UK Outside lights

[Mistynov]

Hi. This may have been asked over and over again but just looking for a straight answer if there is one.
So my plan, install 2 lights near my front door. Am pretty confident with house electrics and did a college course some years ago on the basics so my idea is.
Convert a single socket to a RCD socket , use standard plug into this out thro the wall into a dusk till dawn sensor, from the sensor into junction box and split two ways 1 to each light. Reason for converting socket is i hace been told its safer to have a RCD socket and 3amp plug than just a 3amp spur on a none RCD circuit which is how previous electrician did the side house lights.
So with the above does this part p come into play
Thank you

 

[Baddegg]

Will come under part p mate as extending or altering a circuit.....lighting circuit will require rcd protection under the 18th but an rcd socket is a bit of a grey area as I believe the iet have admitted a slip up and are now saying they are compliant although it says otherwise in the 18th edition....but hang around as someone a lot wiser than me will be along shortly

 

[buzzlightyear]

https://www.niceic.com/Niceic.com/media/Schemes/NICEIC-Part-P-Updated-Factsheet.pdf
altering a circuit does not part p,read above but how ever IMOi think you should get a spark in .you could put the lighting on the rcd socket and it will comply.has long its rcd protected .or put a rcd fuse spur in .

 

[Mistynov]

Ok thanks. I thought that as it was going onto a plug its not classes as permenant so would not come under part p.
Should i have had anything from the electrician who fitted the outside side light a week or so ago

 

[telectrix]

i'd fit a RCD FCU (fused spur) rather than a socket.

 

[telectrix]

Will come under part p mate as extending or altering a circuit.....lighting circuit will require rcd protection under the 18th but an rcd socket is a bit of a grey area as I believe the iet have admitted a slip up and are now saying they are compliant although it says otherwise in the 18th edition....but hang around as someone a lot wiser than me will be along shortly

it's not a new circuit so does not fall under part pee.

 

[DPG]

It's sort of half way between fixed and non fixed wiring. If it was just a light fitting on a flex with a 13A plug then things would be clear cut - this case is complicated by the junction box splitting the feed to two lights.

 

[Mistynov]

I have a spare socket not in use . I would spur off it however the socket is flush in tiles so getting it spur'd off means me risking damaging tiles which the wife would kill me. So just thought change it to RCD and its sorted

 

[DPG]

Might as well make use of the spare socket yes. Saves disturbing the fixed wiring.

 

[Andy78]

I have trouble believing an electrician wired some lights via a plug top.

 

[DPG]

I have trouble believing an electrician wired some lights via a plug top.

Are you thinking the OP did it?

 

[Andy78]

Are you thinking the OP did it?

It's quite possible they got someone in, I just doubt that person was an electrician

 

[Mistynov]

The other light fitted was done by a local electrican he went from a double socket into a spur then out thro the wall. My problem with this is the socket he came from isnt on a RCD breaker , he housed the outside cable in awful white pipe which looks horrendous (yes i understand it needs to be covered as in a walk way but white) and i used an electrican for this as i presumed i would get some sort of paper to say it had been done correctly howevee i didnt even get an invoice so i may as well have done it myself saved £50 .
I have spoken to the electrican at my work who wont do it as only does industrial work not resdential and he said the safer way to have the outside lights is on a 3amp rcd plug vs a 3amp spur none rcd hence why i think i may as well do it myself. Use 1.5mm black out door cable, sensor junction box and lights are all ip54 or higher its just the part p i am after clarification on. Out the back the previous owner has installed 2 double sockets and i am running a flood ligyt on a 3amp flex from this but this is all on its own rcd board for outside.
So after the coments its abit in the air. Hummm

 

[dmxtothemax]

Wiring an outside light via a plug and cord would not be acceptable in Australia
So I suggest that you check and see if it is legal over there too.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Wiring an outside light via a plug and cord would not be acceptable in Australia
So I suggest that you check and see if it is legal over there too.

Out of curiosity why not ?

 

[Strima]

Wiring an outside light via a plug and cord would not be acceptable in Australia
So I suggest that you check and see if it is legal over there too.

Nothing in the UK specifically against using a plug for outside lights.

 

[Andy78]

The other light fitted was done by a local electrican he went from a double socket into a spur then out thro the wall. My problem with this is the socket he came from isnt on a RCD breaker , he housed the outside cable in awful white pipe which looks horrendous (yes i understand it needs to be covered as in a walk way but white) and i used an electrican for this as i presumed i would get some sort of paper to say it had been done correctly howevee i didnt even get an invoice so i may as well have done it myself saved £50 .
I have spoken to the electrican at my work who wont do it as only does industrial work not resdential and he said the safer way to have the outside lights is on a 3amp rcd plug vs a 3amp spur none rcd hence why i think i may as well do it myself. Use 1.5mm black out door cable, sensor junction box and lights are all ip54 or higher its just the part p i am after clarification on. Out the back the previous owner has installed 2 double sockets and i am running a flood ligyt on a 3amp flex from this but this is all on its own rcd board for outside.
So after the coments its abit in the air. Hummm

Sorry, seems I misunderstood. I though the previous installer had used a plug arrangement to supply the lights. Seems they used a spur unit but no RCD protection. If that was done this year then the job is not compliant and it should be rectified by the installer.
I think that the advice from the guy at work is tailored towards your desire to do the job yourself and not the best possible professional solution.

 

[Mistynov]

Hi . Yes the other light was done around 8 days ago. To me its rather a nasty looking job, yes the socket is hidden but he has just tapped a big bit of plastic out of it (its a raised socket) fed in the cable to the spur then the cable from the spur just goes over tye top of the socket not held back out the wall which the hold i personally think is way to large and not at an angle downwards out tye wall to a white round block and up thro white 8mm pipe. My thought on doing tge next ones my self is I want a safe job yes but also a bit of pride in my house so make it look a neat job jot just thrown together .
I am no way a profesional and take nothing from guys that do neat and safe work for a living but just a simple light outside on a RCD socket correct cable etc I just cant see the danger , if it was out the back I would just do it my concern is if i do it and round my area we have curtain twitchers i then get a knock on the door from someone. Aswel they may think i did the other job which no way can i take the credit for that and personally would like to redo it removing his spur for a rcd one and tidy up the cable maybe in black pipe so its less in your face