Fitting a new bathroom light - no earth

[billsos]

I want to replace two old ceiling light fittings - one in a bathroom and one in a separate shower room. The ceilings are 2.9m high. The lighting circuits do not have an earth and go through an MCB on a new CU.

Can I just replace the light fittings? If so, what criteria must the light fittings meet?

 

[Spark123]

They should only be replaced by fittings which do not require an earth i.e. double insulated or class 2. They are usually denoted by a square in a square symbol on them.
You should also make sure the new fitting is suitable for where it is being installed.

 

[DCC]

You could try digging around in the ceiling there could well be a junction box up there with an earth in it, had to do this recently, ended up cutting a bit of the ceiling away to gain access to the JB but it was covered by the new light fitting.

 

[RF Lighting]

The lighting circuits do not have an earth and go through an MCB on a new CU.

I'd be interested to see the EIC for that....

 

[Cremeegg]

Surely if it's a newish CU (?split load) and the relevant MCB is RCD protected then as long as the main earth, bonding and risk assessment says OK then the installation whilst not teh best practice would at least comply with the ECA recommendations in their Best Practice Guide No 1 for renewing CU's where there is no lighting earth. Label up the CU and plenty of notes in the EIC then according to ECA it's OK. Not the best, not brilliant but OK. Certainly safer than before.

 

[tSpark]

Try this it explains all

http://www.elecsa.org.uk/downloads/...ing Circuits with no Protective Conductor.pdf[/url]

that the EIC on that!

 

[SparkyNinja]

We took our NICEIC inspection chap for a visit on a job which involved a new db, and had no cpc in the light circuits.
As long as you set out the info provided in the esc best practice guide 1 then you're covered.


http://www.esc.org.uk/pdfs/business-and-community/electrical-industry/BPG1_08.pdf

 

[RF Lighting]

And thats why I'd like to see the EIC....

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And yet there are people here who say that if you replace 1 luminaire in a bathroom with two it is mandatory to upgrade the entire circuit to 17th standards....

 

[billsos]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

Re the EIC: all inspected/tested checkboxes ticked EXCEPT
- inspected: presence of supp equipot bonding conductors (says NO)
- tested: installtn earth electrode resistance Ra (says N/A)

Comments: "existing circuit not tested - visual inspection carried out"
Schedule: "no supplementary earth bonding present, no earthing on light circuits present"

Re. Cremeegg's comment on CU. (I believe) there is an RCD on the ring main side but not on the lighting side of the CU.

Having read tSpark's ref, we can't afford to rewire/redecorate and it seems that replacing the existing fittings with double insulated or class 2 fittings would be acceptable.

Any other thoughts?

 

[plugwash]

You could try digging around in the ceiling there could well be a junction box up there with an earth in it, had to do this recently, ended up cutting a bit of the ceiling away to gain access to the JB but it was covered by the new light fitting.

IF YOU DO THIS THEN YOU ABSOLOUTELY MUST TEST THAT THE EARTH IS ACTUALLY CONNECTED BACK TO THE MAIN EARTH TERMINAL. If someone has cut back one earth there is a good chance they will have done the same in other places.