lighting circuit

[clarke24]

I have installed some downlights in my kitchen / diner i was told that the number of lights i have installed would overload the 6 amp breaker i have used 1.5mm cable so can i increase the size of the breaker? and how do I claculate the load of the lamps they are 60w low voltage lamps. The way i tought I could solve this problem was to put the two banks of lights on two seperate circuits but (which ive done) but i put both crcuits in one two gang switch which i now believe is wrong because if one circuit is isolated the other is still live.
hope i havent waffled on too much
Appreciate youre help.

 

[IanDB]

Using the tried and tested equation of Watts = Volts x Amps the absolute maximum number of 60W lights you can run off your 6A breaker will be 23.

However, as yours are low voltage there's some additional loss through the low voltage supply circuitry so you're probably looking at 20. Out of interest how many have you got?

i put both crcuits in one two gang switch which i now believe is wrong because if one circuit is isolated the other is still live.

Yes, you are quite correct, that's dangerous.

 

[plugwash]

mmm one possibility is grid plus

apprently it comes with warning labels which stick on the grid for multi cuircuit installs

this means you don't have ugly labels visiable or prone to damage but someone should see the markings before they fullly expose live cores (the grid should act as a barrier to IP2X (same as the barriers inside your CU are supposed to)

 

[clarke24]

if i have used 1.5mm cable is it ok to use a 10 amp breaker to up the ammount of lights to 40?
there are 12 lights in the kitchen and the same in the dinning half plus a couple of under cupboard lights on the same circuit as the kitchen.

 

[plugwash]

should be ok