is wiring correct or incorrect

[padawan]

a domestic electrician was employed by the contractor to install extra emergency lights to existing lighting circuit within a plant room
the existing lighting circuit is wired in 1.5mm FP200 cable and fixed to cable tray for suspended ceiling and wall lights
the electrician used 1.5mm flexible cable tapping off from existing emergency lights
the longest run is 6 metres
the electrician claimed the flex is heat resistant and therefore acceptable

is he correct ?

 

[DefyG]

Does the HR Cable meet the same design criteria as the FP?
If not I would say NO.

 

[Dustydazzler]

does lighting need to be wired in FP ? I’m not so sure it does

 

[loz2754]

If it's feeding self contained energy light fittings then it doesn't need to be fire rated.
However, it would be good practice in my opinion to use the same cable as the original.

 

[timhoward]

It sounds as though it's electrically safe. In terms of being correct or incorrect from the info provided here there's nothing to immediately suggest it wouldn't pass a periodic inspection.
Let's turn the question around: What is it about the environment that necessitates using FP200 for emergency lighting?

 

[padawan]

It sounds as though it's electrically safe. In terms of being correct or incorrect from the info provided here there's nothing to immediately suggest it wouldn't pass a periodic inspection.
Let's turn the question around: What is it about the environment that necessitates using FP200 for emergency lighting?

the plant room is in a commercial building, it contains 2x MCCP's, 3x boilers, LTHW & CHW pump sets, 3x PU's and 2x calorifiers, existing wiring is either enclosed within metal trunking or conduit, only the lighting circuit is wired in FP

could the electrician have used Twin & Earth instead
could the plant room be wired entirely in Twin & Earth

 

[cliffed]

Linking lights with flexes see it quite a lot…my opinion is should be Klick Rise @ each point.
Being a plant room the electrician should of kept with the install already in place.

 

[Grant1987]

a domestic electrician was employed by the contractor to install extra emergency lights to existing lighting circuit within a plant room
the existing lighting circuit is wired in 1.5mm FP200 cable and fixed to cable tray for suspended ceiling and wall lights
the electrician used 1.5mm flexible cable tapping off from existing emergency lights
the longest run is 6 metres
the electrician claimed the flex is heat resistant and therefore acceptable

is he correct ?

It normally is dependant of the specifications of the install if the design/architect specifies a certain type of wiring then that’s what us electricians install. Without going to my van and getting my blue bible out I’m not 100% sure on the thermal characteristics are of each cable type but sounds like you are not happy with the install so you need to provide evidence for your reasoning I don’t think there is anything wrong with the install unless it’s not in accordance to the design spec

 

[Dartlec]

According to my "Electricians Guide to Emergency Lighting"

"Self-contained emergency luminaires do not require fire-protected cable supplies."

It then says that the wiring to self-contained emergency luminaires is actually recommended to be the same as the normal lighting, because of certain 'unusual circumstances' where they may not operate when needed. (not well explained, but I think the case of a fire causing failure of supply to normal luminaires but not the emergency ones and that stopping them detecting the loss of power and thus not operating correctly)

Central supply installations are a different kettle of fish and have to meet BS7671 Chapter 56 (so would need fire protected cables)

There's a separate issue here though of it being a plant room with very different environment to a domestic one, so not sure if that would affect the cable chosen...