String lights

[Neilyra]

Morning All,

After some advice. My wife would like some string lights in our new utility room that turn off with the rest of the lighting circuit. (Don’t ask!)

What is the best way about going about this? We have a set that is 230v rated with a transformer. Can I put a socket on the lighting circuit, or can they be hard wired to a rose?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Taylortwocities]

We have a set that is 230v rated with a transformer.

I assume that the string lights have a plug in power supply? Therefore a suitable socket will be needed.

Can I put a socket on the lighting circuit, or can they be hard wired to a rose?

There is one person on this forum who disagrees, but wiring regulations allow a 13A socket to be connected to a lighting circuit.
The socket should be marked "lighting only" to prevent your wife plugging a welder in to it.
The socket obviously will need to be connected to the lighting circuit whereever there is a neutral and a switched live connection. This will usually be at the ceiling light. Sometimes it can be connected at the switch, but this depends on the switch wiring.

 

[Neilyra]

Yeah it has a normal plug in power supply . I’ll make sure it’s clearly labelled as a lighting socket

 

[ericmark]

I have independent lights which will all turn on/off together, hey google turn on living room lights works with all lights designated as being living room lights, does not matter it supplied vie a smart light switch or a socket with smart lights plugged into it.

But what @Taylortwocities says is true, you can have sockets on the lighting circuit, the rules say:-
Every installation shall be divided into circuits, as necessary, to:
(i) avoid hazards and minimize inconvenience in the event of a fault
(ii) facilitate safe inspection, testing and maintenance (see also Section 537)
(iii) take account of danger that may arise from the failure of a single circuit such as a lighting circuit
(iv) reduce the possibility of unwanted tripping of RCDs due to excessive protective conductor currents produced by equipment in normal operation
(v) mitigate the effects of electromagnetic interferences (EMI)
(vi) prevent the indirect energizing of a circuit intended to be isolated.

This 2008 edition was in force when we were fitting consumer units with just two RCD's so in affect just two circuits, however one can see the problem having a socket on the lighting circuit, two easy to unplug lights and try using it for vacuum cleaner. I have plugs and sockets on my lights, but they are special lighting types, although you can get covers which allow a plug to be locked into a socket, primary to stop children playing with sockets, these are not big enough to take a wallmart unit.

 

[Neilyra]

Totally understand. The socket will be high level (almost ceiling) so extremely unlikely to be used by mistake.