How to Wire a new vintage lamp holder

[finbowles]

Hey all I just bought a new vintage lamp holder from eBay, I assumed that because it has a metal casing that it would need a 3 core wire cable, but it doesn’t seem to have a place for the earth wire. I’ll add some photos, could someone please help to whether I need the earth wire and if so where to put it. Thanks in advance.

 

[telectrix]

to be jonest, i'd not be comfortable supplying that with mains voltage. perhaps you could fit a 12V lamp (LED?) and power it through a transformer/driver.

 

[finbowles]

Thanks for the reply,

what makes you not comfortable with the product?
Cheers

 

[telectrix]

probably made in China. no guarantee that it's safe.does it have a double square marking?. a square within a square symbol.

 

[finbowles]

I bought it from Australia but that doesn’t mean it’s not from China, I feel like it is. It doesn’t have a square within a square but neither do the holders I got from Bunnings.

 

[westward10]

I suspect the cardboard inserts are an attempt to isolate live parts from the metal case. In my eyes this is poor as the installer could easily omit these and still fit it together and whether this card provides adequate isolation is debatable. A lampholder no matter how it is constructed is not likely to be double insulated because there is always access to live parts it can only be all insulated. Having said that you can purchase table or standard lamps which are deemed double insulated.

 

[davesparks]

I doubt that metal switch rod has sufficient insulation between it and the live parts to make it double insulated.

 

[telectrix]

could always fit a ES/SES candle in it.

 

[freddo]

This type of holder is sometimes earthed at the other end of the threaded tube that the lampholder screws onto. What is this holder being fitted to? If it is a wooden lamp earthing might be difficult, and a different type of lamp holder may be more suitable.

 

[westward10]

Years ago when steel containment was the predominant means of providing a cpc 3/4" thread lamp holders were just screwed to the conduit and hence it was reliably earthed. I am not certain but I would assume it is now a requirement for a Class I lamp holder to have an independent earth terminal and not to rely upon other means.

 

[freddo]

I am not certain but I would assume it is now a requirement for a Class I lamp holder to have an independent earth terminal and not to rely upon other means.

Most lampholders in 'chandelier' type fittings will be earthed using the little tubes the L=N wires go in, then the earth is connected to the tube at the base with a ring earth tag. I've not seen many that run a separate earth conductor to the lamp holder.

 

[dmxtothemax]

Quite often the earth is done inside the j box base,
this works fine if it's all metal
how are you using it ?