kitchen lighting wiring

[Darren Cooper]

Hi, I'm having a new kitchen next week and will be wiring a few extra sockets in the existing ring-main and also I want to add under-cabinet lighting to the cupboards. What I need to know is can I power these lights from the sockets ring-main or do they *have* to be powered from the lighting ring? I understand part P (I think!) and have notified the council as I have had other building work at the same time so I know I need to have this inspected after I have done it and I want it to be right! I have wired a couple of houses up before but always with seperate socket and lighting rings so this is slightly different. Thanks for any help you can offer, Darren

[Owain]

You can power them from the sockets ring circuit if you use a Fused Connection Unit (FCU) with a 3A fuse in it.

Whether you have a switched FCU, or a separate lightswitch to turn the lights on and off with, is up to you.

Owain

[Andrew Gabriel]

Either is fine. In the case of the ring circuit, the lights must be fused, typically by using an FCU. Personally, I prefer to run them off the lighting circuit so they are all swiched by the doorway, rather than having to wander around the kitchen to turn all the lights on or off.

[Darren Cooper]

thanks all Darren

[chris French]

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

Yeah, in the last kitchen I had the under cabinet lights two way switched from the doorway and under the cabinet. The ones in the current house with just a switch under the cabinet are a pain

[Ben Blaukopf]

I put a set of lights in my last kitchen which required a 3A fuse - i.e. they needed an FCU even on the lighting circuit.

Ben

[Darren Cooper]

Thanks all for the advice Darren