Double insulated light fixtures

unsurewut · 03-03-2026 09:48AM #1

Hi all, my place has old style wiring rather than new. When I had a fitting put in recently, i was advised by the electrician that it technically wasn't double insulated. Is this a problem due to my old wiring? if so, can i only buy light fixtures which are double insulated? Or is it only a problem with brass/metal plating? Anything i look at online doesn't really tell me about double insulation status, eg this item https://www.diy.ie/departments/goodhome-satin-glass-metal-brass-effect-ceiling-light/5063022031044_BQ.prd?storeId=1331

DublinDilbert · 03-03-2026 10:05AM

You probably have no earth connection to the fitting, hence only doubly insulated fittings should be fitted. It might be easy enough to run an earth connection to the fitting, depending on the location etc. If it is a downstairs light, if you are doing any work upstairs, eg changing carpet/floors etc, run a 1.5mm sq earth wire to the fitting location. If it is in bedroom it should be easy to run an earth wire from the attic to the fitting.

unsurewut · 03-03-2026 10:11AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124280395#Comment_124280395

its an apartment. There is an attic upstairs which requires a quite long ladder to get into. How big of a deal/job is it for an electrician to do this? I am actually most likely about to get plasterboard removed from a ceiling over it, due to water damage, would that be a good opportunity to fit an earth wire? I presume I would still have the same problem with every other light fitting in the apartment

10-10-20 · 03-03-2026 02:34PM

"technically wasn't double insulated" is an interesting statement as it means that the fitting is compliant on paper, but that he's not entirely happy with the execution of the installation or the insulation within it. Double-insulated would typically mean that an earth is not required to be supplied as the wiring within the device is double-insulated - except there are Class II (double insulated) light fittings which also have an earth bonding point which goes against the definition of true class II (https://ansell-lighting.com/en/articles/technical/what-does-the-term-electrical-class-mean-and-how-will-it-provide-protection-against-electrical-shock).

As DublinDilbert said with older wiring is likely to be with the lack of an earth at the ceiling wiring terminal, and he may have had a preference to run an earth out to the fitting to provide some additional protection as perhaps the fitting included that earth wiring.

You could go to all of the trouble of having him back to rewire, but in reality it's only going to be a partial-job unless the whole apartment is rewired, so I'd stay with the existing setup in the knowledge that the light fitting is installed outside of a standard touch zone, and you know that it's not to be serviced, cleaned or repaired with the power turned on. That's just my take on it, not an electrician's guidance.

unsurewut · 09-03-2026 06:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124281093#Comment_124281093

I'm aware of that, my question was moreso what to do for the next new light fitting, anticipating the same problem

Double insulated light fixtures

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