Wiring "stand alone" GU10 light fittings

vicwatson

Bought one of these and wired it up today with 2 core cable to a plug socket, I didn't have an earth wire in it and was unsure if it was safe so tested it with a screw driver by touching the light, it sparked and the bulb blew and rcd flicked down.

I obviously should have used 3 core and earthed it, is that the problem do you think? I stupidly thought I could link one via a plug to a socket like a regular lamp.

Can these be wired with 3 core cable to a plug or MUST they be wired directly to mains?

Thanks in advance

meercat

vicwatson wrote: »

Bought one of these and wired it up today with 2 core cable to a plug socket, I didn't have an earth wire in it and was unsure if it was safe so tested it with a screw driver by touching the light, it sparked and the bulb blew and rcd flicked down.

I obviously should have used 3 core and earthed it, is that the problem do you think? I stupidly thought I could link one via a plug to a socket like a regular lamp.

Can these be wired with 3 core cable to a plug or MUST they be wired directly to mains?

Thanks in advance

i will start this with

electricity is dangerous

i assume you have a gu10 lampholder

this itself does not require an earth connection

any metal parts of the fitting does require an earth however

i have found that when these gu10 lights are switched on ,they are ultra sensitive to vibration and blow,which may have caused your trip to activate

if you are any way unsure ,i would leave it alone

vicwatson

meercat wrote: »

i will start this with

electricity is dangerous

i assume you have a gu10 lampholder

this itself does not require an earth connection

any metal parts of the fitting does require an earth however

i have found that when these gu10 lights are switched on ,they are ultra sensitive to vibration and blow,which may have caused your trip to activate

if you are any way unsure ,i would leave it alone

Thanks for help but I'm trying to discover the difference in wiring these via a 3 pin plug to socket over just plugging a regular lamp into the socket, I don't want a lamp in there as its cumbersome.

Bruthal

The fitting not being earthed would not add to the chance of the trip of MCB/RCD, and in fact greatly reduces the chance of it tripping if there is a fault. That is the idea of earthing, to trip devices if the conductors contact the metal frame.

There is no problem wiring one of these lamps to a 13 amp plug, with a 3 amp fuse in it, but as meercat says, they are not a suitable lamp for moving around, particularly when on.

Where exactly did you touch with the screwdriver?

vicwatson

robbie7730 wrote: »

The fitting not being earthed would not add to the chance of the trip of MCB/RCD, and in fact greatly reduces the chance of it tripping if there is a fault. That is the idea of earthing, to trip devices if the conductors contact the metal frame.

There is no problem wiring one of these lamps to a 13 amp plug, with a 3 amp fuse in it, but as meercat says, they are not a suitable lamp for moving around, particularly when on.

Where exactly did you touch with the screwdriver?

Thanks

I touched the outside of the base of it when it was affixed to the wall. They were fixed to a wooden beam so wont be getting moved around.

I had a 13 amp fuse in the plug, might that have something to do with it?

vicwatson

Similar to this -

Bruthal

vicwatson wrote: »

Thanks

I touched the outside of the base of it when it was affixed to the wall. They were fixed to a wooden beam so wont be getting moved around.

I had a 13 amp fuse in the plug, might that have something to do with it?

Not really, its hard to say what caused the flash or spark without knowing exactly where the spark of flash occured, it probably was just the bulb failing.

But anyway, there is nothing to stop you connecting the lights to 13 amp plugs. Id recommend a 3 amp fuse in the plug(s), and make sure and connect the earth to the fittings.