Heat resistant flex with downlighters?

[LiamPope]

Hi there,

Fitting 5 of these here downlights in me bathroom. They are fire rated as well as F (in the inverted triangle) rated - i.e. can be mounted to flammable material. Instructions even say they can have mineral insulation laid over which I thought was a no-no for downlights.

I'll be using LED GU10s, though I guess I should consider somebody may fit halogens in the future (or do I? I certainly won't and presumably halogen filament bulbs will be banned soon anyway, right? ). So do I need to use heat resistant flex? I know I just as well could, but I've got this utopian no junction boxes anywhere thing going on

Advice appreciated. Cheers,

Liam

 

[Taylortwocities]

The wiring to the terminal block on each light does not need to be heat resistant unless the makers instructions say you need this.
The wiring supplied in the fitting from the termianl block to the light itself will be heat resistant.

Two points:
1. Have you actually tried an LED lamp to see how much light you actually get? IMHO you'll need a torch to have a shave.
2. Are you aware of the regulations re electrical work in a bathroom?
Read here //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p:diy_electrical_work_and_the_law

 

[LiamPope]

Cheers...

1. I actually haven't had the opportunity, but since the decision for downlights has been made (not entirely by myself) I've been paying attention to bathrooms everywhere! (and anywhere else with downlights). I've been in some perfectly well lit rooms a similar size to mine with only a couple of 50W halogens. I'll be using decent 4 or 5W LED GU10s that allegedly have an equivalent output of 35-45W halogens, so I'm hoping it'll be OK. Will be a case of suck it and see. Can always add more, or retain a halogen bulb or two. Also, my shaving mirror has a few LEDs of it's own for that eventuality

2. Yeeeeees . Don't worry - I'm doing a full rewire and it's all on my building notice. Got Part P sitting next to me on top of the Good Book itself, and John Whitfield and the OSG over at the bungalow . Incidentally - had my first fix inspection last week by good old BC. The guy spent about 5 minutes looking at the electrical, and from his mumbling was checking cabling was in safe zones and nothing else. Didn't even want to go up in the loft to see all the lighting wiring and all the other routing that's up there . I like to think he was so impressed with what he did see that he concluded I couldn't possibly have done anything wrong up there. Or maybe his coffee was going cold back at town hall? Ah well at least I know it's all good - this Part P thing's working great isn't it?

 

[ElectricDunc]

I always find it easier to make your mains cables off in to a junction box with a bit of flex (always heat resistant in my case but that's all i keep on the van) in to the terminal block on the fitting. It just makes life simpler as the connectors on the fittings are never really big enough for 2x 1mm-1.5mm cables.

 

[Click-Sure]

Not terminating solid drawn and stranded conductors in a single screw connection are we ElectricDunc?

I keep a few Ashley downlighter junction boxes handy for such eventualities.

 

[bernardgreen]

The wiring to the terminal block on each light does not need to be heat resistant unless the makers instructions say you need this.

Car makers do not say one should not drive into brick walls. Common sense tells most drivers to avoid brick walls. Common sense ( and experience ) tells me PVC cable close to hot things is not good.