UK - Socket light switch combo

[Paulive]

New house has wall light wired into double socket nearby.
Can I replace with socket/switch combo?
If so I can only find cooker switch + socket combo - will this work.

 

[brianmoooore]

New house has wall light wired into double socket nearby.

Do you mean plugged into double socket nearby?
The problem is that you will need to retain the (hopefully 3A) fuse in the plug in the circuit for the light.

 

[Paulive]

Do you mean plugged into double socket nearby?
The problem is that you will need to retain the (hopefully 3A) fuse in the plug in the circuit for the light.

It's not plugged In but wired into the socket wiring and run up through the wall to the light. Like it's piggybacking off the circuit for the double socket.

 

[westward10]

Can you show pics of this set-up.

 

[Lister1987]

New house has wall light wired into double socket nearby.
Can I replace with socket/switch combo?
If so I can only find cooker switch + socket combo - will this work.

If the lighting is wired into the socket (as thr source of supply) then best practice (aside from not doing it in the first place) would be to have a (switched) fuse connection unit, with a suitable fuse and then onward to the lighting circuit, either 3 plate (power fed to ceiling rose first) or 2 plate (power fed to switch first then on to the light.

Advice would always be to get an electrician in to resolve as they can install the lights properly; into a dedicated (local) lighting circuit, instead of tapping off the ring final circuit sockets

 

[brianmoooore]

How is the light switched off and on at the moment?

 

[Paulive]

Can you show pics of this set-up.

Will post up tomorrow when I get the power off again.

 

[Paulive]

How is the light switched off and on at the moment?

Via pull cord built into light fitting. That's the only switch for it.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

If the socket-outlet circuit is protected at 32A, and the light is wired directly into the back of the socket, this is not correct and not completely safe. Depending on the light fitting, it might not be correct with 20A protection either. As mentioned above, the ideal device to use at the point at which the light connects is a fused connection unit that will include the necessary fuse (typically 5A) to protect the light, and the switch that you want. However, it is not available as a double combination unit with a socket*. A cooker switch with socket would not be suitable if a fuse is required as it doesn't include one. A separate FCU would have to be added next to the socket.

*BICC / AEI used to make one in the 4-lug fixing era. It was a purpose-made 2g plate, not modular. I have cash waiting for anyone who finds an example for the museum. I have never seen one for real, only in the catalogue.

 

[westward10]

Or maybe it's the other way the socket outlet is connected from a lighting circuit, probably not but is why I asked for pic.

 

[brianmoooore]

A cooker switch with socket would not be suitable if a fuse is required as it doesn't include one.

Hasn't been available for at least half a century, but iirc, MK used to make a cooker switch with a 5A socket, and this had a cartridge fuse on the front

 

[Dartlec]

Hasn't been available for at least half a century, but iirc, MK used to make a cooker switch with a 5A socket, and this had a cartridge fuse on the front

This one? (15A fuse though it seems)-

Made sense when the old plugs didn't have fuses in.

For OP - clearly the protection issue needs resolving.

If you're talking about replacing the double socket with a switch and single socket it is possible with a modular grid setup - I've done it myself in the past - though I could only find an unswitched single socket in modular form at the time.

it's probably easier to add a fused connection unit beside the existing socket which provides fuse protection and switch in one unit, and leaves the double socket as is. Though that would mean cutting a back box into the wall and might be best left to an electrician (or putting up with a box proud of the wall)

I don't suppose you got any electrical certification for the house (and I'm assuming it's not a new build, just new to you?)

If the setup is as you describe then it may have had similar iffy DIY work done, so it might be worth considering getting an EICR (Electrical installation Condition Report) carried out by a competent electrician which should pick up any other issues you might want to resolve in due course.