Load for a 5amp wall socket

[ARW]

But that would not be unsafe,

[ARW]

I believe that NT meant the outside light, under the 17th edition regs may be required to have RCD protection. In this case I do not believe that it does not require RCD protection.

[Andy Burns]

Couldn't you not express yourself less unclearly?

[ARW]

In this case I do not believe that it requires RCD protection.:-)

[jgh]

One flat I rewired I found had a socket wired in to the feed to the immersion heater switch.

jgh

[Huge]

That's the opposite of what you initially said.

[ss]

The 5 amp socket I intend to use does have shuttering. Another quesion: Does it matter that the light switch is also a dimmer switch (re 20watt outdoor floodlight LED with PIR)

[Dave Liquorice]

Electrically but 1.2 kW isn't a big load when used to just plugging in and using. I'd expect the average hover to trip a 6 A MCB at switch on, thus turning the lights off.

[Andy Burns]

It doesn't matter to the plug, socket or wiring, but unless the LED says it's dimmable it won't run off a dimmer switch, even then you are likely to need an LED specific dimmer, the load will be too low for most "normal" dimmer switches.

But I doubt there are many outdoor floodlights that *are* dimmable ...

[meow2222]

It does. DAMHIK

NT

[meow2222]

CR supplies used in LEDs fry rapidly on dimmer switches. Replace with a switch.

NT

[Dave Liquorice]

B-) DAMHIK that an 800 W microwave does as well.

[ARW]

That's because of last nights painkillers and alcohol - OK:-)?

And I had to walk home in the gf's dressing gown this morning because we forgot to take my clothes out of her washing maching to dry last night.

[John Rumm]

Its not often seen, but its a perfectly valid and sensible arrangement for those that life table lamps etc.

Could be on a lighting circuit or their own. If on the socket circuit then there ought to be additional fusing elsewhere.

As a rough guide, divide the wattage by the supply voltage to get a typical current. So in that case 20 / 230 = ~87mA

A 5A socket is good for loads up to 5 x 230 = 1150W

[Andrew Gabriel]

It will *probably* be fused at 5A or 6A if connected to the lighting circuit, although it could be much higher. (I can't remember what the fusing limit is for a BS546 5A socket - a BS546 2A socket can be on a circuit fused at up to 10A, which is the common lighting circuit protection in commercial premises.)

[meow2222]

Its 240v, so 1.2kVA. A 20w 0.15 pf load would consume 133VA, so the socket would be rated to power 9 of them. How many depends on the product pf.

NT

[ARW]

On the few occasions I have seen such a set up (ie a remotely switched 5A socket not just an always live 5A socket in pre 1930s wiring) it must be worth mentioning that one of them was in Marchmont:-)

5A sockets are back in fashion at all the good rewires I do. Of course the switching is now done by the iPod and not by a switch on the wall if the customer has money to burn.

[Graham.]

Were there bells on springs in the kitchen so they could summon the maid?

[The Natural Philosopher]

My 5A light plugs are on 16A lighting rings

This the electrician assured me, is common practice, as the 16A suits the wiring.

[John Rumm]

One ought to get into the habit of using the nominal 230V for calculations IMHO.

Since the OPs total load - keeping things simple - is a fraction of an amp, there seemed little point over doing it.