Wire wall lamp into existing socket?

Rowley Birkin QC

Hi all, I've just bought my first house and I'm happy to tackle most DIY with the definite exception of electrical work.

I want to fit out the spare room with a dressing table for herself with a mirror and surrounding lights, specifically these: http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/products/lighting/wall-lights/musik-wall-lamp-chrome-plated-art-20217485/

Went out to Ikea to pick them up and it turns out they need to be hardwired rather than have a plug. There's a spare socket beside where these need to go, would it be possible for a sparks to fit these at that point without having to do any additional ripping and looking for cables?

Thanks for reading!

DublinDilbert

Easiest thing to do would be wire a plug on to these. You will have to use suitable strain relief on the cable and ensure the lights are properly attached to the wall or some backing.

The other alternative is to get an electrical to wire a switched fused spur outlet beside the socket and run the cable up to the lights from it.

colm_mcm

The strain relief is usually pretty basic on ikea stuff, so some modification probably needed if it's gonna be safe on a plug.

poshea69

id put a lead and plug on it, as said above,

Rowley Birkin QC

Okay, cheers. Going to go with the plug option.

Next question, could they both be joined together to one plug?

Also, looking at the diagram ( http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/doc/assembly_instructions/musik__aa-845172-6_pub.pdf ) there is a live & neutral but no earth. Any issues there?

Apologies if these are silly questions, better safe than sorry though.

poshea69

not an expert in electrical , but i think two lights into one plug would be fine as you are still well under the 13 amps max rating aloud for plug. as for earth i think these fittings are plastic, so no need for earth, so you need some 2 core flex and a 13 amp plug , someone with more experience in this might help you out with a bit more info,

brightspark

poshea69 wrote: »

not an expert in electrical , but i think two lights into one plug would be fine as you are still well under the 13 amps max rating aloud for plug. as for earth i think these fittings are plastic, so no need for earth, so you need some 2 core flex and a 13 amp plug , someone with more experience in this might help you out with a bit more info,

You are correct you are not an expert, so why give advice?

Plugs are usually only designed for one flex. A suitable junction box will probably be needed.

You are probably right in that no earth is required.
OP is there a symbol that looks like two squares one inside the other? If there is then no earth is required.

https://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f8/Double-insulated-symbol.png&imgrefurl=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Double-insulated-symbol.png&h=50&w=50&tbnid=tTQY89Nre20EwM:&docid=nLWT4iZUpjGOMM&hl=en&ei=WHV0VrSzNsfSOp6utegC&tbm=isch&client=safari&ved=0ahUKEwi0v86cqObJAhVHqQ4KHR5XDS0QMwgdKAIwAg

Rowley Birkin QC

All done. Ended up wiring each to its own plug, 5amp each. Took about 15 minutes. Cheers for the advice.

http://i.imgur.com/qcsiXhP.jpg

poshea69

brightspark wrote: »

You are correct you are not an expert, so why give advice?

Plugs are usually only designed for one flex. A suitable junction box will probably be needed.

You are probably right in that no earth is required.
OP is there a symbol that looks like two squares one inside the other? If there is then no earth is required.

https://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f8/Double-insulated-symbol.png&imgrefurl=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Double-insulated-symbol.png&h=50&w=50&tbnid=tTQY89Nre20EwM:&docid=nLWT4iZUpjGOMM&hl=en&ei=WHV0VrSzNsfSOp6utegC&tbm=isch&client=safari&ved=0ahUKEwi0v86cqObJAhVHqQ4KHR5XDS0QMwgdKAIwAg

sorry for trying to help out, wont happen again. im not an expert in anything really so should i stay off boards? thats why i said someone like yourself would be along to help out even more,no need to put me down that much, i have xmas lights here with three flex's coming out of one plug, bought from shop, should i split into three plugs??

brightspark

poshea69 wrote: »

sorry for trying to help out, wont happen again. im not an expert in anything really so should i stay off boards? thats why i said someone like yourself would be along to help out even more,no need to put me down that much, i have xmas lights here with three flex's coming out of one plug, bought from shop, should i split into three plugs??

Just how is giving unsafe advice helping out?


I'm sure you have knowledge in other areas, just try to avoid giving advice that is wrong AND potentially dangerous.

If it was bought with three flexes in one plug I would expect it has been designed that way and should be safe, is there a CE mark?

poshea69

all i left out was adding in a j box with it and splitting lights up that way, thats where you helped me out , thought thats what boards was about helping one out, was it really that wrong AND potentially dangerous? i didn't offer to rewire a house i wouldn't know where to start, you turned me off posting up anything thanks. ill check that CE mark when i get home, but it would probably only on plug its self, what you reckon?

2011

Ok guys, let's not derail the thread any further.