Cupboard under the stairs light advice needed

[arniep]

Hi,

I want to put a light in my understairs cupboard and need a little help on what I need. I don't want it to cost much £20-£30.

I have a double socket on the back wall in the kitchen (through plasterboard). I was thinking of taking a spur off that to a switch on the wall (to isolate if required) then this to a door switch so it goes on when the door opens and finally to a light. I was thinking something rather low profile (the ceilings quite low not enough cavity for spots) but energy saving lights are bulky and led are expensive. I also thought of PIR but they are quite big and the door switch seemed the tidier option.

Could anyone suggest either a better setup OR what types of swithces I'd need and any ideas of light fittings as I'm going round in cirles a bit.
I'm open to the option of one brighter light or 2-3 which I can place around to shine light in the dark areas.

Thanks in advanvce

 

[wingcoax]

If you do take the supply from the socket you will need to "downrate" the cable by running 2.5mm to a fused connector and fitting a 3a fuse then running 1.00 for the rest of the circuit. If you fit a Switched fused connector this can be used as the switch for the light if you can fit it in the right position.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I was thinking of taking a spur off that to a switch on the wall (to isolate if required) then this to a door switch so it goes on when the door opens and finally to a light.

Why mess around with door switches, instead of just having a light switch on the wall?

I know - it might get left on, but it doesn't take much time or much brainpower to learn to pay attention and turn it off before you close the door.

any ideas of light fittings

T4 fluorescents.

 

[arniep]

I did contemplate the switch only but my 2yr old hasn't got the brainpower to switch things off although he has the brainpower to make a tower to climb on and switch things on

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I assume that he is allowed to go unsupervised into the cupboard?

 

[stem]

Connect a 3A fused spur to the socket (check first that the socket in question is installed on a ring and that it's not already a spur) and wire it directly to a PIR light. Click here for an example. This light has lux settings and adjustable 'on' time so that you can set it to suit.

The advantage here is that the light will go off after a time should your 2 year old leave the door open.

The cost of this should be well within your £30 budget. However, a system with the number of components you propose would probably cost much more. IMO because on only one cable is required from the FCU to the light, it would also be tidier than running cables to a door switch. If you can mount the FCU behind the socket and the light at the side of the FCU there won't be any cable on view.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Given the running costs of a small fluorescent light, and that most times most people will turn it off, how long for a PIR to pay for itself?

 

[winston1]

Fluorescent lights don't like being regularly switched for only a few minutes. Use traditional incandescents or LEDs. Is your consumer unit under the stairs? If so just take it off the upstairs lighting circuit (so you still have light if the downstairs circuit pops).

 

[OwainDIYer]

Is the consumer unit in the cupboard?

If so then a small emergency lighting unit that provides light when the electricity is off can be very useful.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I agree.

Wire it through a switch which is upside down - i.e. to manually turn the light on you actually interrupt the supply to it.

If you're worried about a toddler who will not respond to his fingers being broken* use a time-delay switch. Old fashioned pneumatic, or new-stylie electronic.



* Joke

 

[arniep]

Thanks for all the ideas. Unfortunately the consumer unit isn't in the cupboard and it not near an upstairs socket.
I like the idea of motion sensor.