"soft Wiring" A Wall Light.

[Aerfen]

I have bought an 'industrial' style metal wall light from China, intended to be hard wired. I don't want it hard wired into the wall but just to add a flex and plug it into a socket.

If I buy a connecting block, connect it up black wire (hot?) to brown in the flex , white wire (neutral?) to blue in the flex, would that be safe?

Also they have included a small length of green core with a copper loop, suggesting it should be earthed.

Should it, and how to do that? I have read that metal lights should be earthed but I have a very similar IKEA "soft wired" metal wall light and it has no earth.

Also one other thing, the cores included in the light have no external sheathing, they are just black and white cores. Is that safe? Its ready wired into the light through the tube and into the bulb holder so I really don't want to take that apart.

 

[ProDave]

Sounds like it's typical Chines rubbish, and judging by the colours used, intended for the USA.

I doubt it has a (meaningful) CE mark or complies with any UK regs.

It probably will work, but make your own assessment of whether it's safe or not, in the absence of any proper approvals the official recommendation would be send it back and get something different from a proper supplier.

 

[apprentice87]

Exactly, Made in china = crap. take the thing back or this might end up a christmas to remember [for the wrong reasons]

Ignore things like CE marks and all that, i could write "CE" on something. Buy a decent brand is the best bet, but half of that is chinese rubbish. You only get what you pay for, remember that.....

Your "industrial style" light will give you an industrial sized shock, trust me.

Oh, and you cannot forget trading standards. All they are interested in is annoying people at car boot sales. They WILL NOT go after anyone that threatens to fight their case in court. Bully the trading standards and they back down instantly.

john..

 

[Lurch]

I got given some very similar sounding light fittings to fit on a job the other week. I drew on my many many years of experience in design, installation and manufacturing to work out whether they were safe and whether I could fit them safely. This is not something that is easy to teach someone in a single paragraph.

 

[Aerfen]

Well thats a load of negativity!

I was hoping for some useful advice and my questions to be answered. :-(

I like the lamp a lot and want to use it!

As apprentice 87 says most of the light fittings we buy are made in China.

 

[Andy™]

the light you have is most likely not suitable for the wiring in this country and possibly illegal to be sold here. it could also be dangerous. but why let a little thing like it might kill you or someone else, or burn down the house, stop you fitting it 'because you like it'. id like to see your response to that when your in court after someone else is dead through your ignorance

 

[kerching]

Not wishing to add to the negativity but....there could be insurance implications if someone got hurt from it or it caused any damage.to,property i would have thought.

Brother in Law has purchased something similar from India......3 dangling lamps on 2core cotton covered flex, metal lampholders and all three flexes held together in the ceiling rose with a jubilee clip!

Having said all that, you know what?.......when you hold it up to the ceiling it actually does look as s**** as it did on the table.

I left him a pendant...if he swaps it then it is his problem

Just praying he does not use it

 

[Blue Duck]

It doesn't sound like the light is designed for the EU and maybe only suitable for 110v which could go bang when you stick 230V through it!

If you really want it then I would recommend calling an electrician to rewire it using materials that are suitable for UK voltages.

Not wishing to add to the negativity but....there could be insurance implications if someone got hurt from it or it caused any damage.to,property i would have thought.

Brother in Law has purchased something similar from India......3 dangling lamps on 2core cotton covered flex, metal lampholders and all three flexes held together in the ceiling rose with a jubilee clip!

Having said all that, you know what?.......when you hold it up to the ceiling it actually does look as s**** as it did on the table.

I left him a pendant...if he swaps it then it is his problem

Just praying he does not use it

Don't start that again! mikalor clamps FTW! :lol:

lights from India tend to be ever so slightly dangerous!

 

[kerching]

When i can be arshed i am going to bang 1kV through it.......just for s******* and giggles

 

[ProDave]

It's the fact it came wired in USA colours that worries me most. Are you even sure the lamp holder will take a 230V lamp?

 

[NozSpark]

I had a customer present me with some rather dodgily wired light fittings from Marakesh..... needless to say I rewired them so that now they are nothing but a fancy shade

 

[Aerfen]

It's the fact it came wired in USA colours that worries me most. Are you even sure the lamp holder will take a 230V lamp?

No I am not.

This is how it is described:

110V/220V/E26/E27xST64 bulb

 

[Andy™]

we use 230v here... connect that with a 110v lamp and it wont last very long. go buy one designed for use in this country and throw the one you have in the bin

 

[Aerfen]

The black and white flexes say 0.75mm

 

[Andy™]

you can keep going on about it as much as you want, the simple fact still remains that it is designed for american wiring which is very different to here

 

[ProDave]

Where did you buy it? do you have a link to it on the net?

 

[NozSpark]

The cable will be thick enough to take the current,,,, but will the insulation be thick enough to stop someone getting a shock??

 

[Aerfen]

Yes, ebay:

I cant post links here yet cos I'm a newbie but try ebay search

vintage metal industrial wall light rustic sconce lamp

Looks really cool!

I dont want to throw it away!

The cable will be thick enough to take the current,,,, but will the insulation be thick enough to stop someone getting a shock??

Well thats why I guess it should be earthed, although most lights are not.

 

[Andy™]

Yes, ebay:

I cant post links here yet cos I'm a newbie but try ebay search

vintage metal industrial wall light rustic sconce lamp

Looks really cool!

I dont want to throw it away!

Well thats why I guess it should be earthed, although most lights are not.

the earth is there incase there is a fault, not because you ignorantly rammed double its designed working voltage through it because it 'looks really cool!'

 

[Lurch]

we use 230v here... connect that with a 110v lamp and it wont last very long.

Read posts properly before going off on one.