Advice please

[Airedale_Jon]

So my dad was asking my advice about some changes he wants to make to his house electrics.

He wants to add 10 down lights totalling 500w to his existing lighting circuit. Their is one existing lighting circuit on a 5 amp fuse (old type), which has a total of 14 fittings on it already. I worked it out at 100w per fitting, total 1400W which is 5.83A.

So I suggested that he would need to put the additional 500w lights on a seperate breaker, or split the lighting circuit in to upstairs and downstairs to be on the safe side. Either way he would need a qualified electrician to renew the old fusebox and carry out the work.

So anyway, he gets a qualified electrician in to look at the job, who says "nah you can just put all those lights on the exisiting circuit, you will never have all the house lights on at the same time anyway". He quoted him £300 to put in a new consumer unit.

Not only that, there has never been any earthing in the bathroom, and to this he says "you wont need any earth bonding in the bathroom, because it will be an RCD unit installed, and the CH and water pipes are earthed elsewhere".

This sounds like BS to me. I dont see how he can say that there is no need for equipotential bonding without checking the resistance to earth of all exposed metal work in the bathroom????

Im not a qualified sparky but I think he is wrong on both points. Can any one please confirm?? I dont want my dad to end up getting ripped off.

Thanks, Jon

 

[telectrix]

he is right up to a point. if you apply diversity to the lighting, say 66%, that will bring you design load down to within the rating of the 6A OCPD. however, it would be advantageous to split the lighting into 2 circuits so as to mimimise the inconvenience/dangers of 1 circuit tripping.

as for the bathroom. if he can determine by testing that supplementary bonding is not required, then he's correct.

and £300 is a good price for a new dual RCD CU.

as with everything else. get a second opinion/quote.

edit: has your dad considered the cost savings etc. of using LEDs?

 

[Rockingit]

Jon, you need to trust what sounds like good and true advice!!

You won't need more than a 6A breaker - where are you planning on buying 100W lightbulbs from these days?

There is no requirement for supplimentary bonding to bathrooms and kitchens when the circuit/s are protected by 30mA RCD.

 

[Guitarist]

Does your main water enter the house in the bathroom, or elsewhere?

 

[Airedale_Jon]

Thanks for advice everyone, the water enters the house on the opposite side of the house to the bathroom

 

[Top Cat]

Am i correct in thinking it wont be long before we will not be able to buy 50W halogen down lights?

 

[Guest55]

Am i correct in thinking it wont be long before we will not be able to buy 50W halogen down lights?

Correct , as from next year all bulbs / lamps with an energy efficiency rating less than catergory C will be phased out.
12v halogens will go first from what im aware.

 

[telectrix]

Am i correct in thinking it wont be long before we will not be able to buy 50W halogen down lights?


​youse gonna hafta find anudder way of heating your dustbin, TC.

 

[Guest55]

Am i correct in thinking it wont be long before we will not be able to buy 50W halogen down lights?


​youse gonna hafta find anudder way of heating your dustbin, TC.

solar panel bin lid.

 

[telectrix]

might do better with a rain driven generator.

 

[ipf]

Cinders and ashes ?

 

[Guitarist]

Thanks for advice everyone, the water enters the house on the opposite side of the house to the bathroom

If you have no main water pipe entering the bathroom, the main bonding is all good and the whole house is on an RCD then it is unlikely you will need any supplementary earth bonding in the bathroom.