Downlights with flex help

[Iggifer]

Yea looping in and out with 1.0mm T+E, the design of the fitting (and most fire-rated downlights) keeps the actual terminals & therefore supply cable well away from the source of heat.

We're fitting IP in bathrooms and non-IP everywhere else.

One word of warning though, the white ones don't look white to me and a couple of other guys, they look like they have a bit of a blue hue when fitted on a painted white ceiling

 

[aveatry]

Tiz white that I am after. Hmmmmm I may have to rethink.
Say I went for downlights that needed no earth do I just use those ashley torpedo's for the in- out also maintaining the earth in there and when adding the downlight in the torpedo just wont need connecting to the earth.

Or do I loop in and out with live and neutral at the downlight and put the earth from the T+E in a connector block and a choc box

 

[Iggifer]

I would still loop it at the downlight.

Adding a JB at each point is going to add both extra expenditure and extra points for failures.

 

[aveatry]

So I loop in and out with live and neutral at the downlight and put the earth that the lights dont need from the T+E in a connector block and a choc box

It this ok to do it this way then IF the light connector has enough room for a loop.
The first lights I was looking at in their MI said do not connect to earth
these http://www.screwfix.com/p/robus-fix...ire-rated-downlight-brushed-chrome-240v/99308 (i like the diffuser on the front)

 

[Iggifer]

you can sleeve the earth, bend it back and join them in a connector block outside of the terminal if there is no space inside. It's not ideal but so long as the earth is maintained and sleeved it's not the end of the world - it's a better set up than you have currently

 

[aveatry]

you can sleeve the earth, bend it back and join them in a connector block outside of the terminal if there is no space inside. It's not ideal but so long as the earth is maintained and sleeved it's not the end of the world - it's a better set up than you have currently

Ok thanks just to clarify do I have to put the single earth connector block in to a chocbox or can I leave it as is or wrap green and yellow earth insulating tape around it.
It looks rather lonely in a choc box all by itself

 

[Risteard]

you can sleeve the earth, bend it back and join them in a connector block outside of the terminal if there is no space inside.

The minimum csa of a protective conductor which is not mechanically protected is 4mm^2, so it's not really correct to state that you can do that.

 

[JohnW2]

you can sleeve the earth, bend it back and join them in a connector block outside of the terminal if there is no space inside.

The minimum csa of a protective conductor which is not mechanically protected is 4mm^2, so it's not really correct to state that you can do that.

IMO, that's unnecessarily stretching the regs to their literal limit. We're talking about an (unused) integral CPC of T+E, not a standalone CPC. To regard the final couple of inches of (sleeved) CPC as a "not mechanically protected separate CPC" (just because it exits the fitting) is, IMO, more than a little OTT!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Risteard]

you can sleeve the earth, bend it back and join them in a connector block outside of the terminal if there is no space inside.

The minimum csa of a protective conductor which is not mechanically protected is 4mm^2, so it's not really correct to state that you can do that.

IMO, that's unnecessarily stretching the regs to their literal limit. We're talking about an (unused) integral CPC of T+E, not a standalone CPC. To regard the final couple of inches of (sleeved) CPC as a "not mechanically protected separate CPC" (just because it exits the fitting) is, IMO, more than a little OTT!

Kind Regards, John

Hardly. The sheath is the mechanical protection for the cable, and has been removed. It is not permitted to terminate this outside of the enclosure.

 

[JohnW2]

Hardly. The sheath is the mechanical protection for the cable, and has been removed. It is not permitted to terminate this outside of the enclosure.

As I said, I personally think that view is OTT, but it is obviously your prerogative to disagree.

Furthermore, if it were a separate ('standalone') CPC, I do not really believe that even if the CPC were 'insulated and sheathed' (let alone "not insulated, but sheathed", as in T+E) that would constitute adequate 'mechanical protection' to allow 2.5mm², rather than 4mm², to be used - do you believe it would?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Iggifer]

So what would you do with the cpc then?

 

[aveatry]

i have now got some fittings that do have an earth connection and there is enough room within its onboard connector for a t+e loop in an out which now makes everything straight forward

 

[JohnW2]

So what would you do with the cpc then?

Are you asking me or Risteard? If me, I'd do the same as you - sleeve it and terminate it in a bit of connector block - within the fitting if it could be fitted in safely or, as you suggested, outside of the fitting if it couldn't be safely accommodated within the fitting.

As you imply, I haven't got a clue as to what Risteard might be thinking of as an alternative to one or other of those approaches!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Iggifer]

Yea sorry it was to Risteard, I couldn't be bothered to quote and cut bits out etc etc.

I guess you could use our approach and then put a chocbox over the whole thing

 

[JohnW2]

Yea sorry it was to Risteard, I couldn't be bothered to quote and cut bits out etc etc. ... I guess you could use our approach and then put a chocbox over the whole thing

What 'whole thing'? The light fitting obviously wouldn't fit inside a chock box, so I guess you probably mean the sleeved CPC and its bit of connector block. If so, I doubt that even that would satisfy him, because there would inevitably be at least a bit of that 'unsleeved' CPC (even if only a few mm!) between fitting and chock box

Kind Regards, John