Low voltage lights downstairs

[pjmelvin]

hi,

I want to replace some ceiling roses downstairs with sets of low voltage spots and have two questions:

1. I have purchased 50W fire rated downlights as someone told me i needed to, is this correct? (i assume it doesn't matter if i use them but if i need to buy more do i have to buy fire rated?)

2. I want to install a set of lights in a shape, eg circle or square, are there any requirements in the regs for minimum distance between the spot lights.

They will be installed in single thickness plasterboard, in the hall, living room etc.

thanks paul

 

[revjames]

I may be wrong but I think as long as its all the same property ie upstairs not a separate flat then normal ones would be OK downstairs. Regs about distance from combustible surfaces but AFAIK nothing about spacing.

 

[Evans Electric]

They need to be Fire Rated . Read the paperwork with the fitting for clearance frome combustable materials , probably 40mm . Ensure the ceiling space has no ancient , tinder dry newspaper etc. stuffed in there.

Spacing between fittings is up to you but 1mtr is a rule of thumb. Remember to avoid floor joists.

 

[Lurch]

They need to be Fire Rated .

They only need to be fire rated if the surface they are being fitted into is fire rated. The fittings should match or exceed the rating of the surface they are in.

 

[revjames]

They only need to be fire rated if the surface they are being fitted into is fire rated. The fittings should match or exceed the rating of the surface they are in.

Thats what I thought. Otherwise just about every downlighter on the market would be fire rated.

 

[batty]

If you do do the job don't forget to notify council as low voltage downlights come under part p.

 

[Andy™]

yet you can install mains and not come under part P (depending on location)

 

[batty]

[quote name='Andy

 

[Andy™]

Crazy that.

just like the whole part p thing

 

[tom1]

if the elv are CE pre wired does'nt that exclude them from being notifiable?

 

[Zeespark]

I think you may be correct in your thinking Tom.

AndyGuinness

 

[batty]

if the elv are CE pre wired does'nt that exclude them from being notifiable?

Very true but generally those kits have 20 watt lamps so in this case they are not ce kits also I would not think they are fire rated.

 

[ianmacd]

They only need to be fire rated if the surface they are being fitted into is fire rated. The fittings should match or exceed the rating of the surface they are in.

I always thought it was if there was a habitable room above they needed to be fire rated. I always try and fit fire rated even if only a loft above as they tend to "run cooler" than the open designs and less prone to overheated when the

 

[Lurch]

I always thought it was if there was a habitable room above they needed to be fire rated.

That is part of it, but it depends what is below it. Bedroom above a lounge, no fire rating needed, bedroom above a garage, fire rating needed. Not an exhaustive list obviously.

 

[ianmacd]

TBH Its probably safer to always fit fire rated, for peace of mind if nothing else.

 

[Lurch]

TBH Its probably safer to always fit fire rated, for peace of mind if nothing else.

How so? If the surafce isn;t fire rated fitting fire rated downlighters doesn;t make anything safer. False sense of security if you say fitting fire rated is peace of mind.

Not saying there's anything wrong with fitting fire rated, I fit them all the time when they're not necessarily required, but that's usually because they're what is in stock\on offer\looks nice etc... I wouldn't sell them as giving any improved fire rating if fitting into a non fire rated surface though.

 

[Apache]

TBH Its probably safer to always fit fire rated, for peace of mind if nothing else.

How so? If the surafce isn;t fire rated fitting fire rated downlighters doesn;t make anything safer. False sense of security if you say fitting fire rated is peace of mind.

I think the point Ian makes is that if you ALWAYS fit fire rated downlighters you will NEVER be wrong! So safer in that sense, not that it magically stops the house catching fire!

 

[ianmacd]

Indeed, thanks patch.

 

[Lurch]

I think the point Ian makes is that if you ALWAYS fit fire rated downlighters you will NEVER be wrong! So safer in that sense, not that it magically stops the house catching fire!

Yes, fair point, as long as all parties involved understand that.

 

[Evans Electric]

The OP stated a plasterboard ceiling , so 1/2 hour fire rated at least, therefore fire rated fittings required . Surely all the downstairs ceilings in a house are fire rated.

Whether he notifies the job is another subject, perhaps he should do the same as everyone who buys the cheapo, non fire rated carp from the DIY sheds and installs them themselves must do, which would be to inform their LBC ,pay them the