Sockets in Airing Cupboard ?? Loftbox

[JAmmmmm]

Hey again, your other advice was much appreciated and was hoping you could help with this matter. I need to install a Loftbox in the loft and it has a 12V transformer that needs power. Under where it is is an airing cupboard (in a bedroom but opens into a bathroom with just a sink and and a loo no bath or shower). Also there is no hot water heater in their as we have a combined boiler, would it be acceptable to take a spur from the upstairs ring and pop a socket in there for the transformer or is it classed as part of the bathroom? Another idea I had was poping it on a switched fused spur from the lights in the loft but concerned about having the mains transformer in the loft because of fire risk? Thank You In Advanced (Airing cupboard is wood frame and plasterboard btw).

 

[ericmark]

It is normally considered any electrics in a bathroom will need a key or tool to assess so if the cupboard is not big enough to walk inside and shut the door then it would need a lock on the door if you fit a socket in it. If you can step inside then it's another room and no problem.

In real terms likely there is no problem.

I have talked about the idea of supplying aerial amplifiers from the lights many times. To fit a 13A socket to the lights and plug in the loft box with a 3A fuse is all well and good until some one wants to plug something else into the socket. Then not only have they tripped the lights but also put their foot through the ceiling trying to get out.

If you don't want to put power in the loft then a mast head amp is the way to go. However if you are also distributing sky that's not an option.

Most loft boxes have built in transformers.

 

[JAmmmmm]

Hey thanks for the reply, I have already bought the loftbox and it definitely has a separate 12v transformer. What if I was to cut the plug off the transformer and connect it to a switched fused unit on a spur in the cupboard? Is that safer than having it in the loft? Its unlikely the transformer will provide a safety fire risk isn't it if its mounded properly? Thanks

 

[electronicsuk]

Hey thanks for the reply, I have already bought the loftbox and it definitely has a separate 12v transformer. What if I was to cut the plug off the transformer and connect it to a switched fused unit on a spur in the cupboard? Is that safer than having it in the loft? Its unlikely the transformer will provide a safety fire risk isn't it if its mounded properly? Thanks

There is no fire risk in mounting the transformer in the loft. The problem, as eric already mentioned, is that if you put a socket into the loft on the lighting circuit, it may well get abused and used for things other than the LoftBox transformer.

Now you're talking about cutting the plug off you've left me a little confused - I thought these things normally came with a wall-wart style transformer, where cutting off the plug would not be possible?

 

[JAmmmmm]

Hey thanks for the reply I know what you mean but this one I have defiantly has a laptop style transformer with the transformer with the two cables coming from it, one the 12V out and the other the 240V in with a normal sealed 13A plug. thanks again

 

[electronicsuk]

In that case, go ahead and feed it from the lighting circuit via a 3A FCU.

 

[Paul-man]

In that case, go ahead and feed it from the lighting circuit via a 3A FCU.

Can this be done multiple times? Ie, someone appears to have already done this in my loft for a shower pump (FCU with the shower hard wired). Can I do it again for a loft box as described by the OP?

 

[electronicsuk]

In that case, go ahead and feed it from the lighting circuit via a 3A FCU.

Can this be done multiple times? Ie, someone appears to have already done this in my loft for a shower pump (FCU with the shower hard wired). Can I do it again for a loft box as described by the OP?

Assuming the circuit isn't overloaded, it shouldn't be a problem, although it's better to avoid putting these sort of loads on lighting circuits if at all possible.

 

[JAmmmmm]

Thanks (Y) I've actually decided to pop the box in an upstairs cupboard along with the modem and have found an old FCU in the airing cupboard (which I believe was used for the the water heater before they realised it needed its own circuit) which is part of the upstairs ring circuit and I thought I could run a cable from that and pop a double socket in the built in the cupboard. I'll put a 5A fuse in the FCU but shall I run 2.5mm cable between the two or is 1.5mm OK? I think 2.5mm?? Thanks

 

[electronicsuk]

1.5mm will be adequate from the load side of the FCU, and in fact would very likely be fine even with a 13A fuse in the FCU, assuming no derating factors.

 

[JAmmmmm]

Fantastic I have a roll of 1.5mm Thanks for the advise