Good morning, I have seen variations on this thread in the forum already, but was after advise for my specific question before I proceed. My bathroom currently has a pullcord switch and a single light in a safe zone, which is on the same curcuit as other lights on this floor. I want to change the single light to three mains downligths, one of which will be more or less above the shower cubicle (something like the lights in the link below) http://www.screwfix.com/p/halolite-...e-240v-mains-voltage-bathroom-downlight/48434 I intend to put a spur in near where the existing light fitting (which is accessible from the loft), and wire the three of these into it, and fill the old hole. The wiring circuit appears to be ring format, with the live feed coming from the previous ceiling rose in the bedroom. The question is, do I need to add a RCD between the live feed coming from the bedroom rose and the new spur which the three downlights are going into. Many thanks for any advice.
hi, Its unlikely (although not impossible!) your lighting circuit is in a ring - the three cables will be: loop in (previous fitting) loop out (next fitting) switch (your pull cord) Strictly speaking anything new in your bathroom should be protected by RCD. Because your bathroom lighting is being supplied by the upstairs lighting circuit (correct me if wrong) this means that circuit will need protecting.
RCD protected at the consumer unit for the lighting circuit Also work should be notifiable as a bathroom but ...................
Although (as far as i am aware) this does not mean an RCD can be excluded mate. The reg says something to the effect of 240 lighting, or the supply to SELV must be protected by RCD in a location containing a shower or bath.
Thanks for all the comments guys. If I were to proceed and needed to rcd the whole circuit from the cu, is this something a diyer can do, or is a job for a sparky. Attached is a pic of my cu. Or I could just go for the alternative product suggested, although I'm a bargain hunter and the mains ones are cheaper Many thanks
I suspect that one of those daft regs that's been misinterpreted - an RCD won't be much help if there's a fault of the LV side of an isolated SELV transformer
That board has RCD protection (currently protecting the shower and both ring mains) with two spare ways. You could see if you could move the upstairs lighting circuit on to this.
I wonder if the *theory* behind it is if there were a fault on the secondary side of the transformer; it may be enough to cause an imbalance on the RCD compared to a MCB which wouldn't? Thanks Fats
Thanks fathands, I was wondering if there was any reason why the ring main and lighting was kept separate, if it would be acceptable to move lighting curcuit serving the bathroom over to the other side, that would certainly be an option. Thank you again for your input.
Before I move this mcb (Middle one in the right) to the free space in the left with the rcd (and the associated neutral), could someone please confirm this is safe and legal to so. Many thanks
Hi guys, I moved the mcb for the circuit I was planning for the bathroom onto the rcd side, all was ok until I switched one particular light off. This light switch controls a upstairs landing light which can turned on/off from both up and down stairs. Do I need to move both the light rings circuits (upstairs and down) onto the rcd side to stop this one switch from tripping the rcd. Many thanks for any advise, starting to look like I'm going to have to pay someone to come and sort it out .