Batten lamp holders

[Geordie Spark]

Wow, thanks for all the fast replies! So I take it with LEDs and CFLs (leaving aside the wiping in the dark problems mentioned!), no heat resistant sleeving is required. But is it safe to assume the user won't ever change these for incandescents? The ban widely reported doesn't seem to be in place in reality.

Well I stocked-up on incandescents before the ban came into force and have enough to last me the rest of my life. I take no notice of Part P or the related scams either !!

 

[shocking_eg]

the connection within a batten holder never get that hot !

the case gets slightly warm if anything and that's with a 100w lamp which are now discontinued

 

[MDJ]

yes and lets not forget the 70 degrees regarding the PVC either, I have never used heat resisting sleaving in the 1000 plus batten holders I have installed over the years.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

My mum used to have the habit of fitting 150W lamps in some of her fittings.
Every few years I would cut back the 2core cable and fit a new lamp holder.
I actually found that pendant fittings sold by Woolworths seemed to be the cheapest and best constructed.

 

[Fin170]

It's not like 100w lamps are hard to find, nor are 150w ones if you really want to spite 'dem damn 'uropeans' to quote a lady that was upset when I told her I couldn't put her storage heater back next to the bath.

I can't wait to see the back of them, seen enough heat damaged fittings, wiring and building fabric to conclude they're crap. Decent CFLs (i.e. not tesco homebrand) and LEDs all the way

On that note I wonder when the CFL subsidies will end or at least transfer to LEDs, not herd anything about it in a while

 

[HandySparks]

Decent CFLs (i.e. not tesco homebrand) and LEDs all the way

On that note I wonder when the CFL subsidies will end or at least transfer to LEDs, not herd anything about it in a while

I recon that CFLs will be rapidly superseded by LED. Once they're cheap enough, the advantages of LED will make CFL redundant. Even lower power consumption, instant light, better quality of light, available in small physical sizes, longer lasting lamp (if you don't buy the cheapest rubbish).

- - - Updated - - -

Decent CFLs (i.e. not tesco homebrand) and LEDs all the way

On that note I wonder when the CFL subsidies will end or at least transfer to LEDs, not herd anything about it in a while

I recon that CFLs will be rapidly superseded by LED. Once they're cheap enough, the advantages of LED will make CFL redundant. Even lower power consumption, instant light, better quality of light, available in small physical sizes, longer lasting lamp (if you don't buy the cheapest rubbish).

 

[Geordie Spark]

the connection within a batten holder never get that hot !

the case gets slightly warm if anything and that's with a 100w lamp which are now discontinued

100w lamps are still available. :wink_smile:

 

[Selfmade]

Great. Seems to be a strong consensus that there is only a problem if high powered incandescents are fitted. I will probably still do the loop-in wiring in a junction box above the ceiling and only take the cable supplying the batten holder itself into the batten holder to avoid risking damage to the whole circuit. Thanks all.

 

[Engineer54]

Great. Seems to be a strong consensus that there is only a problem if high powered incandescents are fitted. I will probably still do the loop-in wiring in a junction box above the ceiling and only take the cable supplying the batten holder itself into the batten holder to avoid risking damage to the whole circuit. Thanks all.

Well when you consider the batten holder has been the staple accessory for kitchens, bathrooms, toilets and just about everywhere else a pendant wasn't suitable, for around 60+ years!!!

No need for a junction box either, the worst culprit for heat damaging connecting cables, has disappeared now and 100w lamps are going to be few and far between...

 

[oldtimer]

Never had much problems with these but the newer ones are constructed like a ceiling rose where the old ones had bare terminals at the back plus on the subject of CFL lamps do the work no because the 11watt is meant to equal 60watt but the 11watt is about 50watts thats why people don't like them so how do you get around this easy size up ie take a 60watt out and put a 14watt in works all the time

 

[MDJ]

I will probably still do the loop-in wiring in a junction box above the ceiling

Oh No please don't do that, unless access is easily and redily available, please don't consider that again, I won't sleep tonight now, quite frankely I'm appalled just thinking about this, why would you even ever consider this action?????????????????????????????????????????

 

[Tuttle]

I will probably still do the loop-in wiring in a junction box above the ceiling

I wouldn't do that. I would have thought that you would take the T&E into the batten holder and just individually sleeve the cores with heat resistant sleeving. I wouldn't worry about the sheath as there should be very little of it within the batten holder. The sleeving in HandySparks post looks just right for that.

Having said that though, I wouldn't bother and just take the T&E into the batten holder un-sleeved. That's what I do. I just asked the question originally because I heard it somewhere, just like you did, and wanted to check what others do.

 

[onions1066]

Finish this with a quick vote yes for heatproof sleeving and a no for nothing I'll start with a

NO

and if any yes's come back all I will say is ..............................liar

 

[Selfmade]

Never had much problems with these but the newer ones are constructed like a ceiling rose where the old ones had bare terminals at the back plus on the subject of CFL lamps do the work no because the 11watt is meant to equal 60watt but the 11watt is about 50watts thats why people don't like them so how do you get around this easy size up ie take a 60watt out and put a 14watt in works all the time

I agree. I think it's supposed to be something to do with the quality of the light that makes them appear dimmer than they are supposed to be. I think some of the manufacturers have realised this and are saying that for example a 20W CFL is equal to an 85W incandescent, if such a thing ever existed. I find they vary quite a lot in terms of the time taken to brighten up too.

 

[Selfmade]

On the subject of the junction boxes, I was imagining using a lighting junction box, rather like those used for ELV downlighters (you can get them for 230V as well), which could be withdrawn through the hole made for the cable entering the batten holder. Thinking again about this, I'm not sure if it would be possible to make a big enough hole and then cover this with the batten holder.