Could you/would you run a plug socket off this?

[simondyntDBeK]

I have this junction box in a barn attached to my house - currently feeding a floodlight. The other end of which appears to go in to a fluorescent light - not sure where it goes after that!

I want to put an outdoor Nest camera nearby and wondered if I could just run cabling some from this junction box to a weatherproof plug socket?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Does the Nest get its power from a wall wart or is it a proper power supply with a plug and flex going to it?
None of the outdoor sockets I've seen will close properly over a wall wart so you might be better with a DriBox or an IP65 box and gland it.
13A socket on a lighting circuit- is the circuit protected by an RCD? If not then it needs to be. EDIT RCD sockets no longer acceptable.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

It’s just a standard plug:



I’ve no idea about the other. Is it a big problem if it doesn’t have an RCD?

 

[davelx]

Is that supply permanently live or is it switched by the light switch(es) controlling either or both of the lights?

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Is that supply permanently live or is it switched by the light switch(es) controlling either or both of the lights?

Hi - it's permanently live.

 

[opps]

Unfortunately, (from what I have read) it looks like the Nest IQ camera has been designed so that you have to use their USB lead rather than letting you use a doorbell transformer.

I have only ever fitted a Nest doorbell (to a bell transformer and Honeywell chime). Google's support is shocking. If you use their support pages they try to coerce you in to paying for an engineer to fit it for you.

Regardless, why not fit the socket inside the barn and drill a hole for the cable? The socket will only be rated at 6(?) amps but that is much more than the camera requires. Keep it high up and leave a note that warning others that, for example, a kettle will trip the lighting MCB if plugged in to the socket.

 

[davelx]

Hi - it's permanently live.

That's OK then - you'd be amazed at the number of times people tap a feed off the switched live and then turn up here wondering why the device only works when the light is on

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Unfortunately, (from what I have read) it looks like the Nest IQ camera has been designed so that you have to use their USB lead rather than letting you use a doorbell transformer.

I have only ever fitted a Nest doorbell (to a bell transformer and Honeywell chime). Google's support is shocking. If you use their support pages they try to coerce you in to paying for an engineer to fit it for you.

Regardless, why not fit the socket inside the barn and drill a hole for the cable? The socket will only be rated at 6(?) amps but that is much more than the camera requires. Keep it high up and leave a note that warning others that, for example, a kettle will trip the lighting MCB if plugged in to the socket.

Hi - this is a plug-in Nest outdoor camera (not the doorbell). It's powered with a simple 3-pin plug. What you're saying above is exactly what I'm thinking. The camera can't use that much power so should be fine right?

Incidentally - I have a Nest doorbell too and these are SO much easier than hard wiring:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0815SFYP4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[simondyntDBeK]

That's OK then - you'd be amazed at the number of times people tap a feed off the switched live and then turn up here wondering why the device only works when the light is on

OK without wanting to de-rail this topic ... I might have learned from a previous mistake. Many years ago I fitted a loft light and couldn't work out why it only worked intermittently until I eventually realised the cable I took the power from was for the central heating so the light would only work when the heating was on! Sorry

 

[opps]

Hi - this is a plug-in Nest outdoor camera (not the doorbell). It's powered with a simple 3-pin plug. What you're saying above is exactly what I'm thinking. The camera can't use that much power so should be fine right?

Incidentally - I have a Nest doorbell too and these are SO much easier than hard wiring:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0815SFYP4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is only 15v and 1.87 Amps. It will be fine on the lighting ring. As I said earlier, if someone plugs a kettle in, it will trip the circuit. Keep the socket high up, and no one is likely to do that.

 

[SUNRAY]

If required, these are designed to take wallwarts, the panels are moveable to take account of different design wallwarts.
https://www.toolstation.com/bg-ip66...CRhPwx_GRYqEZo_JWChoCsqEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[winston1]

Note it is bad practice to put a 13 amp socket on the lighting circuit even though the non statuary regs allow it, for the reasons stated above that someone may plug a kettle, or in the case of a barn, a lawn mower into it. Better to fit a 5 amp socket and change the plug on the camera.

 

[winston1]

It will be fine on the lighting ring. .

Lights are not wired on rings.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Note it is bad practice to put a 13 amp socket on the lighting circuit even though the non statuary regs allow it, for the reasons stated above that someone may plug a kettle, or in the case of a barn, a lawn mower into it. Better to fit a 5 amp socket and change the plug on the camera.

Fair enough. However I’m planning to install it up high in the barn rafters so will never be used by anything other than the camera.

 

[SUNRAY]

I forgot to mention winston1 will offer a comment which can be totally ignored as there are no restrictions on the size of the fuse/mcb feeding a 13A socket.

Additionally lighting circuits can be rings, again there is no restriction and they are sometimes wired that way.