Sockets on a lighting circuit - C3 or C2?

Dartlec · Aug 24, 2022

Fun EICR at an HMO today, which was installed new 5 years ago (not particularly well!)

Lots of niggly things that I'll sort, but in the kitchen cupboards were two unswitched sockets which confused me for a while.

Turns out they are connected to the lighting circuit, switched by their own switch by the door - apparently originally for pelmet lighting that was never installed.

[ElectriciansForums.net] Sockets on a lighting circuit - C3 or C2?

I'll likely blank them off anyway, but was thinking about how I'd code it and swinging between a C2 and a C3.

Everything is RCD protected, so that's not an issue. 6A breaker should trip fast enough to avoid any long term overload of the cable (1.5mm)

In purely terms of actual or potential danger, where would others put it? It's clearly bad workmanship and something that should never have been installed 5 years ago, and there's an argument for putting C2 just to ensure it gets changed, but that's rather against the spirit of the codes - Is there enough potential danger to reach a C2..

Dustydazzler · Aug 24, 2022

Seen quite a few new builds in recent years with a 13amp socket on a 6a breaker for the boiler to be plugged into

loz2754 · Aug 24, 2022

As there is no immediate danger, nor any potential danger, it doesn't warrant a code.
Maybe just a note.

westward10 · Aug 25, 2022

I see no issue at all there is nothing to say you cannot fit a 13A socket on a lighting circuit, it isn't bad workmanship and there is no potential danger.

littlespark · Aug 25, 2022

Agreed. It’s not “general” power.

Some of these pelmet lights come with plugs attached… designed to be plugged in.
Not easily accessible location… no different to a socket in attic for tv amp taking from lights.

You could label it, I suppose.

Pretty Mouth · Aug 25, 2022

No code, 559.5.1(v). A label would be nice though.

pc1966 · Aug 25, 2022

Here it probably has no danger.

But if it could be mistaken for a normal power outlet and so trip out all lights at night due to someone plugging in a heater then I would argue it had a danger to it.

UNG · Aug 25, 2022

This is one of those problems that isn't helped by the lighting manufacturers who supply power supplies and LED drivers that come as a 13A plugin units for their low voltage lighting, it is one of those evils of poor design that doesn't have many if any options to avoid

pc1966 said:
But if it could be mistaken for a normal power outlet and so trip out all lights at night due to someone plugging in a heater then I would argue it had a danger to it.

It could be argued that connecting outside lighting to an indoor lighting circuit could trip out all the lighting if water gets into an outside light should that be considered a danger

DPG · Aug 25, 2022

I had a 13A socket in my loft for years for powering an aerial amplifier and saw no issue with that at all. However I did put a dymo label on it to indicate that it was fed from the lighting circuit.

As UNG says, it's not always possible to put a 5A socket on for lighting these days because of the plug-in transformers.

pc1966 · Aug 25, 2022

UNG said:
This is one of those problems that isn't helped by the lighting manufacturers who supply power supplies and LED drivers that come as a 13A plugin units for their low voltage lighting, it is one of those evils of poor design that doesn't have many if any options to avoid

Very true.

UNG said:
It could be argued that connecting outside lighting to an indoor lighting circuit could trip out all the lighting if water gets into an outside light should that be considered a danger

Ideally they would be separate circuits.

But there is also a big difference between that where it is a possible fault-condition that trips the lights, and a 13A socket inviting usage of items well above the 6A limit such as heaters, vacuum cleaners, etc.

OK here it is not in such a location that would be likely, but that was my earlier point about the accessibility of such a socket impacting its risk. Had it been a 5A socket then no issue as clearly not normal use-case and if used in-design then 5A is available.

Dustydazzler · Aug 25, 2022

As above tv amp in loft often plugged into a single 13am ssocket feed nicked from a light , have even done this for low watt shower pumps in the loft space

Sometimes I have put a 13am socket ontop of kicthen cupboards for the under unit lights to plug starighnt into feed / swicthed off the light switch set up

as mentioned seen quite a few boilers on a 13am plug off a 6am mcb

in America they have quite a few mixed 16 and 10am mixed circuits with sockets ( receptacles ) and lights all on the same ting

pc1966 · Aug 25, 2022

Dustydazzler said:
As above tv amp in loft often plugged into a single 13am ssocket feed nicked from a light , have even done this for low watt shower pumps in the loft space

Sometimes I have put a 13am socket ontop of kicthen cupboards for the under unit lights to plug starighnt into feed / swicthed off the light switch set up

To me those are fine as special use out of the normal locations you would expect to see a socket, and in most cases will have the load permanently plugged in.

Dustydazzler said:
as mentioned seen quite a few boilers on a 13am plug off a 6am mcb

Odd, I would have used a FCU, but if clearly marked for the boiler in its cupboard space then no issue.

Dustydazzler said:
in America they have quite a few mixed 16 and 10am mixed circuits with sockets ( receptacles ) and lights all on the same ting

Yes, they have some odd practices over there.

pc1966 · Aug 25, 2022

Dustydazzler said:
as mentioned seen quite a few boilers on a 13am plug off a 6am mcb

Any idea why the 6A MCB, were they wired in 1mm (a technical no-no until AM2 for power circuit)?

I would have just gone 16A 1.5mm radial and then a 3A of 5A fuse on the FCU or 13A plug for the actual load.

Dustydazzler · Aug 25, 2022

pc1966 said:
Any idea why the 6A MCB, were they wired in 1mm (a technical no-no until AM2 for power circuit)?

I would have just gone 16A 1.5mm radial and then a 3A of 5A fuse on the FCU or 13A plug for the actual load.

seen them wires in all sorts , 1mm , 1.5 and 2.5

probably what ever the contractor had to hand

pc1966 · Aug 25, 2022

Dustydazzler said:
seen them wires in all sorts , 1mm , 1.5 and 2.5

probably what ever the contractor had to hand

To be fair, I would probably have used 2.5mm just because I generally only have 1mm lights or 2.5mm for RFC/small radial lying around...

Sockets on a lighting circuit - C3 or C2?

Dartlec

Dustydazzler

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loz2754

westward10

littlespark

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Pretty Mouth

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pc1966

UNG

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DPG

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pc1966

Dustydazzler

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pc1966

pc1966

Dustydazzler

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pc1966

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