Replacing a non-earthed flourecent light strip fitting with an led. Earth?

[martyb1965]

I want to replace an under-the-counter light strip which is not earthed (the whole fitting is plastic) with an led one. Currently the connector is just live and neutral so there is no requirement to be earthed. Looking at led ones, they have an earth on their connector plugs. Is it required because the housing is metal or is there another reason.

 

[mikeyd]

Yes, probably required. There is small chance the earth terminal is just there to park the cable in, in which case the fitting should be marked as double insulated, and the instructions should make it clear. In the absence of any information to say it doesn't need earthed you HAVE to assume it does. I thought all fixed mains cables should contain an earth (CPC) anyway, but there obviously must be a loop-hole to get around this requirement when used to supply under cupboard lights

The junction box that the white cable goes back to should really be accessible, have you had a look for it?

 

[Iamchamps]

I replaced my old fluescent under counter lights with these http://www.toolstation.com/search?searchstr=33590 59732 70832 74853

No earth needed. Great lights also

 

[martyb1965]

Yes, probably required. There is small chance the earth terminal is just there to park the cable in, in which case the fitting should be marked as double insulated, and the instructions should make it clear. In the absence of any information to say it doesn't need earthed you HAVE to assume it does. I thought all fixed mains cables should contain an earth (CPC) anyway, but there obviously must be a loop-hole to get around this requirement when used to supply under cupboard lights

The junction box that the white cable goes back to should really be accessible, have you had a look for it?

Its just a spur from an adjacent plug socket but only the live and neutral have been routed for this specific light. The reply below looks favorite. thanks for the response.

 

[winston1]

Its just a spur from an adjacent plug socket but only the live and neutral have been routed for this specific light. The reply below looks favorite. thanks for the response.

You mean there is no fusing down? You'd better call in a spark.

 

[SFK]

Marty,
If you can get the Cable fused (it must be fused), but if you cannot get the cable out from behind the cabinet I would suggest the following as a different solution.

If you cannot get the 'Figure of 8' socket terminated cable coming down the back of the Cabinet out from behind the Cabinet, I would suggest buying a 'Figure of 8' extension cable.
Cut it in half so that I had a bare ended cable on one end and a male Figure of 8 plug on the other.
Wire the bare ended cable (live and neutral) into you LED Driver.
Plug the 'Figure of 8' plug that is now on your LED driver into the 'Figure of 8' socket that is at the back of your Cabinet.
Note that as there is no Earth, your LED driver should be the type that is Double Insulated (ie not metal cased) such as these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=LEd+driver


This is the cable I would modify:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/sylvania-led-cabinet-link-light-connecting-cables-3-pack/5928j
or
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_o...RS0&_nkw=Link+Light+Connecting+Cable&_sacat=0 (however I would NOT recommend ebay as many of these cables can be dangerously manufactured).

Please only do this if you know hat you are doing with electricity.

SFK

 

[mikeyd]

Its just a spur from an adjacent plug socket but only the live and neutral have been routed for this specific light. The reply below looks favorite. thanks for the response.

No problem responding. However you need to get this done properly. You can't just connect a light like that into the back of a socket. Even if someone else did, and you are replacing it, I'm not joking that it is very wrong, and also dangerous.

 

[mikeyd]

Erm, just catching up on my recent posts. Has this thread been moderated? It seems to have. I'm pretty sure my reply was a response to a genuine question, now it looks silly. No problem if so though (Hi John, the only Mod. I say you are doing a moderately good, or maybe very good job. B+ maybe?)

 

[Risteard]

I thought all fixed mains cables should contain an earth (CPC) anyway

Clearly not. We're that the case then singles couldn't be used. No Regulation requires that - they require that each point in the wiring has a cpc terminated at them.