Downlighters question and more unusual question

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by yorkshireboy, Jan 26, 2007.

  1. yorkshireboy

    yorkshireboy Member

    I am converting a bungalow to a two storey house,I will be having downlighters fitted in the ceiling do they need to be fire rated.
    When I was a youngster I lived near en electricity pylon and in damp weather the power lines used to make a crackling sound .What would cause this effect and is it true that the power lines are live and not insulated?
    If so why does the current not make the pylon live when everything is wet???
     
  2. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    I am converting a bungalow to a two storey house,I
    will be having downlighters fitted in the ceiling do
    they need to be fire rated.

    Yes because you will have habitable rooms above and you need to maintain the fire rated integrity of the ceiling.

    When I was a youngster I lived near en electricity
    pylon and in damp weather the power lines used to
    make a crackling sound .What would cause this effect
    and is it true that the power lines are live and not
    insulated?
    If so why does the current not make the pylon live
    when everything is wet???

    The cables are not insulated along their length but are insualted from the steel pylons by ceramic stacks which prevent the wires coming in to contact with the pylon. Crackling is quite normal but more pronounced in damp or wet conditions due to magnetic fields and static surrounding the cables.

    UP
     
  3. wally2

    wally2 New Member

    Hi, downlighters, think it depends on the councils & where installed, I wont fit any recessed lights unless there the fire rated ones. pylons, not my subject but the dont need to be insulated up there, it would also add expence & a lot of extra weight. The wires are not directly attached to the pylons, be a big bang if they were, they are insulated from it. Not sure if this is a joke question.
     
  4. yorkshireboy

    yorkshireboy Member

    Not a joke Wally thanks for the reply.
    What I dont understand is this..Say you made a small model of a pylon with bare copper wires connected to the mains and used porcelain to isolate from the pylon.If you then soaked the model with water to simulate rain wouldn,t the pylon become live
     
  5. 12boreblue

    12boreblue New Member

    re downlighters

    unless it is a specific requirement from building reg's control you do not need fire rated downlights, these only stop a fire penetrating a celing for a certain amount of time ie 30 minutes, they do not stop an electrical fire by a fault caused by the downlighters or it's associated wiring. Mind you you can buy 100minute 12volt downlighters from TLC reasonably priced. if the plasterboard is not fire rated whats the point?

    Hope this helps
     
  6. ashyb

    ashyb New Member

    if you have a model of a pylon, you would also have to scale down the size of the rain. its not really the same as pouring a glass of water over it.hope this helps ;)
     
  7. ashyb

    ashyb New Member

    /\ i hope that makes sense?
     

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