Loft light

[Deleted2797112]

Me again, sorry!

I've been working in the loft using an inspection light plugged into an 4 gang extension lead (it's the only one I've got that's long enough) that goes down to a socket on the landing below. It's been just about OK but not bright enough really and shaded completely on one side, not to mention the cable trailing around as a trip hazard. I found this left in the loft by the previous owners and thought perhaps they had used it for plugging a light in, in a similar way but annoyingly, the cable is 2-3 feet short.

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I'm thinking that if I buy a new length of cable I could re-wire the socket, screw it onto a post in the loft at the hatch and just drop the cable down to the landing when I need a light. Then, I could fit a better permanent light to one of the rafters, run its cable across the top of the rafters and down the post to the metal socket. My questions are:

- is the metal socket OK to use this way for occasional light in the loft
- what's the correct type of cable to use? It currently has 3 core flex but I can't tell if it's 0.5mm, 0.75mm etc. but it is heavier gauge than any of my other extension leads
- what kind of light fitting could be fitted to a 3 pin plug that would give a bright even light (fluorescent?)
- if the light is screwed to a rafter and the cable attached with cable clips does it fall foul of Part P because it's 'fixed'

I've read a lot of the posts on here about tapping into a ceiling rose and installing a switched light and I think I could do that but I've got too much else that's more urgent at the moment having just moved in and I really just need a quick and easy fix that's gives better light for now.

Thank you!

 

[chivers67]

Wire a new light tapping into a ceiling lights now, don't wire up something that will be a "bodge" take pride in your work everywhere and make this an important job. It shouldn't take much longer than an hour or two at most.

Sure use a make shift light to prepare the light you want to use up there and do as much wiring before having to power down. A head torch is great to use in this instance.

 

[canduit]

I wouldn't use that socket as it very likely doesn't have any strain relief if the cable is pulled. For a quick fix, sure, get a fluorescent tube light and suspended it at high level. You could use 1mm 3 core flex with a plugtop from there to your socket outlet below.Use cable clips to keep out of harms way. Not pretty but not dangerous.

Edit: Ah 2 opinions!! I actually agree mostly with Chivers67 but I think it would take more than 2 hours for a novice. Depends how much time you have.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Thanks both! I have plenty of time but a huge list of stuff to do - I'm half way through topping up the insulation in the loft before the worst of the winter arrives, putting boards down for storage (so that I can unpack the rest of the moving boxes), then I have curtains to make for 2 rooms again hopefully before the worst of the weather arrives, a leaking ladder radiator in the bathroom, a leaking skylight in the loft, radiators that keep filling up with air no matter how often I bleed them, a shed in the garden that I need for dry storage that is currently leaking like a sieve etc. etc.

I definitely do take pride in what I do, I hate bodged stuff or messy detail but it would probably take me more than a couple of hours to do a proper job on a light. When I've not done something previously, I work very slowly with a lot of thinking, planning and checking.

I hadn't thought about the strain on the cable - I knew there was a reason I should ask!

 

[bernardgreen]

Powering a loft light from the top floor light circuit means you cannot have the loft light on when working on the cabling for the top floor lights. Also if the upstairs lights trip OFF then both sides of the loft hatch are in darkness ( at night ) making it hazardous to find your way out of the loft.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

A temporary measure, using both plug, socket-outlet and surface mounted box you have pictured and extending the flex would not contravene any regulations.
You would want the flex to be clipped within the loft, ideally about every 300mm, to prevent stress to cable and prevent any hazards that can occur with having loose cable scattered about the loft and back box securely fixed. In may opinion, florescent tube lights are ideal for loft space providing there is enough head room for it to be fitted without creating another hazard.
Generally using a single tube fitting would not require more than 100W, so the current demand would be less than 1A. So the plug on that part of flex to the light, would only need to rated between 1A-5A, the 3 amp and 5 amps fuses are more readily available but 1 amp and 2 amp do exist.
So using 3 core 1.5mm flex for the light and the plug extension would allow for 16A of current, therefore rated high enough for the extension (plug and socket to carry a standard 13A appliance if required at another time and sufficent for the load of the light and most other lighting added to the loft from there on.
And when it comes to hardwiring the light to your existing installation, it will be compatible and compliant.
As far as the regulations of part p, the aim is to ensure that reasonable provisions are made in design and installation, so following the above method should not fall foul of that.
The loft space is not considered a location that requires any notification applications to building controls, so that is not an issue.
But may I add there are plenty of pre-built 13A extention leads on the market that allow for the socket outlet box to be fixed securely.

 

[ccam108]

Don't bother with the socket. Fit a fluorescent fitting with a long enough 0.75mm^2 flex and plug with 3A fuse to reach the socket downstairs. Clip cable from light fitting to loft hatch. Fit hook to coil the rest of the cable beside hatch to avoid damage.

Job done

 

[Deleted2797112]

Thanks for all the help here! For the short-term solution, I'll have a think about whether to use an extension or not - really whether I'm likely to need a socket up there for anything other than a light I suppose. One of the things I found up there (as well as 4 paintings, a section of a cast-iron fireplace, paint roller and trays, pots of paint, Christmas tree light transformer and I'm only half-way round) is a small de-humidifier. That got me a bit worried but the loft appears to me to be bone dry (apart from one small leak at the corner of the skylight which I will be fixing in the not too distant future) with good airflow so hopefully I won't be needing to use it.

Thanks again for all the input!

 

[streetlighter]

If you do fit a flourescent light get an enclosed fitting IP rated or with a diffuser, because you dont want to be moving things around in the loft reach up quick and smash the tube !