"soft Wiring" A Wall Light.

[ProDave]

This one? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Metal-Industrial-Wall-Light-Rustic-Sconce-Lamp-Lounge-Edison-Blub-Blub-/272036333823?hash=item3f56a108ff:g:BhwAAOSwo6lWOd~8

If I was going to use that, I would strip it down and rewire it with a bit of proper insulated flex.

It is VERY important that the L (brown) wire goes to the lamp holder terminal that connects to the centre pin of the lamp, and ther N (blue) goes to the connector that contacts the screw thread of the lamp.

If it came supplied with a 220V lamp, it may not last long on our 240V supply.

 

[Marvo]

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.

Not sure because I haven't seen the fitting but use a plug with a 1A or 3A fuse. Is there any holes in the backplate where fingers or foreign objects can get in?

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?

Not sure if it would be safe but that's the colours, black would be live and white would be neutral. You need a gland at the cable entry to give strain relief ie to stop the cable pulling out of the fitting. You also need to connect the earth of the flex.

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.

Sounds like it requires an earth. The ring terminal on one end would go under a screw that's usually designed to take the earth and the other end would go into the connector block and connect to the earth wire of the supply flex.

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.

Single insulated wiring should be fine if it's enclosed and inaccessible during normal use.It would be safer if your sockets are supplied by an RCD in your consumer unit, if not then maybe use one of those piggyback RCD things that plug in the socket first.

Some things that might determine if it's safe or not might be;

Can internal wiring or components be contacted inadvertently due to holes?

Is the cable secure, has it got strain relief?

Is the fitting stable if it's used as a freestanding item?

Does it have high temp parts that could be touched and cause burns or fires?

Is the earth firmly connected and is the socket RCD protected?

 

[ProDave]

It still makes me laugh that we have to build things with inaccessible terminals, but STILL we are allowed to sell things with accessible ES or BC lamp holders where you can simply unscrew the lamp and insert ones finger onto the live terminals.

I would have expected those types of lamp holder to have been outlawed years ago, and something more akin to a GU10 base with shrouded contacts to have replaced them.

 

[Marvo]

It still makes me laugh that we have to build things with inaccessible terminals, but STILL we are allowed to sell things with accessible ES or BC lamp holders where you can simply unscrew the lamp and insert ones finger onto the live terminals.

I would have expected those types of lamp holder to have been outlawed years ago, and something more akin to a GU10 base with shrouded contacts to have replaced them.

I think having regulations designed around combating blatant stupidity and incompetence is not the way to go, stupidity and incompetence is always going to win and you end up with regs that make the non-stupid majority suffer. I'd cite the requiring of steel CU's as an example.

 

[Aerfen]

Thanks pro Dave and Marvo!

I do have a modern RCD protected circuit board.

That was what I thought one had to do with the earth but wasnt sure so thanks for confirming, Marvo.

This means ll need a three terminal connecter block then.

The picture youve shown is the lamp in question.

You can see why I want to keep the lamp though? Its great, isnt it?

 

[Lurch]

You can see why I want to keep the lamp though? Its great, isnt it?

It's the exact same one I was handed a pair of (complete with matching ceiling lights). I thought they looked terrible, probably be OK in some American diner/chain pub IMO.

 

[Marvo]

I quite like the retro/industrial/steampunk kinda thing if it's done well. I also like brass so it's a winner for me.

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

I know not how true this is, but I was told (many moons ago) That American E.S. lamps have a slightly different thread than UK E.S. lamps. If that is true, you can't use the fittings as the lamps will not fit. But I really would like to know if its true or not, so please, before you wire it with anything, would you try a UK E.S. lamp in it, and does it go in easily?

E.S. being Edison Screw, the lamp style Americans favour.

 

[Lurch]

I know not how true this is

Not in the slightest.

 

[Aerfen]

It's the exact same one I was handed a pair of (complete with matching ceiling lights). I thought they looked terrible, probably be OK in some American diner/chain pub IMO.

And did you totally strip it down and rewire, or did you use the black and white core flex provided?

 

[Lurch]

And did you totally strip it down and rewire, or did you use the black and white core flex provided?

I didn't fit it.

 

[Aerfen]

I know not how true this is, but I was told (many moons ago) That American E.S. lamps have a slightly different thread than UK E.S. lamps. If that is true, you can't use the fittings as the lamps will not fit. But I really would like to know if its true or not, so please, before you wire it with anything, would you try a UK E.S. lamp in it, and does it go in easily?

E.S. being Edison Screw, the lamp style Americans favour.

I just tried a normal British ES bulb in it and it seems to fit just fine.

On a related note, I am thinking of getting one of those 'vintage' braided flex cords to go with it.

Anyone have any worries about their safety?

I didn't fit it.

You didnt think it safe?

 

[Andy™]

providing it complies with relevant BS then it shouldnt be a problem

 

[Lurch]

Anyone have any worries about their safety?

Depends if it's a proper one to a BS spec or a random Chinese one with undersized cores and dodgy insulation.

You didnt think it safe?

Not particularly.

 

[Aerfen]

Depends if it's a proper one to a BS spec or a random Chinese one with undersized cores and dodgy insulation.

Not particularly.

Well obviously when doing a job for a paying customer you do have to be ultra cautious, but would you have considered it unsafe to fit in your own house, and if so why? Just because its all metal or the cores without sheathing?

 You need a gland at the cable entry to give strain relief 

Where can I get hold of that and what does it look like?

 

[Lurch]

Well obviously when doing a job for a paying customer you do have to be ultra cautious, but would you have considered it unsafe to fit in your own house, and if so why?

I'd probably be less likely to fit it in my own home than at a customers TBH.

Just because its all metal or the cores without sheathing

All of the above, amongst other things.

Everything you buy nowadays is cheap Chinese s****, either just blatantly direct imported rubbish or the exact same stuff re-branded.

 

[Aerfen]

Just found one called Tower Male Comp Gland

at Screwfix. Would this do the jobby?

I'd probably be less likely to fit it in my own home than at a customers TBH.


All of the above, amongst other things.

Everything you buy nowadays is cheap Chinese *****, either just blatantly direct imported rubbish or the exact same stuff re-branded.

Quite so. I recently threw away a couple of IKEA lamps which had stopped working. I tried to dismantle them to find the loose connection and repair them but ended up having to throw them both away. They were designed to be disposed of and just didnt dismantle.

I was chatting to the guy in charge of the local recycling centre and he agreed with me how things are not made to be reparable. 

Honestly I swear socks made in China have built in weaknesses too, to make you keep on buying more socks! Out of a pack  at least one will have a hole in it after a couple of wears.

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Not in the slightest.

I just tried a normal British ES bulb in it and it seems to fit just fine.

Thanks to both of you. ;

 

[Marvo]

Where can I get hold of that and what does it look like?

Just about any gland that fits the cable diameter you're using will do. Something like this http://uk.farnell.com/te-connectivity-amp/16mm-grey/cable-gland-pa-10mm-m16-grey/dp/1174593

 

[Aerfen]

Just about any gland that fits the cable diameter you're using will do. Something like this http://uk.farnell.com/te-connectivity-amp/16mm-grey/cable-gland-pa-10mm-m16-grey/dp/1174593

Cheers Marvo!

I am quite looking forward to doing this some time after Christmas!