Attic Electrics...

[Michael Murray]

All, I have just moved into a new (to me) flat, built around 1970. The flat has an attic, to which I have just fitted a folding ladder, and now want to provide power to. I have a few options, and would like advice on the practicalities and regulations of any of them... I want 2x 60W lights, plus 2x 13A sockets (1 for music, 1 for Scalextric set. The sockets will prob be used for very occasional power tool use as well.)

Option 1: As I have a spare 'space' in my consumer unit, and relatively easy access from it to the loft, I could wire up a few lights, sockets etc, and trail a cable down to CU for professional connection. (Q: Would I find an electrician to come for such a small job?)

Option 2: String a spur off the upstairs lighting ring, and (rated 5Amp, with 4 x 60W hanging off it at the moment) (Q: I presume I would have to have this independantly fused. Seems like a fudge, and likely to cause trips?)

Option 3: (Current favourite) Wire in the lights and sockets as per option 1, but fit a standard 13 amp plug to the trailing wire. When using loft, plug this in, in the conveniently located socket in the upper hallway. (Allows conversion to option 1, if I have an electrician around in the future.)

I'd use junction boxes, surface mounted sockets, and 1.5mm cable surface mounted on rafters with cable clips to keep everything visible.

I'd particularly appreciate any reg's info, unhabited space, and if its ok to have trailing plug leading to 'permanent' sockets.

thanks, Michael.

[vivienne wykes]

Hi Michael,

Option 1: Some electricians would be happy to call by and connect up your circuit for a standard hourly rate. I work in Edinburgh and would be happy to do this on the basis that I could inspect the work carried out. In this country we do not have a licensing system for electrical trades so this would work for you. Generally tradesmen are only put off if they beleive the customer wants a mars bar for the price of a milky way.

Option 2: There would not be anything wrong with connecting to your first floor lights to supply your attic . As a guide your 5A circuit, all other things being equal, will be good for around 1000watts. Provided cables are not subject to high temperatures etc.

You could then also spur your sockets from the 1st floor ring.

Option 3: This could be easiest . A bit diy grandfathers outside light standard though.

I would go for option 1

Hope this helps.

Jim Ascroft.

[Owain]

"Michael Murray" wrote | I want 2x 60W lights, plus 2x 13A sockets (1 for music, 1 for | Scalextric set. The sockets will prob be used for very | occasional power tool use as well.) | As I have a spare 'space' in my consumer unit, and relatively | easy access from it to the loft, I could wire up a few lights, | sockets etc, and trail a cable down to CU for professional | connection. | (Q: Would I find an electrician to come for such a small job?)

If you pay him enough :-) Connecting into a CU is not that difficult, the worst bit is making a new hole in the case. A 1970s vintage CU might not have the always live terminals on the incoming main switch particularly well guarded.

| Option 2: | String a spur off the upstairs lighting ring, and (rated 5Amp, with 4 | x 60W hanging off it at the moment) | (Q: I presume I would have to have this independantly fused. Seems | like a fudge, and likely to cause trips?)

Not necessary to have independently fused (it's a 5A circuit anyway). One point however is that if you are have to work on that lighting circuit, it could be handy to have the attic lights on a different circuit.

You say "upstairs lighting ring" - if you have a "downstairs" lighting circuit you could (subject to circuit load) drop the new lighting circuit down to your CU and connect it to the same MCB as your downstairs circuit. Lighting circuits aren't rings, they're radials, and it's acceptable to tee off in this way. Allow 100W per lighting point, or actual load if greater, so provided your circuit doesn't have more than about 10 points already you can add two more.

The above is for lighting only.

For power, you can take one double socket as an unfused spur off a socket on the ring, in 2.5mm cable. You cannot take a spur to two single sockets, and you cannot spur off a spur.

Alternatively, you can take a 15A or 20A radial circuit from the CU, or a

13A fused spur from the ring, in 2.5mm to your attic sockets, and from that fuse down again to 3A for lighting.

One final thing - you could consider upgrading your smoke detector system and adding an emergency lighting unit over that folding ladder.

Owain

[Martin Angove]

[...]

As others have suggested, this is the "best", most permanent and most flexible option. Finding an electrician to connect it may be a problem though - a decent one will want to inspect it and test the new circuit first so you're not necessarily just looking at a 30 minute job and a call-out fee. Where are you, by the way?

You've at least asked the right questions so do you have any inclination to do this part yourself too? Are there any restrictions in your leasehold regarding work like this?

[...]

If you go for option 1, use 2.5mm2 flat "twin and earth" cable from the CU to the sockets and between the sockets. Wire the lights by taking some 2.5mm2 from one of the sockets to a fused connection unit (may be worth using one with an isolating switch too), using a 3 amp fuse in the connection unit and wiring the lights conventionally from there in 1mm2 cable.

This creates a radial circuit (i.e. it "radiates" out from the CU and does not return to it as a ring would) which can be connected in the CU to a fuse of 15A or an MCB of 16A or 20A.

Any more questions, there are plenty of people on this ng who are more than capable of giving correct and clear answers. Me, I'm away for a while.

Hwyl!

M.

[Lurch]

On 16 Aug 2004 10:45:27 -0700, m_ [e-mail] (Michael Murray) strung together this:

This would be the best solution. You should find someone who can do it if you're not confident enough, I would if you were local.

An option, not the best but definitely an option.

Hmm, a bit of a variation on that one would be to just string a couple of lights around in the loft and plug them into a trailing 4 gang lead in the loft along with whatever else you need up there.

[Michael Murray]

All, thanks for the above... pretty much confirmed what I 'knew'. Particularly, that 1 was the way forward, and 3 was an (somewhat elegant) bodge.

I may be back when implementation time comes around... thanks again, m.