Replacing plastic outside light with Metal type

[MarkButNoSpark]

Now Guys I didn't come on here to cause a bust UP!, sound like you have gone rounds before Ha Ha!

I looked on the manufactures site and they seem to give the same advice for everything, I have fired off an email to them as well, my feeling is they are covering themselves and putting the wind up customers, I have done quite a bit DIY Electrics in my time, always adhering to good practice and never outside of my comfort zone, but Regs change so much now I just didn't want to drop a clanger on this one. Thank you all..

 

[EFLImpudence]

Can't you change the internal switch to a fused FCU with RCD built in?

If the circuit does NOT already have an RCD, why would he want to do that, and -

You may need a deeper back box.

possible extra associated work?

I've had a 150watt PIR security light running off my garage lighting circuit for 20 years and it's never tripped the RCD so it's up to you really.

Exactly - sort of.

RCDs are not installed so that you can tell when the lamp is full of water.

 

[winston1]

Or, Mark, you could just ignore what Winston says about the DP switch.

Because he is wrong.

Again.

No I am NOT wrong. With good workmanship there is no reason for the light to become full of water. A double pole switch is nice but not necessary.

I've had a 150watt PIR security light running off my garage lighting circuit for 20 years and it's never tripped the RCD so it's up to you really.

Seems to prove it.

 

[winston1]

If it were not required by law would you drive without wearing a seatbelt on the grounds that you read about someone who had driven for 20 years without needing to wear one?

Off topic, but no I wore one even before the law required it. I am not stupid.

Was it a failure of thinking on your part to not consider that the quality of workmanship wrt the water-tightness of lights themselves is outwith the ability of the installer to control?

No, I assumed he was competent.

Or was it a failure of reasoning in that you did realise that there's a possibility of the light itself leaking but you decided to ignore that?

I assumed he had bought a light fit for purpose. If not he can return it under the Consumer Rights Act.

You are wrong about the advisability of a DP switch, and you are being deliberately unhelpful to the OP when you tell him not to bother fitting one.

No I am not wrong. I said it was up to him but not necessary.

 

[winston1]

Your insults are not welcome. I have once again been forced to report you to the mods. Will you ever learn?

 

[bernardgreen]

No I am NOT wrong. With good workmanship there is no reason for the light to become full of water.

Winston .....
Most lamps are designed to cope with rain water falling from above the lamp, they may not be designed for water rising vertically from under the lamp. If the people you know have the intellect to ignore signs on 13 amp sockets then they may also have the intellect to aim wate from a hose pipe at the under side of a lamp.

Second digit of the IP rating
0 Not protected –
1 Dripping water Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmfull effect.
2 Dripping water when tilted up to 15° Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position.
3 Spraying water Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect.
4 Splashing water Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect.
5 Water jets Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
6 Powerful water jets Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
7 Immersion up to 1m Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion).
8 Immersion beyond 1m The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects.

 

[winston1]

Winston .....
Most lamps are designed to cope with rain water falling from above the lamp, they may not be designed for water rising vertically from under the lamp. If the people you know have the intellect to ignore signs on 13 amp sockets then they may also have the intellect to aim wate from a hose pipe at the under side of a lamp.

Maybe. But such people should not be installing lamps or fiddling with electrics anyway.

 

[bernardgreen]

Maybe. But such people should not be installing lamps or fiddling with electrics anyway.

You were posting about manufacturers and the lamps they make.

 

[MarkButNoSpark]

Ok, so I have checked out the circuits and both my upstairs and downstairs are each covered by there own RCD, so contrary to advice outside of this forum and perhaps logic, the lighting will switch off If the oven trips the circuit.
The lamps I purchased are of good quality, in some ways better than what I am replacing, but exactly the same IP rating.
I have worked in engineering for 45 years, and around electrical and electronic engineers for well over half of that, but I am not an electrician and have no knowledge of the current Regs.
As I stated earlier the instructions threw me and I have just sought clarification, which picking through the information gathered I was directed towards by EFLImpudence, thanks, and thanks to all.

 

[DursleyDonkey]

But not nowadays with CFL or LED lights orders of magnitude less.

One order of magnitude at best.