Acceptable means of making a spare live conductor safe - inside external floodlight

[tlangdon12]

I've got an old floodlight outside my domestic property that I want to replace with a new Low-Energy unit. The new unit has no PIR, so just has a Live, Neutral & Earth connector inside the IP65-rated housing. The connector itself has push-buttons cable clamps a bit like cheap speakers have, so no chance of overtighening any screws!

The old floodlight was PIR-controlled, supplemented with a manual (override) switch from by the back door. A single cable (three-core plus earth) supplies the old unit. The red core is always live and feeds through the PIR, the yellow core is the switched live from the switch by the back door. The blue is the common neutral.

If I swap the old unit for the new, I'm going to have the red conductor left spare and I'm wondering how I should terminate it. I really don't want to have to pull the cable back in side the house and replace it with twin & earth as this will mean lifting the carpets and the floorboards to get at the junction box. Is there an acceptable way to make the spare live conductor save within the light fitting?

As you will guess, I'm not a registered Part-P 'Competent Person', but a capable DIYer. I understand that Part-P allows me to do this work without notifying building control because there is no external junction box involved.

Any advice appreciated - even "Get an Electrician in", if you can explain why.

Cheers

Tony

 

[tlangdon12]

Re: Acceptable means of making a spare live conductor safe - inside external floodlig

Thanks for clarifying. I'll look at the switch as well then.

 

[gamblor6]

Re: Acceptable means of making a spare live conductor safe - inside external floodlig

all spare cores should be connected to earth, disconnect at the switch, dont have a spare perm live at the light.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Re: Acceptable means of making a spare live conductor safe - inside external floodlig

Some NICEIC interpretation for you...

 

[mechelec]

Re: Acceptable means of making a spare live conductor safe - inside external floodlig

Some NICEIC interpretation for you...

Thats the one I read

 

[malcolmsanford]

Re: Acceptable means of making a spare live conductor safe - inside external floodlig

Just playing the devil advocate here, not sure how the NICEIC interprets that connecting loose cable to earth comes under regulation 131.2.1.

Providing as in the NICEIC example and those un terminated cables are in an enclosure, and therefore the enclosure is afording basic protection, why can't the cables be

1) Terminated in a connector block or wago block.
2) Doubled over at the ends and then taped over with insulation tape.

I have yet seen at a DB an isolated circuit either permanent or temporary with all 3 conductors connected into the earting bar. Just an argument

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Re: Acceptable means of making a spare live conductor safe - inside external floodlig

Just playing the devil advocate here, not sure how the NICEIC interprets that connecting loose cable to earth comes under regulation 131.2.1.

Providing as in the NICEIC example and those un terminated cables are in an enclosure, and therefore the enclosure is afording basic protection, why can't the cables be

1) Terminated in a connector block or wago block.
2) Doubled over at the ends and then taped over with insulation tape.

I have yet seen at a DB an isolated circuit either permanent or temporary with all 3 conductors connected into the earting bar. Just an argument

I thought similar, hence my 'interpretation' remark. I'd sooner refer to induced voltages R.E. Sintra's comment before thinking about reg 131.2.1

 

[malcolmsanford]

Re: Acceptable means of making a spare live conductor safe - inside external floodlig

Sometimes I wonder if the NICEIC have missed their calling, rather than being an electrical organisation, perhaps a job in the UN council as intepreters would be more their bag