Connecting Kitchen Cabinet Lights?

[ban-all-sheds]

Which one does it not satisfy and why?

It doesn't satisfy any regulations which require an item to be in an enclosure, or to be insulated, or to have mechanical protection, as tape is not an enclosure, nor is it an insulator, nor does it provide mechanical protection.

In short, if there is anything at all required to be done to those connectors then no matter what it is tape won't comply.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Just being assuming now, so take your point on board.
If the connection where placed on top of the wall cabinets and out of reach also the cabinets creating a barrier how would that stand in your book or even the big red one?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are barriers or placing out of reach compliant?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Are barriers or placing out of reach compliant?

Is that for me bas or is it awaiting the OP?

 

[foxhole]

I prefer these http://www.screwfix.com/prods/98011...-Triangular-Downlight-Cabinet-Light-Pack-of-3
as they sit at the rear of the unit allowing cable to be run along top edge of wall in gap behind cup'd and connection is made inside the unit.

Untitled

• foxhole
• 11 Nov 2008
• 10

Just wondered are you chaps discussung the mains connection and wiring or the low voltage side of things.?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are barriers or placing out of reach compliant?

Is that for me bas or is it awaiting the OP?

Hmm... let's think about this.

You posted suggesting placing out of reach or barriers, and immediately following I asked if either of those would be compliant....

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Just wondered are you chaps discussung the mains connection and wiring or the low voltage side of things.?

Mains is Low Voltage (50 - 1000V AC or 120 - 1500V DC).

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Are barriers or placing out of reach compliant?

Is that for me bas or is it awaiting the OP?

Hmm... let's think about this.

You posted suggesting placing out of reach or barriers, and immediately following I asked if either of those would be compliant....

Did I not ask you what your thoughts are on it!

 

[zand108]

Sorry people completely contradicting my original post I am now thinking of connecting my under cabinet lights to the main lighting circuit and replacing the 1G main lightswitch with a 2G lightswitch. which will control both the ceiling light and the under cabinet lights. A neater solution that frees up socket clutter on the worktop.

My lighting circuit is all wired in 1.5mm T+E and is protected by a single 10a breaker in the CU.

Is it ok to power the under cabinet lights by just replacing the 1G switch with this 2G 2W switch and running a second 1.5mm T+E cable to it from a junction box placed on the live feed to the ceiling rose.

Or does there still have to be an FCU somewhere to fuse it down to 3A/5A.

Many Thanks

 

[zand108]

From further reading, this post in particular "kitchen cabinet lights".

I can see that the method I described above for wiring the cabinet lights to the 2G switch is as I envisioned.

But since these lights draw such small amounts of amps I am still unsure if it is ok for them to be protected by the 10a MCB in the CU or if it is better practice to fit a FCU above the cabinet next to the flex outlet fused down to 3A/5A??

 

[flameport]

You can use a double gang switch for the lights. You do not need an FCU, provided the cable used is the same size as the rest of the circuit (1.5mm in this case).

You don't need a junction box either. Since you will have to add an extra cable to the light switch position anyway, one method is:

Replace the T+E from the rose to the light switch with 3core+earth. The cores will be:
permanent live (brown)
switched live (black with brown sleeve)
neutral (grey with blue sleeve)

Permanent live and switched live connect to one of the switches in the same way they do now (for the existing ceiling lights).

For the new lights, you need a T+E from the switch to the lights.
At the switch, use a separate terminal block to connect the neutrals together (one from each cable).
The switched live to the new lights connects to one terminal of the switch.
The second switch terminal is linked to the permanent live on the other switch.

 

[zand108]

I see where your going with the 3 Core + Earth suggestion.

However in my situation the ceiling rose sits directly underneath the part of the kitchen with a flat roof meaning the only way to run new cable between the switch & rose would mean cutting a path into the ceiling then having to get it replastered afterwards.

Whereas the 1G switch sits under a section of the roof which is pitched. and easily accessed from the loft by moving aside some insulation.
The plan would be to have the wire fed down through the stud wall straight into the mounting box using the current wire as a guide, and if all goes to plan foregoing any damage to the plaster.

The live feed to the ceiling rose passes right next to where the switch cable goes down into the stud wall. So seems the ideal location to junction from.
From there I can plan a route down to the cabinet which minimises the damage which I should be able to fill over easily enough once electrician has finished.

My main concern was regarding the need to chase out an additional FCU which you have explained should not be necessary.
Am I right in thinking that you didn't have a problem with the junction box method you just thought the 3 core + earth solution was a more elegant one?

I would be discussing all this with the electrician but I missed his deadline so he wont be back until November.

So thanks for the assistance.

 

[flameport]

Nothing wrong with junction boxes, provided they remain accessible for future inspection.

If you can get to the middle of the cable from the ceiling rose to the switch, it may be possible to pull the new cable through the ceiling void using the old one.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

the electrician.

You'd be surprised what professionals with experience and the right tools can accomplish.