T&E clipped direct to outside wall.

[seftonbarn]

This post is slightly more detailed than the title suggests. I am fitting a small security light in a covered passageway that exists between 2 ex council houses. The passageway has structure above it which forms internal rooms of this houses. Consequently there is very little natural light in the passageway. There is a need for approx 3 feet of cable run from its exit of the property to the security light. The run will be horizontal at a height of about 7 feet above the ground.

I believe that the cable will unlikely suffer UV degradation or be subjected to mechanical damage due to its location. Please advise if experienced members would consider this acceptable in the eyes of scheme assessors? Also what sort of cable (other than SWA) could be used without using conduit?

 

[chrish_1977]

T&E clipped direct to outside wall.

You could use hituff, or something like that, but if it's not outside, eg weatherproof then I think t+e would be ok

 

[malcolmsanford]

This post is slightly more detailed than the title suggests. I am fitting a small security light in a covered passageway that exists between 2 ex council houses. The passageway has structure above it which forms internal rooms of this houses. Consequently there is very little natural light in the passageway. There is a need for approx 3 feet of cable run from its exit of the property to the security light. The run will be horizontal at a height of about 7 feet above the ground.

I believe that the cable will unlikely suffer UV degradation or be subjected to mechanical damage due to its location. Please advise if experienced members would consider this acceptable in the eyes of scheme assessors? Also what sort of cable (other than SWA) could be used without using conduit?

As Chrish_1977 says Hi-tuf is pretty good for this kind of work. T + E could also be used but IMO would look dog rough. My choice of weapon would be a little bit of MICC but that as lost it's vogue.

So Hi-Tuf would be best, even better would be to use a little bit of tube, why are you not wanting the job to look spot on IMO especially as it seems your going to use this for your assessment

 

[seftonbarn]

As Chrish_1977 says Hi-tuf is pretty good for this kind of work. T + E could also be used but IMO would look dog rough. My choice of weapon would be a little bit of MICC but that as lost it's vogue.

So Hi-Tuf would be best, even better would be to use a little bit of tube, why are you not wanting the job to look spot on IMO especially as it seems your going to use this for your assessment

Thanks Malcolm (and Chris). Looks like there are a number of options which justifies my need to ask the question. I suppose that I could use T&E; but that would invite awkward questions of the assessor; similarly in some respects using hi-tuf may satisfy the UV degegraation issue but may invite questions about mechanical protection. IMO (very limited experience) in this situation the T&E could only be mechanically damaged by someone that wanted to deliberately damage it mechanically and also would not be damaged by UV being that it is permanently in the shade.

In summary; thanks Chris. I think you are right, but for the purposes of an easy time with the assessor I think I will use a bit of tube as recommended by Malcolm.

 

[telectrix]

i would use T/E in 20mm pvc conduit to an adaptable box, then from the box to the light in flex ( colour matched to the light.) using stuffing glands, if the light fitting will not take a 20mm adapter.

 

[KFH]

As above but I would try to locate the light so the conduit can be bushed to it directly. Otherwise as recommended by telectrix.

 

[seftonbarn]

Thanks guys. Very helpful and informative.

 

[seftonbarn]

Ah!!! Just thought. The security light I purchased has a 120W R7 bulb. Am I limited to 100W under Part L

 

[KFH]

Not unless it is a new build. From what you said Part L does not apply.

 

[ash_s3]

Tube with T&E to angle box, then flex from angle box to light fitting via stuffing gland screwed into female adaptor

 

[Richard Burns]

Ah!!! Just thought. The security light I purchased has a 120W R7 bulb. Am I limited to 100W under Part L

Part L will apply but only to the extent that non energy efficient outside lights should be motion and ambient light controlled which as a security light I am assuming it is a PIR one, so no problem.

Edit:sorry part L does apply, but it does not mention external lighting, only the building services compliance guide does and this is 100W max per fitting, I thought it was either controlled automatically or low energy but no, it is an and situation. Just get someone to sign it is requested that it does not meet BR or change for 80W if 78mm.

 

[seftonbarn]

Tube with T&E to angle box, then flex from angle box to light fitting via stuffing gland screwed into female adaptor

Can you get a female adapter/stuffing gland that fits into the angle box?

 

[seftonbarn]

Part L will apply but only to the extent that non energy efficient outside lights should be motion and ambient light controlled which as a security light I am assuming it is a PIR one, so no problem.

Edit:sorry part L does apply, but it does not mention external lighting, only the building services compliance guide does and this is 100W max per fitting, I thought it was either controlled automatically or low energy but no, it is an and situation. Just get someone to sign it is requested that it does not meet BR or change for 80W if 78mm.

Thanks Richard. Does the fitting not have to be designed at Max 100W, rather than just fitting an 80 or100W filament?

 

[Richard Burns]

Part L does not mention external lighting but does say use the BSC guides to comply.
The Domestic building service compliance guide states that for internal lighting the fitting must be either dedicated or fitted with a low energy (>45lm/cW) lamp.
For external lighting it says controlled and lamp capacity <100W per fitting. Whether lamp capacity means can only take <100W per fitting or that it can take <100W per fitting, who knows.
However it would mean that the majority of fittings sold would not meet these requirements.
The alternative is to fit a low energy R7s lamp that is >45lm/cW.

This is the table from the domestic building services compliance guide (hope it formats OK) interpret as you will.

Table 40: Recommended minimum standards for fixed internal and external lighting
Lighting	New and replacement systems	Supplementary information
Fixed internal lighting	a. In the areas affected by the building work, provide low energy light fittings (fixed lights or lighting units) that number not less than three per four of all the light fittings in the main dwelling spaces of those areas (excluding infrequently accessed spaces used for storage, such as cupboards and wardrobes). b. Low energy light fittings should have lamps with a luminous efficacy greater than 45 lamp lumens per circuit-watt and a total output greater than 400 lamp lumens. c. Light fittings whose supplied power is less than 5 circuit-watts are excluded from the overall count of the total number of light fittings.	Light fittings may be either: • dedicated fittings which will have separate control gear and will take only low energy /amps (e.g. pin based fluorescent or compact fluorescent lamps); or • standard fittings supplied with low energy lamps with integrated control gear (e.g. bayonet or Edison screw base compact fluorescent lamps). Light fittings with GLS tungsten filament lamps or tungsten halogen lamps would not meet the standard. The Energy Saving Trust publication GIL 20, "Low energy domestic lighting", gives guidance on identifying suitable locations for fixed energy efficient lighting.
Fixed external lighting	Where fixed external lighting is installed, provide light fittings with the following characteristics: a. Either: i. lamp capacity not greater than 100 lamp-watts per light fitting; and ii. all lamps automatically controlled so as to switch off after the area lit by the fitting becomes unoccupied; and iii. all lamps automatically controlled so as to switch off when daylight is sufficient. b. Or i. lamp efficacy greater than 45 lumens per circuit-watt; and ii. all lamps automatically controlled so as to switch off when daylight is sufficient; and iii. light fittings controllable manually by occupants.

 

[KFH]

Richard,

Thank you for your input. I have read Part L (what an effort) and could not find anything that jumped out at me regarding existing dwellings and lighting apart from you need to do a lot of reading of every interrelated part of the building regs to work out what needs to be reported (nearly everything if you are not a member of a scheme). I had not made it to the building services compliance guide which does say that we have to meet Part L guidance on lighting. More Reading . More paperwork to produce to prove compliance when installed.