wiring 4 E27 light fixtures HELP!

[kingrichard]

Hi everyone im new to the forum
I need help wiring 4 E27 light fixtures in parallel to a plug safely.
on the bottom of the light fixtures it says 4A 250V & each bulb will be around 30 watts

question 1 which fuse do i need for the plug?

question 2 which flex cable do i need? rating in amps & cable size ?

question 3 what is the safest way to connect the wires?

question 4 do i need to use a earth wire?

I would really appreciate as much help and advice as possible

 

[Taylortwocities]

More information needed:

Where are these lights to be situated? Are we talking in a kitchen, a living room, garden?

What sort of lights are they? A photo or website URL is best.

Are these lights double insulated, or do they need an earth connection?

Each light is 40watts, yes?
And you have 4
So that is 4 lamps at 40 watts making 160watts in all. So you would need a 3amp fuse. Cable size 0.75mm² minimum.

Cable type depends on where the lights are to be. Cable in the garden is VERY different to cable in the bedroom

 

[kingrichard]

it's just for my shed so i can do some odd jobs in the winter...i don't need any permanent fixtures i only want it to plug into a extension lead.

these are like the bulbs
http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/product/2206/helix-daylight-energy-saver-30w-es-e27/

i found some old PVC trunking 1000mm the plan is to drill 4 holes to hide all the wires inside and have just 1 wire with a plug coming out the end.

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• kingrichard
• 9 Oct 2011
• 1

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• kingrichard
• 9 Oct 2011
• 1

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• kingrichard
• 9 Oct 2011
• 1

 

[Taylortwocities]

So you'll just loop the wires from lamp to lamp
Live down one side
Neutral down the other
Earth connected to the securing bar at the centre

There's a drawing of how to do it in the much ignored WIKI
see it here //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:parallel


For all the effort you are planning to put in, it would have been much better to just buy a 58watt fluorescent strip lamp. No work involved and the lamp will last 10 times longer than E27 tungsten lamps.

 

[securespark]

Grim.

Not temperature-rated, exposed live parts etc....

I would wire up one of these: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/GLWP158.html

to some of this: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CA1dot5ART3B.html

EDIT: It always takes ages for me to find these links......

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi everyone im new to the forum
I need help wiring 4 E27 light fixtures in parallel to a plug safely.
on the bottom of the light fixtures it says 4A 250V & each bulb will be around 30 watts

question 1 which fuse do i need for the plug?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm's_law

question 2 which flex cable do i need? rating in amps & cable size ?

• 
  
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:mcbtocable
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/cableselection_web.pdf
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html

question 3 what is the safest way to connect the wires?

By using the terminals provided.

But have you thought about what you will do for strain relief?

Have you thought about what you will do about the exposed connections?

Have you thought about what you will do about unsheathed conductors?

question 4 do i need to use a earth wire?

Where would you connect it?

I would really appreciate as much help and advice as possible

My advice is that no way on Earth should you be attempting to make your own electrical items.

 

[bernardgreen]

My advice is that no way on Earth should you be attempting to make your own electrical items.

Perhaps not on earth but on an insulating surface....

But joking aside the questions asked do indicate a lack of the basic knowledge and experience to do the task safely no matter how much information is provided here.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[EFLImpudence]

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• kingrichard
• 9 Oct 2011
• 1

These (rather poor) fittings are supposed to have the lamp holder fitted into a suitably sized hole in the board with the fitting bar and electrical connections made behind the board.

 

[kingrichard]

i've done a little tester

5 amp plug fuse
unknown flex cable
2 infrared bulbs 50w each

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• kingrichard
• 10 Oct 2011
• 1

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• kingrichard
• 10 Oct 2011
• 1

these are like the my fixtures
http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/product/2773/es-e27-ceramic-lampholder/
i still need to be 100% positive about the plug fuse & cable any ideas?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

unknown flex cable

No it isn't.

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• kingrichard
• 10 Oct 2011
• 1

What bits of using sheathed cables and providing strain relief do you not understand?

http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/product/2773/es-e27-ceramic-lampholder/

Interesting link.

Did you read the part which says "Must be installed by qualified electrician"?

i still need to be 100% positive about the plug fuse & cable

Did you not read the info I pointed you at earlier?

any ideas?

My idea is that you should go and buy something properly made and safe.

 

[EFLImpudence]

any ideas?