wall light wired off mains wall socket Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[benk]

Hello,
I recently replaced some existing wall lights with new ones.
I found that one of the 4 lights appears to be fed from a spur off the back of a wall socket, instead of by the lighting ring.
I checked that the light was not on the lighting ring by turning off the lighting rings at the fusebox and confirmed that only this light still worked.

I really don't like this, and want to know whether to disconnect that light, or whether it's safe to leave wired. The original light I removed was not even earthed, which I found shocking. The one I have put in place is earthed, but I don't like the idea of it running off the 13A mains instead of the usual 6A lighting ring. The cable used is the thicker 2.5mm twin and earth.

Many thanks for any comments.
B

[sparx]

Hi, if fed from skt via a switched fused connection unit[spur] then it should have a 3A fuse fitted which is quite acceptable & often done in conservatories when sockets added & then light taken off power in this way. if this is method then only 1.0mm2/1.5mm2 required,
if not fused spur then must be changed or removed,
Regards SPARX

[electricman]

If the cable to your wall lights is 2.5mm as you suspect, you have three choices, 1. install a fused connection outlet for each light, next to the socket supplying the light or 2. remove them altogether or 3. unconventional because you have a ring main but you could replace the 32 amp mcb which protects the ring with a 20 amp mcb thus protecting the 2.5 going from the socket to the light but this would of course reduce the current capacuity of the ring main but if it's not used for heavy loads then you would be perfectly safe.