Double Insulated Lighting

[HazelC]

Help please.
My elderly and recently widowed mum has just had some necessary electrical work done in her house which was built in 1964. Nothing much had been changed from the original wiring and our electrician was concerned about the non-earthed lighting circuits. My mum can't face a major rewire upheaval so he has replaced the metal ceiling lights with plastic fittings and disconnected the metal wall lights. We are now on the lookout for suitable substitute lights and I came across Double Insulated Lights & fittings, which seem ideal. Such as at:

http://www.double-insulated-lighting.co.uk/index.htm

However, having got my mum excited about these, someone else has told me that these lights should be earthed too, which defeats the point for us.
Are these lights safe to use?
I'd be very grateful for views.

 

[Adam_151]

Double Insulated (class 2) fixtures should *not* have an earth connected

 

[Belle427]

yep,if they are double insulated and carry the symbol,no earth required

 

[breezer]

i agree with the others, but i would suggest you ask the some one how do you eart a double insulated light?, and what makes them think it needs an earth?

 

[Adam_151]

i agree with the others, but i would suggest you ask the some one how do you eart a double insulated light?, and what makes them think it needs an earth?

Some kinds of class 2 construction can still have a metal outer case, just the levels of insulation inside it are much more substantial than class 1, there are people would with a penchant for drilling holes and bolting on 'hoop' crimp ends....

 

[DESL]

whether double insulated lights are used or not there is a requirement for all circuits to have a circuit protective conductor (earth).

 

[JohnD]

NTCS.

 

[Adam_151]

There is indeed, but with double insulated lights not having one doesn't make it dangerous in the same was as if there were class 1 fixtures, of course you wouldn't install one with no earth, but if its already lacking one making sure there is no class 1 fixtures is all you can do without tearing walls and ceilings open...

 

[HazelC]

Thanks to all respondants. You've been very helpful.

 

[TheGaffersSon]

Good practice would be to run a CPC through all fittings. If you break at one lighting because it is DI, you are also breaking the CPC to all other points in the circuit after the fitting.

 

[JohnD]

Of course, if you've got a circuit with a CPC.

But the issue here is the safest way to deal with a 1960's lighting circuit with no CPC.

 

[plugwash]

Some kinds of class 2 construction can still have a metal outer case, just the levels of insulation inside it are much more substantial than class 1, there are people would with a penchant for drilling holes and bolting on 'hoop' crimp ends....

there is also a lot of stuff arround that has the double insulated symbol but doesn't appear to have particularlly susbstatantial insulation.

any chineese factory can stick a CE mark and a double insulated symbol on something regardless of the standards its made to and unless someone actually gets hurt/killed they are very unlikely to get in trouble for it.