Running 1.5mm wire from 2.5mm ring for lighting

[myksterx]

Hi. 
im new hopefully i dont get hammered. 
 

searched the net alot for answer, to then get alot of mixed views etc which lead me to sign up here to try and get an answer for myself lol. 
 

i have a man cave. 
its own 32amp breaker on circuit board for 2.5mm socket ring.

it also has a seperate breaker on circuit board for 1.5mm lighting. 
 

I have had the ceiling plastered now, so the 1.5mm wires are gone buried. 
 

but i have built a leanto at the back of the garden were i want to run around 8 LED spotlights. 
 

i am able to spur off my 2.5mm ring that has a 32amp breaker for my lighting in the lean to. This is pretty much the only option i got atm. 
 

is this safe to do so?

also - what parts do i need to downsize amps or current or what not to adhere to the 1.5mm cable for my lights. 
 

OR

do i run 2.5mm cable as a replacement for 1.5mm cable as ide be spuring from a 2.5mm ring

——

hopefully this makes sense, if its safe to do so, just need to know what i need to do to make the spur off safe

 

[Sharpend]

Put your fused spur into the ring with a 3amp fuse in it and then your 1.5mm on outgoing side. 

 

[myksterx]

Put your fused spur into the ring with a 3amp fuse in it and then your 1.5mm on outgoing side. 

thanks

so i can spur off one of my socket in my man cave on the ring connected to the 32amp Circuit Breaker on Fuse Board. 
 

from that with 2.5mm wire to my switched fused spur with 3amp fuse and then 1.5mm coming out to my lights?

just confirming before i do this im about to do it today about dinner time - just throwing wires in before i connect anything

 

[Sharpend]

 

[Doc Hudson]

thanks

so i can spur off one of my socket in my man cave on the ring connected to the 32amp Circuit Breaker on Fuse Board. 
 

from that with 2.5mm wire to my switched fused spur with 3amp fuse and then 1.5mm coming out to my lights?

just confirming before i do this im about to do it today about dinner time - just throwing wires in before i connect anything

Why are you using 1.5mm?   1.0mm would probably be a lot easier for terminating into your light fittings.  Most modern light fittings have terminals that are the smallest they can get away with in the manufacturing process.

Doc H.

 

[myksterx]

Was only using 1.5mm because thats all i know of tbh. 
 

always told 1.5mm for lighting and 2.5mm for sockets in general household electrics. 
 

i think ill go for the 1.5mm only because i already have a huge reel of it. 

so 1mm wore in future would be ok for LED spotlights?

would it also be ok for normal general lighting in houses?

 

[Murdoch]

Was only using 1.5mm because thats all i know of tbh. 
 

always told 1.5mm for lighting and 2.5mm for sockets in general household electrics. 
 

i think ill go for the 1.5mm only because i already have a huge reel of it. 

so 1mm wore in future would be ok for LED spotlights?

would it also be ok for normal general lighting in houses?

You doing this in your home or for paying customers?

 

[kerching]

1.5mm for the lights?     Good luck with that one, I admire your determination

 

[ProDave]

I am firmly in the 1mm for lights camp.  1.5 is too big for a lot of modern light fittings. There would have to be a very good reason to persuade me to use 1.5mm

 

[kerching]

I put up a light fitting for a mate yesterday......the terminals were not big enough to fit a 1mm! total and utter liquidy yellow  

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

always told 1.5mm for lighting and 2.5mm for sockets in general household electrics. 

That is from the same school of thought that says..

If the circuit has sockets it must be configured as a ring circuit!!!

Complete  Tosh!! :shakehead

( A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.... )

You design a circuit by establishing what load you need to supply...

Verify if any volt-drop or cable de-rating issues are applicable..

Confirm what protective device rating is required  and ensure your selected cable size is adequate for all of the above criteria..

There are numerous cases where the assumption sockets= 2.5mm & lights=1.5mm  will be totally wrong!"

The logic of that assumption would be on a par with..

My car has a tow bar fitted...  So I should ALWAYS tow a trailer!!

or..

I need a new lounge carpet.. So I had better carpet the whole house as well!

etc..  daft to say the least...

You design and select your circuit parameters according to the loads..  

Not just a fixed idea that the bloke-down-the-pub said about what cables should be used.

:C

 

[Evans Electric]

I've always advocated 1.00mm  for lighting   & have taken stick for it over the years as some folk  are steeped into the   .." Lights is 1.5 mm   1.00mm doesn't exist "  acquired learning  .    

These days with  an LED  lighting circuit pulling  0.0000001 A     and as said , the stupid terminals in some fittings , domestically , 1.00m  makes sense .  

 

[Geoff1946]

An elderly and very experienced spark I used to know considered using 1.5 was simply a better quality job, and that 1.0mm was too flimsy.

 

[kerching]

I've wired lights in 2.5..........but it was a F big 1000sq m showroom

all done on Klix 

 

[myksterx]

You doing this in your home or for paying customers?

this is for myself mate i am not a sparky but i know the basics its simply for myself and for future reference

1.5mm for the lights?     Good luck with that one, I admire your determination

is this because of the fitments people are saying are really small these days?

I am firmly in the 1mm for lights camp.  1.5 is too big for a lot of modern light fittings. There would have to be a very good reason to persuade me to use 1.5mm

more people are saying 1mm over 1.5mm, i will use 1mm no problem, its only for some spotlights in a build at the back, it also saves me buying 1.5mm and hitting the issue of it not going in

 

[myksterx]

That is from the same school of thought that says..

If the circuit has sockets it must be configured as a ring circuit!!!

Complete  Tosh!! :shakehead

( A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.... )

You design a circuit by establishing what load you need to supply...

Verify if any volt-drop or cable de-rating issues are applicable..

Confirm what protective device rating is required  and ensure your selected cable size is adequate for all of the above criteria..

There are numerous cases where the assumption sockets= 2.5mm & lights=1.5mm  will be totally wrong!"

The logic of that assumption would be on a par with..

My car has a tow bar fitted...  So I should ALWAYS tow a trailer!!

or..

I need a new lounge carpet.. So I had better carpet the whole house as well!

etc..  daft to say the least...

You design and select your circuit parameters according to the loads..  

Not just a fixed idea that the bloke-down-the-pub said about what cables should be used.

:C

the 2.5mm ring on 32amp breaker in circuit board is 100% a complete ring with zero spurs coming off. I done it myself. (In my man cave / garage)

so in this case i just needed to know if it was safe and if it was, what was the best way to do it. 
 

as i have read on these replys, im listening and this is what im going to do;

add a 3amp unswitched spur coming off my 2.5mm ring which is on the 32amp breaker. 
 

that will be in 2.5mm. 
 

ill come out of the 3a spur box in 1mm to add 6/8 led spotlights in the build

ill add a wireless remote switch inline too

(i have used these before, i have a remote with upto 5 wireless units to pair to, currently i have my outdoor floodlight paired, and my fence lights paired, with 3 more slots available)

if anyone else has any more recommendations or advice fire away i am all ears

edit:

and thank you for the responses, i didnt think i would get so many

 

[Murdoch]

An elderly and very experienced spark I used to know considered using 1.5 was simply a better quality job, and that 1.0mm was too flimsy.

100% agree - especially with the "push fit" connectors on some lights these days

 

[kerching]

I would be putting a switched fuse spur in to provide double Pole isolation......or a keyswitch version {Click} to save inadvertently switching off

makes it easier for fault finding assuming , that is , that the sockets are protected by an RCD/RCBO?

 

[Evans Electric]

An elderly and very experienced spark I used to know considered using 1.5 was simply a better quality job, and that 1.0mm was too flimsy.

I've heard that many times ,  it comes from working on the  bigger commercial type jobs where the length of cable runs  and numbers of light fittings  precludes  the use of  1.00mm  .   

Nothing wrong with 1.00mm in the  domestic field  .

Some old sparks would carry certain misconceptions with them  ,  one or two I remember would not accept PVC conduit for instance .   One I worked with would net accept the use of a runner   ( Running thread )  when installing steel conduit .    If you  had a great big , awkward   giant set  you'd have to try to wind it  onto the thread ,  which took forever , probably two men , much swearing  and gnashing of teeth ....when the  answer was to make a runner. 

 

[roys]

Some old sparks would carry certain misconceptions with them  ,  one or two I remember would not accept PVC conduit for instance .   One I worked with would net accept the use of a runner   ( Running thread )  when installing steel conduit .    If you  had a great big , awkward   giant set  you'd have to try to wind it  onto the thread ,  which took forever , probably two men , much swearing  and gnashing of teeth ....when the  answer was to make a runner. 

I can’t imagine trying to some of the conduit work without running couplings, it would be like trying to wrestle a snake, wonder what the blokes logic was not putting them in.

You got my memory going when you mentioned runners as I have not done them for many a year but from nowhere I found myself saying 24 threads, 22 for coupling, 2 for lock ring, 13 threads on other side 11 for half coupling 2 for locking. Can’t remember where I have laid my keys this morning but I can remember that sort of stuff.