Advice on Lighting Circuit

Kimmy · Jan 20, 2019

Hi

In our living room the lights runs off a lighting circuit. 3 plugs which use 3 round pin plugs for lamps.

One particular plug has an extension lead attached. Its a single socket 5amp 3 round pin box. I would like to increase the number of items plugged into this.

Would it be possible to change the plug on a standard 6 plug extension cable to a 3 round pin plug, connect it to the 5amp box and then plug items in as normal, i.e the outside light, another lamp, charger for macbook and a aroma diffuser.

or use this:

13 AMP 4 WAY EXTENSION LEAD WITH 5A BS546A ROUND PIN PLUG SHOP HOTEL PUB 500mm | eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13-AMP-4-WAY-EXTENSION-LEAD-WITH-5A-BS546A-ROUND-PIN-PLUG-SHOP-HOTEL-PUB-500mm/231803021964?hash=item35f8896a8c:g:xVMAAOxypstRX8hM:rk:1

f:0

It says this item is 5a max. Would this mean that the items I want to plug into the extension lead would over power it?

Ideally I would like an extension cable with switches on it as the main switch on the wall works the outside light and the other items would not be on all the time.

Thanks

SparkyChick · Jan 20, 2019

Hi Kimmy,

Welcome to the forums.

Anything is possible, the big question is "Is it advisable?" and the answer is no.

If you need additional socket outlets, my advice is contact a local electrician and have additional socket outlets installed.

The item listing clearly states it is not fused. What this means for you is that you could potentially overload the cabling supplying it and whilst you may have a fuse/circuit breaker rated at 5A/6A respectively, these will not trip under slight overload conditions but the current flowing could be enough to cause damage to the cabling.

telectrix · Jan 20, 2019

what she said^^^^^.if youwant toplug in a 13A extension lead, you must plug it into a BS1363 socket on the Appropriate "power" socket circuit.

GMES · Jan 20, 2019

telectrix said:
what she said^^^^^.if youwant toplug in a 13A extension lead, you must plug it into a BS1363 socket on the Appropriate "power" socket circuit.

Who's "she " the cats mother!!!

johnduffell · Jan 20, 2019

Those lighting sockets are designed for a single light only, due to the lack of overload protection you are not supposed to use splitters/multi way as all circuits that may be subject to an overload need suitable protection. This may be provided in the consumer unit at 6A or it could be 16A.
It sounds like what you actually need is to replace the lighting sockets on the lighting circuit with a normal 13A socket on the normal socket circuit. That would require someone competent to modify the wiring.

ipf · Jan 20, 2019

No 13amp plug sockets in the vicinity?
If not, the easiest solution is to install another.

Pete999 · Jan 20, 2019

ipf said:
No 13amp plug sockets in the vicinity?
If not, the easiest solution is to install another.

Or connect a SFSU to the RFC and wire some new 13A SSO, suitably fused down of course, thus eliminating the need for ugly extension leads, with suitable BS1361 fuses installed in the plug tops, just one suggestion of many I should imagine, you would still need the wiring to be done by someone who is competent and able to test and certify the installation, that's my pennies worth anyway.