

[Matt723]

None at all. It would actually be slightly worse as you will then have an fuse in the FCU and another identical fuse in the plug. Either of which could fail if a fault occurs, adding inconvenience to whoever had to replace it.

To be clear, there is no fuse in the plug of the philips Hue LED strip, and some low voltage devices (e.g. router, wifi mesh) also don't have a fuse in the socket. This is why I thought of the FCU with the 3a fuse, I am unsure if that change your view on the potential benefit (even if minimal) of a FCU, or not?