under cabinet lighting

[zuzuzu]

hello all.
I am planning to install under cabinet lighting in my kitchen. Just need some clarification on the setup.

I plan on taking the power supply from a socket to a fused spur switch using 2.5mm cable and then connect to the lighting using 1.5mm. Is this standard? Just a question on the fused spur.. I have read on forums to use a fused spur with a 3amp fuse. Can you get a 3amp fused spur? Or is it a case of getting a 13amp one and changing the fuse?

thanks!

 

[Chri5]

Since the fused spur, even with the wrong max fuse can only draw 13 amp you could use 1.5 mm between socket and fused spur.

All fused spurs come out the box with 13 amp fuses so you will need to buy the correct sized fuse as a separate item.

I'm not clear on the load (wattage) of the intended lights. Add up the total wattage of all lighting that will run via the fused spur.

Watts / 230v = amps, just to confirm 3 amp is correct.

 

[zuzuzu]

thanks for the reply. I only plan to run 2 slimline Fluorescent lights in parallel from the spur. These are 13watt bulbs so 3amp will cover them.

 

[FDJ]

Since the fused spur, even with the wrong max fuse can only draw 13 amp you could use 1.5 mm between socket and fused spur.

I would use 2.5mm to the FCU otherwise you will have 1.5mm protected by a 32A breaker.
Frank

 

[zuzuzu]

so there are 2 live, 2 neutral and 2 earth wires connecting into the double socket. Is it safe to connect another 2.5mm from this to an 3amp FCU as a supply for the lights?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Since the fused spur, even with the wrong max fuse can only draw 13 amp you could use 1.5 mm between socket and fused spur.

I would use 2.5mm to the FCU otherwise you will have 1.5mm protected by a 32A breaker.

Then you will have 2.5mm² protected by a 32A breaker?

 

[SimonH2]

I would use 2.5mm to the FCU otherwise you will have 1.5mm protected by a 32A breaker.

It will be protected for faults by the 32A breaker, and for overloads by the 3A fuse. This is explicitly allowed in the regs (with some restrictions).

I suspect the reasoning is that having a fault, in a 2m length of cable, that causes an overload in excess of the CCC of the cable, but below the tripping current of the upstream protection device is ... to say the least ... unlikely.