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Wiring "stand alone" GU10 light fittings

  • 22-10-2012 6:41pm
    #1
    vicwatson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,404 ✭✭✭✭


    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

    It's similar to this

    4314.jpg


Comments

  • #2
    vicwatson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,404 ✭✭✭✭vicwatson


    Sorry Mods can you please close this I've started a thread in electrical?

    Thanks


  • #3
    whizbang
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,939 ✭✭✭whizbang


    is there a darwin award thread ?


  • #4
    vicwatson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,404 ✭✭✭✭vicwatson


    whizbang wrote: »
    is there a darwin award thread ?

    Very good.

    So can you answer the question? if not why bother posting? Trying to be a smart arse doesn't help me.

    Thank you for nothing.


  • #5
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,786 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    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

    It's similar to this

    4314.jpg

    I've had a few GU10s in various earthed ceiling lamps do the same thing and each time the flash, bang and rcd tripping was caused by a blowing bulb. Perhaps what happened to you was just a sensitive faulty bulb going bang.

    I'm not an electrician but I don't see anything in your description that would cause an electrical short. I also know of no reason why your lamp must be wired directly into the mains, the current of a single bulb is low and well within the specs for a socket.

    For safety if the lamp requires an earth or provides an earth terminal then it should be earthed, but an earth is only there as a fail-safe in the event of an electrical short. The lack of an earth should not cause the effects you got unless the lamp unit was faulty or mis-wired (which would most likely have been immediately apparent the moment you turned on the power before you even got a chance to test it).


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