probably a stupid question - lighting circuits

[ban-all-sheds]

(Although 1.5mm² is the minimum allowed on 'power' circuits (whatever they are).)

They are not lighting circuits, I guess because lights don't use power.

Oh - hang on - it says somewhere else that power circuits include lighting circuits.

I know - I'll look in Part 2 for a definition of "power circuit". Oh dear.

If I wanted to install a dedicated circuit, on a B6, to supply a number of 5-10W USB 5V charging outlets, I'd have to use 1.5mm², but a dedicated circuit, on a B6, to supply a number of 50-100W lighting points would be OK on 1mm².

Makes perfect sense, surely?

But what if the first thing the circuit served was a single light in the cupboard where the CU is? Would that make it a lighting circuit? Is there a "majority rule" kind of concept which would allow me to add 1 or 2 shaver sockets to a 1mm² lighting circuit without it becoming a "power circuit"?

 

[JohnW2]

If I wanted to install a dedicated circuit, on a B6, to supply a number of 5-10W USB 5V charging outlets, I'd have to use 1.5mm², but a dedicated circuit, on a B6, to supply a number of 50-100W lighting points would be OK on 1mm².

That's how it seems! I suspect that the historical distinction between lighting and 'power' ciircuits has outlived its usefulness.

Indeed, by analogy with your USB charging outlets, ELV lighting is quite interesting, because it could be argued that the circuit is supplying power to a number of power supplies, not directly to 'lighting'!

Kind Regards, John