I am planning to prepare some lighting for an outdoor party in the summer, it will consist of 20 100w lamps all wired onto 100m of 1.5mm2 twin and earth, plugged into a domestic socket with a standard 13amp plug - basically a large string of fairy lights. I have a few questions that may just be common sense, but somebody might save me some trouble if I have got it wrong!
Firstly, is this inherently safe? According to my calcs, the 2000w loading should be well covered with 1.5mm cable (up to 3600w, right?) and 13 amp (700-3000w) plug means it is fine to run through a domestic socket. All seem ok?
Secondly, I am wiring it as a radial circuit as none of the lamps need to be switched, just turned on and off at the socket - is this suitable or should I wire this in a ring circuit to reduce loading on the cable?
Thirdly, I have a few options for the fittings - I can either use pendants or fixed batten lamp holders, and have also thought of using junction boxes to tee off the main cable to the fitting I choose. This is mainly a cost consideration, does anyone have an opinion on which would be most suitable?
My main concern is with the strain on the connections, as the string of lights will be strung 3m high from several poles and will sag between the poles - any obvious strengthening methods for each connection? I had thought of fixing the lamp holder/junction box to a scrap of wood and fixing the cable to the other side with cable clips to take any strain off the connections.
Last of all, I was wondering about weather considerations - to construct what I require with all waterproof fixings would be prohibitively expensive. I am hoping that the british climate is kind to us(foolish...) - will those fixings be safe outside in dry summer weather? I am slightly concerned about condensation forming after dark.
Last of all, if someone knows where I could source external light strings (I wonder where blackpool get their illuminations from?) for a reasonable price, please let me know - I am only doing this because I couldn't find them elsewhere.
Cheers,
Jeff
Firstly, is this inherently safe? According to my calcs, the 2000w loading should be well covered with 1.5mm cable (up to 3600w, right?) and 13 amp (700-3000w) plug means it is fine to run through a domestic socket. All seem ok?
Secondly, I am wiring it as a radial circuit as none of the lamps need to be switched, just turned on and off at the socket - is this suitable or should I wire this in a ring circuit to reduce loading on the cable?
Thirdly, I have a few options for the fittings - I can either use pendants or fixed batten lamp holders, and have also thought of using junction boxes to tee off the main cable to the fitting I choose. This is mainly a cost consideration, does anyone have an opinion on which would be most suitable?
My main concern is with the strain on the connections, as the string of lights will be strung 3m high from several poles and will sag between the poles - any obvious strengthening methods for each connection? I had thought of fixing the lamp holder/junction box to a scrap of wood and fixing the cable to the other side with cable clips to take any strain off the connections.
Last of all, I was wondering about weather considerations - to construct what I require with all waterproof fixings would be prohibitively expensive. I am hoping that the british climate is kind to us(foolish...) - will those fixings be safe outside in dry summer weather? I am slightly concerned about condensation forming after dark.
Last of all, if someone knows where I could source external light strings (I wonder where blackpool get their illuminations from?) for a reasonable price, please let me know - I am only doing this because I couldn't find them elsewhere.
Cheers,
Jeff
