Re-doing electrician's work, cable advice required

[dman91]

Hi everyone,

Re-doing a new kitchen. Decided to put some under cupboard lighting as well as 2 in-cupboard lights.

Found an electrician on website where they get rated, job done great.
I look into the work carried out and he has fitted 7mm 3 Core 240 cables for 12V LED cupboard lights that connect using 2 Core cable.

So now I have to rip those out and get the 2 core cables in. Lucky that there is only 6 lights.

I'd like to ask if this cable, I've found would be suitable for 12V, 0.75A lights?

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wc...ay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=386574

Thanks in advance

 

[Taylortwocities]

That cable is good for 6amps, so it will be fine for 0.75A, even if its 6 x 0,75A.

what's wrong with the existing cable?

 

[dman91]

Hi Taylortwocities,

The current cable connections do not fit in the spur box and are very hard to move around.

I mean, you cant actually screw the lid to the metal box fitted in the wall.

Regards,

 

[Lectrician]

Photos

 

[dman91]

It seems that diynot.com are having issues with uplaoding images. I'll try again later.

 

[sparkwright]

Don't know what you mean by 7 mm cable.

Is this the overall diameter of the cable by any chance?

 

[dman91]

Sorry it's a 6mm cable just like this one

http://www.wickes.co.uk/twin+earth-cable-6mmx5m/invt/156183/

 

[flyingsparks]

Are you sure it's 6mm? Is that the width across it, if so likely that's a 1mm csa cable. Cable sizing is measured as the cross sectional area of the copper conductor. Photos would be good. We like photos!

 

[EFLImpudence]

The measurements used are 6 square mm. cross sectional area of the conductors.

Are you sure? It's hard enough wiring 6mm² to a cooker, let alone lights.
//www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:flatpvccables

 

[dman91]

Ok sorry for the confusion gentlemen, I've compared the cable installed for the lights and it's the 2.5mm2 CSA.

I've worked on embedded circuits (and yes I know it may not be the same as domestic house wiring), but it just does not make sense to me to use a 240V 38A cable for 12V 0.74A lights. Am I just being too picky?

Regards,

 

[dman91]

These are the images.

View media item 74345
This is as much as the spur will go into the wall
View media item 74346
View media item 74347

 

[securespark]

OK. Firstly that looks like a flateplate accessory. If it is, it will likely require a minimum of 35mm depth box.

Second, how many cables are in the back box?

Third, why is there a need for SELV and LV cables to share an enclosure like that?

Fourth, not all cables appear to be in the safe zones.

 

[dman91]

Secure spark,

There are 3-4 cables coming into the back box.

SELV cables and LV cables? When you hire a professional, you think they know what they are doing.

I have no idea what safe zones are.

Thanks

 

[Lectrician]

You sure its not 1.5mm? Difficult to tell from pics.

Each lighting point should have an earth taken to it, even if the fitting in class two, so changing to two core is not compliant.

The whole lot doesn't look particularly professional to be honest.

 

[dman91]

The lighting setup has its own AC-DC converter box so there's a wire coming in and then 2 cables come out for LEDs cause ground for them is not needed.