Wiring 2 bedside lights and 2 sockets to a plug top?

[zeroms]

Good morning,

Probably an odd one I know, but I am looking to build a headboard similar to the one below, I would like a socket and small lamp each side, with a switch.

Is it possible to do this from a plug top for each side? there are 2 double sockets behind the head board (either side).

Any suggestions on the best way to achieve this please? if possible I don't want to tap in to the existing circuit, as the headboard is likely to move with us next year.

If it's not possible, then what would be the best way to achieve something like this please?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ETAF]

why not just wire them up behind the headboard to a junction box , fixed behind the headboard and then 1 lead goes to 1 of the plugs and plugged into that socket - no need to touch any electrics
and then when you move - its all ready to plug into the new position assuming the new house has a plug near the bedhead

or you could wire them separately to each socket either side - but if they each have a switch on each then no need to do that

a 20A junction box attached to the back of the headboard -

20A 4-Terminal Junction Box White - Screwfix

as the board will be out from the wall by the thickness of the skirting, this is 29mm deep

then some 0.5mm or 0.75mm flexible cable - 3core , so you have an Earth , if using metal casing on the lights

 

[zeroms]

Thanks for the reply, if I were to put a double socket either side would a single plug each side support this? The wife will probably have straighteners and a hairdryer her side

I guess I could fix the headboard and extend the sockets to the front of the headboard, I guess i would then need a spur for the two lights?

Thanks again

 

[ETAF]

there are 2 double sockets behind the head board (either side).

are you saying these are not possible to get to , once the headboard is in place and so you want to extend the 2 sockets into the room ?

whats the power rating of the Straighteners and Hair dryer - my wife has used on an extension lead in past and blown a fuse - but that also had other things in -
a plug is 13A

I guess the straighteners maybe 200W ish , but the hairdryer could be quite high - maybe 2Kw, 2000W (10A)

 

[zeroms]

I'd think you're bang on, the straighteners are 3amp and the hairdryer 10amp.

The sockets would be hidden behind, I could tap into the circuit and bring the sockets to the front of the headboard by extending the flex.

Pretty sure I'll need a spur for the lights if I do this?

Thanks

 

[ETAF]

A plug is 13A fused, I would not want all that on 1 plug
and will get quite hot when running at the max current for a longish period
although the hair dryer will not be on and running all the time , but enough
so its how you divide it up

i would have it with multiple plugs , appropriately fused, using the existing 2 double sockets
but that would be a bit messy behind the headboard

other more qualified may answer - but thats what i would do , split it all up

 

[JohnW2]

A plug is 13A fused, I would not want all that on 1 plug and will get quite hot when running at the max current for a longish period although the hair dryer will not be on and running all the time , but enough

I would personally say that you are being unnecessarily pessimistic/cautious. The ("3A") straighteners and ("10A") hair dryer will presumably not be used simultaneously, and neither will be used for appreciable periods of time

Kind Regards, John

 

[ETAF]

I would personally say that you are being unnecessarily pessimistic/cautious

OK
i did say

other more qualified may answer - but thats what i would do , split it all up

Just my daughter used to dry her hair and have the straighteners also plugged in for quite a while - 40mins or so
BUT - thats just what i would do .... not have everything run from just 1 plug , when there are more than one socket available.
so maybe over cautious

 

[Colin Brenton]

Personally, I'd do each side of the bed individually, so a 13A plug to 1.5mm flex, to the new double socket outlet and on to a 3A fused FCU which will act as your light switch. Repeat on the other side of the bed and job's a goodun.

HTH

 

[JohnW2]

Personally, I'd do each side of the bed individually, so a 13A plug to 1.5mm flex, to the new double socket outlet and on to a 3A fused FCU which will act as your light switch. Repeat on the other side of the bed and job's a goodun.

I thought that that was precise what the OP was proposing to do?

However, his concerns seem to be that the straighteners and hair dryer (potentially totally about 13A) might be used simultaneously on one side of the bed, hence all being fed via one 13A plug (plugged into one of the existing sockets. As I have said, I would not personally be concerned about that.

Also, per what you suggested, I personally probably wouldn't bother with an FCU for the light, but others may well disagree!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

OK .... i did say

other more qualified may answer - but thats what i would do , split it all up

You did. I'm not in any way "qualified", but I'd nevertheless be happy with what was proposed - after all, the very worst case is that 13A would be drawn through a 13A plug with a 13A fuse for a limited period of time (i.e. not 'for hours', or more).

Just my daughter used to dry her hair and have the straighteners also plugged in for quite a while - 40mins or so .... BUT - thats just what i would do .... not have everything run from just 1 plug , when there are more than one socket available. so maybe over cautious

I have no problem with 'over-cautious', which is certainly better than the opposite! However, even if it happened (and I doubt it often would), 13A through a 13A plug for 40 minutes ought not to be a problem. However, it's for the OP to decide.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Tigercubrider]

I would get a couple of short extension leads, fused at 10/13A.
some extension boards have slots on the back to hook onto screws.

Either screw them to the wall or the rear of the headboard and use a standard plug on each item.

 

[JohnW2]

I would get a couple of short extension leads, fused at 10/13A. ... some extension boards have slots on the back to hook onto screws. ... Either screw them to the wall or the rear of the headboard and use a standard plug on each item.

Same problem that I've just mentioned to ETAF - unless both extension leads went to the same side of the bed AND the user was educated not to plug both appliances into one of them, the OP's apparent concerns about potentially 13A going through one 13A plug (for a modest period of time) would still exist. As said, I do not share his concerns.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

To be a stickler, if you are going to use the term then I think you should spell it "plugtop" if that is its name.

There are many words in England that don't sound right, but are still correct.

Why are you so determined to perpetuate the name when 'plug' is all you need.

Some say as long as we know what is meant. that is all that matters but do you think 'everyone' would know what a 'plug top' means?

 

[sparkwright]

To be a stickler, if you are going to use the term then I think you should spell it "plugtop" if that is its name.

That's fine by me.

Having it as one word, ie 'plugtop' should show a significant difference to two separate words ie 'plug top'.

As two words, 'plug top' does suggest 'top of the plug' or 'the plug's top' more so than the word 'plugtop' which isn't so much an everyday word than a specific name for something that I suspect not all will be familiar with.

I've always known them as 'plugs' or 'plugtops'.


As an apprentice, I was tempted to ask 'Why do you call them plugtops when you have the whole plug?'

It really seemed to me that one could buy just the top of the plug, presumably I felt as the 'lids' or 'tops' were more prone to getting damaged, and could be replaced with changing the entire plug.

Amazing what you think up when you are confused.

Thankfully, I wasn't foolish enough to make myself sound so annoyingly childish about it - and soon realised many things have daft or misleading names, historically, so my piece of input wasn't going to cut any ice.