vanity mirror lights project help needed

[Robbo81]

Happy Friday all. I would like some advice and help with a little project I have been given by the boss ( wife ) she would like a dressing room style mirror with lights either side of the mirror,  I'll try and give as much info as I can to help with answering the question. Although I'm more than capable of doing most jobs I'm sometimes unsure of 'best pactice' or the correct way of doing some electrical work. Our house is a new build ( less than one year ) i have bought 2 lights from ikea . The lights are led lights. Now how I intended to fit these lights may be completely wrong so please advice me if so. There is a 2 gang socket not too far away and my intention was to take a t+e off this to a fuse spur nearer the dressing table and supply the 2 lights from the spur. 

I will take some pictures and post later as may be easier ( for me so I know I'm doing it right ) 

you may all tell me the vanity wall lights should be wired to the lighting circuit but I'm unsure how I could do that and the socket is pretty close to the dressing table 

I hope I've made sense. I will post any more info if needed , pictures too if they would help. 

Thanka all

rob

 

[ProDave]

If this is a free standing mirror / light unit, just sitting on the dressing table, I would simply plug it in to a 13A socket.

I would only think about hard wiring it in some way if it was permanently fixed to the wall.

 

[Robbo81]

If this is a free standing mirror / light unit, just sitting on the dressing table, I would simply plug it in to a 13A socket.

I would only think about hard wiring it in some way if it was permanently fixed to the wall.

Hi Dave . Thank you for your reply. The lights would be perminatly fixed to the wall yes sorry I should have said. I have just taken some pictures which I will post now it may be easier to see what I'm doing ha

 

[Robbo81]

Can't seem to upload pics now haha

the mirror will be fixed onto wall just above dressing table with a strip light either side fixed onto wall. So I'd have to run cables into the wall and as I said my intention was to run cables back to a fused spur which Im picking up off a socket close by. My mrs would be happy with an extension lead ran around the skirting and the lights plugged in below but I hate extension leads ran all over the place 

The only real issue I have is running the cables in the wall without too much making good and cutting out. To one side there's a big void but where the lights are actually going is a stud wall of the en suit 

 

[ProDave]

A stud wall is easy, much easier than chasing out a brick and plaster wall.

There's nothing wrong with a fused spur from a ring final to feed them. Make sure you stick to safe zones to run the cables. If you have to cross studs, accept you will need to cut a bit of plasterboard out to drill the stud, then put it back, fill and make good.

 

[Robbo81]

A stud wall is easy, much easier than chasing out a brick and plaster wall.

There's nothing wrong with a fused spur from a ring final to feed them. Make sure you stick to safe zones to run the cables. If you have to cross studs, accept you will need to cut a bit of plasterboard out to drill the stud, then put it back, fill and make good.

Good man Dave thanks for your answer . 

 

[kerching]

I would have no problem with a fused spur

however, i would have a problem with illuminating present wife's face

some things are better left unlit

just saying

 

[Robbo81]

I would have no problem with a fused spur

however, i would have a problem with illuminating present wife's face

some things are better left unlit

just saying

Hahaha well as I'm on Mrs number 2 I have learnt to do as I am told so if she wants her face lit up in a morning then lit up it shall be lol . Thanks 

 

[Robbo81]

Would 1.5mm twin and earth be ok for this job as I have 25mtrs of the stuff ha or is 2.5 t+e best 

thanks 

 

[bluetobits]

1.5 is fine from the fused spur 

 

[Robbo81]

1.5 is fine from the fused spur 

So if I use 2.5mm from the 2 gang socket to the fused spur I am fine to run 2 - 1.5mm cables from the fuse spur to the lights , should have been more clear I'm sorry , I am putting 2 separate lights either side so I was going to run 2 separate cables to each light from the spur. 

Thanks 

 

[bluetobits]

Yes that sounds ok. Don't forget to de-rate the circuit. What size are the lights? 

 

[ProDave]

That will be fine. I generally prefer 1mm for lighting as some light fittings have tiny terminals, but 1.5 should be fine.

 

[Robbo81]

Yes that sounds ok. Don't forget to de-rate the circuit. What size are the lights? 

The lights are LED and each light has 5 led lights in the fitting , I'm sure they are 5 watts each light fitting so 10 watts. I will re check this though. Sorry for my stupidity when you say de rate ?? Thanks 

That will be fine. I generally prefer 1mm for lighting as some light fittings have tiny terminals, but 1.5 should be fine.

Yes the terminals are very small 

 

[bluetobits]

The lights are LED and each light has 5 led lights in the fitting , I'm sure they are 5 watts each light fitting so 10 watts. I will re check this though. Sorry for my stupidity when you say de rate ?? Thanks 

Apologies, i should have been clearer. Change the fuse in the spur from the standard 13A to 3A or 1A

 

[Robbo81]

Apologies, i should have been clearer. Change the fuse in the spur from the standard 13A to 3A or 1A

Got it. Thanks , this is my major down all when it comes to electrics , I'm a heating engineer so not totally stupid ( maybe a little ) it's working out cable size and fuse rating etc etc I just haven't a clue. Can I ask the importance of changing fuse rating, I obviously understand that too much load on a 3 amp fuse would possible blow  but would there be an issue if I was to leave the 13 amp fuse in the spur ? 

Many thanks to you all for your replies its most helpful 

 

[bluetobits]

With a low lighting load of 10 watts in your case, the current demand is somewhere in the region of 0.04A so the lower the fuse rating the easier it is to clear the fault should one develop on the lighting 

 

[Robbo81]

With a low lighting load of 10 watts in your case, the current demand is somewhere in the region of 0.04A so the lower the fuse rating the easier it is to clear the fault should one develop on the lighting 

I'm with you thanks 

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Or to put it another way.............

The fuse is there to protect the cable. So if your lights develop a fault and they are protected by a 13A fuse the fault current could be in the region of 21A. Which do you suppose will fail first? the fuse or will your tiny light cable get hotter and hotter causing anything near it to ignite?

 

[Robbo81]

Or to put it another way.............

The fuse is there to protect the cable. So if your lights develop a fault and they are protected by a 13A fuse the fault current could be in the region of 21A. Which do you suppose will fail first? the fuse or will your tiny light cable get hotter and hotter causing anything near it to ignite?

I see your point , good explanation thanks buddy