Heavy ceiling lightshade pulling on cable flex - worried

[AJS71]

I have a glass lightshade that is designed to sit between the two halves of that plastic funnel bit (sorry I don't know what it is called ) above the bulb, but I am worried that there is too much weight pulling on the wires in the ceiling rose.

Can you get some kind of cable grip to take the weight against the bottom of the ceiling rose and stop the cable pulling through the hole or would I have to buy a special ceiling unit?

It is not so heavy that I am worried about the ceiling rose pulling away - just the internal wires!

 

[ricicle]

Depending on the CSA of the flex, the maximum allowable mass supportable ranges between 2 to 5 Kg :-

0.5mm² = 2Kg, 0.75mm² = 3Kg, 1.0mm = 5Kg

Pendant flexes are not normally any bigger than those.

These are listed figures for flex, the actual ceiling rose may state less.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

The plastic funnel bit is called a lampholder, they will have two points inside that will allow you to loop your flex/cord in to to support the lampshade, they are also two points inside the ceiling rose that allow the same thing, plus your ceiling rose should be fitted with a cord/flex grip, to help support the weight of the fitting.
But you must assure the lampshade is a suitable weight for the flex and will not put the flex under any stress.

 

[AJS71]

Thanks for such a quick response

There is no grip inside the rose - but at least they exist so a quick trip to B&Q is in order, and I didn't realise that the flex could be looped inside the lampholder section - that would do nicely!

The weight is less than 3kg and I think it is a 0.75mm² flex but I will check that too!

 

[Taylortwocities]

The plastic funnel bit is called a lampholder, they will have two points inside that will allow you to loop your flex/cord in to to support the lampshade, they are also two points inside the ceiling rose that allow the same thing, plus your ceiling rose should be fitted with a cord/flex grip, to help support the weight of the fitting.
But you must assure the lampshade is a suitable weight for the flex and will not put the flex under any stress.

The plastic funnel bit that is immediately above the lamp is called an
"HO SKIRT"

I used to believe (hope) that the name came from the sort of plain, slightly flared skirts that Home Office secretaries were famous for wearing in the 40s & 50s.
Probably with seamed stockings and suspenders.. Oh Matron, time for my bromide....

However, further research has unearthed this more boring trivia (plagiarised from elsewhere):

Years ago (in the 30's/40's) the Factories Act was also known as the Home Office (H.O.) Regulations and parts of this are still referred to in HSE publications (see Appendix 3 of the Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989).
The H.O. shroud (or skirt) achieved compliance with these regulations because it prevented the metal cap of the lamp being touched in damp situations. There were various other standards around in those days including Ministry of Works and Parker Morris requirements ? These required one lighting point and one socket outlet in each room. That was in the days when the bedroom lighting point was not positioned in the centre of the ceiling but offset towards the window because this would prevent the shadow of anyone undressing in the room being seen on the curtains outside! Apparently, the H.O. shroud has even outlived this requirement.

 

[RF Lighting]

This is a home office skirt:

This is not:

I was led to beleive that they were originally specified by the home office as the larger shrouds made it harder to accdentally come into contact with the lampholder pins, before they became common in many public buildings.

I'ts rare to see them on flex drops, but they seem to come as standard on most batten lampholders for some unknown to me reason.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Taylortwocities & RF Lighting
Thank you for the brief history lesson and the added information, you learn something everyday.
But know I can't get the vision of secretaries in seamed stockings and suspenders, out of my head

 

[ban-all-sheds]

This is a home office skirt.

Oh.

What's this, then?

 

[Taylortwocities]

This is a home office skirt.

Oh.

What's this, then?

THAT'S a lampholder