Extending lighting circuit into conservatory

[fasea]

Hi,

I am hoping someone with more knowledge than myself can clarify if what i intend to do is sensible and also possible to do under the building regulations.

I intend to put 2 wall lights into our conservatory, I want to fit them onto the outside of the house wall. My intention is to have a double light switch in the inside of the house (right by the conservatory doors)

Our current lighting circuit is all in the upstairs floor. So my intention is :

1. drill holes through the outside wall and run cables inside (into the lounge) and then feed the cables up into the upstairs floor (run the cables in some conduit and plastered over.

2. run some conduit down the lounge wall for the light switch

3. run light wires and and light switch wire to a a new junction box and then feed the new junction box from the existing lounge ceiling rose.


Thats the basic plan, currently we have one light run off a fused socket in the conservatory but I really don't like ugly wires on the conservatory wall.

The only thing I'm not to sure about is:

1. Do I need to buy special outside lights for a conservatory ? or will normal wall lights be ok

2. Is it ok to run conservaory lights from the house lighting circuit ? do I need to put some kind of fuse in somewhere to seperate this light from the rest of the circuit?

3. Can I do this myself without having to notify the building regulations people ? I'm unsure if this counts as "outside" electrical work or not ?

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Adam_151]

The problem with plastering the cables into the reverse side of the wall is they won't be in a safe zone (horzonally or vertically from an accessory or within so many mm of a corner [the number excapes me, but 150mm does ring a bell])

 

[fasea]

Just had a look as I was not aware of the safe zone. From what I have read in my DIY book as long as I drill into the lounge wall no more than 150mm from the ceiling wall, i'm in the safe zone so can quite happily plaster over the wires ?

how do outside lights work then as I'm sure there roughly done the same way ....

 

[RF Lighting]

You can run cables outside of the safe zones but it must either be installed to a depth of at least 50mm below the surface of the plaster or it must be enclosed in earthed metal conduit (trunking or ducting)

That is what the regs state but it is generally not good practice to run cables outside of the safe zones.

 

[the_jinj]

Have a read at this NICEIC guide - HERE

 

[fasea]

ok great thanks for the info. I will make sure its within 150mm from the ceiling I think thats about where it was going to be anyway.

thanks everyone