Lighting and Sockets on same feed in House extension

[jimma22]

Hello all, has anyone come across lighting and sockets on same feed, basically a house has been extended, and from the CU it goes out in 2.5mm2 and in the loft it looks like junction boxes have been used to feed the lights in 1.5mm2 instead of laying on a separate feed for lighting. How rough is this.

 

[johnboy6083]

i would say that as long as the maximum load on the 1.5 cable doesnt go above its current carrying capacity, then its ok. Its definately not the way i would install it, but technically theres nothing wrong with it from a bs7671 point of view, apart from maybe division of circuits to avoid inconvenience

 

[Brightspark2]

Very...

Whats the OPD rated at?...

 

[johnboy6083]

the crux of my point above, is that overload protection is not required iof a load is fixed. A lighting load will be fixed. always assume the worst case regarding lamp sizes though, ie 100W pendants, 50W GU10's

 

[kingeri]

I would generally fuse the lighting down to 3 or 5amps though.....

 

[jimma22]

Yeah you would have to label up the 32amp breaker Lts and skts at the moment it just says sockets.

 

[needasparks]

Had this a few times with extensions and conservatories, normally found the lights were from a fused spur from the extended ring

 

[jimma22]

i don't think there is a fused spur on this, cant find one, to me it seems a bit amateur.

 

[needasparks]

Don't think any of us are shocked anymore by what we find sometimes, just when you think you have seen the worst job ever another corker rears its head. If nothing else it keeps us all talking in the wholesalers.

 

[jimma22]

Looking at it today though it looks like the ring main is feeding 5 lights in total. i would of thought at the time of the extension it would of been easier to put a separate feed for the lights in anyway.

 

[trev]

It's often easier to do the job right Jimma. Doesn't stop the idiots ballsing it all up though

 

[needasparks]

You have not said what your job is at this site, are you there to correct this or do something else. what are you going to do about this find ?

 

[jimma22]

Just a job to change a light fitting in the hallway when i went to turn the lighting circuit off the light stayed on, so checked the other breakers and turned off the 32amp breaker, and the lights just went off in the extended part of the house.

 

[Farmelectrics]

Obviously not an electrician you might not be breaking any reqs but it's basic stuff to me sockets and lighting are separate circuits end of

 

[Des 56]

For a lighting circuit incorporating B15 B22 E14 E27 or E40 lampholders maximum 16 amp
559.6.1.6

 

[johnboy6083]

Well there you go, I'm wrong again lol!

 

[shocking_eg]

fit a FCU fused at 5A in the loft where the 1.5mm connects to the 2.5mm - simples