Downlighters

[sjtaylor_199]

I want to install mains voltage 50w dimmers in all the upstairs bedrooms in my house (3). I was planning on two packs of five for the master bedroom and one pack of five each for the smaller rooms. And then i thought will this overload the circuit. How do you work out the safe number of light on a circuit?

 

[Lectrician]

In a domestic install, you will either have a 5amp fuse or a 6amp MCB (possibly 5 amp MCB on older installs).

230volt x 5amp = 1150watt
230volt x 6amp = 1380watt

You will have to check how your circuits are split - do you have one up and one down?? And beware of any rogue 500watt floods

Also, if dimming, ensure the dimmer is capable of taking the load of the lamps, de-rating of the dimmer will be necessary for halogens - see the dimmer manufacturer details.

 

[dingbat]

Considering that almost all dimmers end up being set on the highest brightness and then used simply as off/on switches and that within five years people will be condemning halogen downlighters as unfashionable, why not save yourself the bother. Just wait until ordinary switches and pendants come back in fashion!

 

[sjtaylor_199]

thanks i will have to re think my plans as the lights are all on the same curcuit and it may excedd the limit.

 

[dingbat]

I was recently asked to install 8kW of lighting. The owner didn't seem to think it would be a problem on a single 6A MCB and 1.5sqmm cable. How I laughed!

 

[andy]

hopefully not in his small, 1 bedroom house

 

[breezer]

How I laughed!

I also trust you did not laugh infront of your potential customer, but did you expalin WHY he couldnt do it?

 

[dingbat]

How I laughed!

but did you expalin WHY he couldnt do it?

Oh yes, I sat him down and discussed it in great detail. It was actually in a small shop, which he had recently had completely refurbished, including a full rewire. The builders who did the wiring completed it to a domestic specification but despite him having very definite plans for the lighting, nobody ever asked him exactly what he wanted. Also, no installation certificate was produced. It's a shame, really, but for what he wanted the only solution was to completely rewire the lighting circuits.

 

[breezer]

was it a jewelers?

 

[dingbat]

was it a jewelers?

No, but you get the idea. He wants lots of light to sell his products - saris.