Lighting circuit BS 546 5 Amp 3 pin socket ? help please

[aniris]

Hi,

I am a newbie renovating my flat. A friend of mine told me I need to have a separate circuits for lights in my bedroom (e.g. bedside lamps...) equipped with 5A 3 round pin sockets. Apparently to comply with BS 546.

I have never seen these 3 pin sockets before (nor the plugs) and I am a bit surprised to hear I need to have different sockets compared with the traditionnal 15A british sockets.

Could someone tell me what I am supposed to do ? have 15A sockets or 5a sockets (with 3 rounds pins) ?

Thanks for your help


Lawrence

 

[monkeyelectric]

Hi,

I am a newbie renovating my flat. A friend of mine told me I need to have a separate circuits for lights in my bedroom (e.g. bedside lamps...) equipped with 5A 3 round pin sockets. Apparently to comply with BS 546.

I have never seen these 3 pin sockets before (nor the plugs) and I am a bit surprised to hear I need to have different sockets compared with the traditionnal 15A british sockets.

Could someone tell me what I am supposed to do ? have 15A sockets or 5a sockets (with 3 rounds pins) ?

Thanks for your help


Lawrence

Hi, you generally only put 5 amp round poles in when you put a normal light switch to switch the lamps on and off, its either taken from the lighting circuit or a fused spur, most bedside lamps have there own switch so you just plug them in and they have a 3 amp plugtop fuse in them, its all down to what you require really

 

[mrloy99]

Hi,

I am a newbie renovating my flat. A friend of mine told me I need to have a separate circuits for lights in my bedroom (e.g. bedside lamps...) equipped with 5A 3 round pin sockets. Apparently to comply with BS 546.

I have never seen these 3 pin sockets before (nor the plugs) and I am a bit surprised to hear I need to have different sockets compared with the traditionnal 15A british sockets.

Could someone tell me what I am supposed to do ? have 15A sockets or 5a sockets (with 3 rounds pins) ?

Thanks for your help


Lawrence

Hi Lawrence,
The thinking behind this requirement is that if you were to wire your lighting sockets into the lighting circuit,ie switched from normal light switch,using standard 13amp sockets, someone could come along and plug in a heater,kettle or other high current using equipment--causing your circuit breaker to trip or your fuse to blow,as it would normally be rated at 5 or 6amps,to protect the 1.5mm wiring.......5amp sockets are available from your local electrical equipment supplier...they may have to order them in for you........Alternatively if you really wanted to use 13amp square pin sockets and you wanted to go down the rewireing route,the new circuit could be wired using 2.5mm cable,with a 16amp circuit breaker,but you would need to have your light switch rated at a suitable ampage also.
As previous poster suggests you might find it more convenient using the general power
circuit and operating the light via its own built in switch...or via remote control or even sound activated one...clap hands...lights on!

 

[patricklondon]

15amp plug tops are usually for theatre lighting and unfused. the 5 amp lighting plugs have mostly gone out of fashion but are sometimes used in larger (posher) houses and hotels for overloading reasons as above. also a few lamps can all be switched on or off by the wall switch.theres no reason why it must be done one way or the other if the wiring etc is correct and safe

 

[Paul P]

I have a lounge full of 5a sockets for my table lights switched by the door, commimg off the lighting circuit. NICEIC instector never had a problem with them.

 

[Dan]

Just bumping some threads in the Electrical Wiring Theories and Regulations forum category here on our Electricians Forums. If this specific topic isn't current, just ignore it, it'll drop off the list in no time. However, if it's something you'd like to contribute to, feel free to reply and bring it back into current discussion.