Wiring light

[Taariq404]

Hi,

I currently have lights mounted to a wall, I'd like to rewire it to the ceiling and therefore need to extend it, the wire needs to be as thin as possible as it's going to be exposed (concrete ceiling). The plan is to use a cable connector and join the existing cable to the new one. Any ideas on which gauge/type of wire can I use?

I've had an electrician look at it already and this is basically what he plans to do, but at quite a hefty fee. Would I lose my electrical compliance certificate by doing it myself?


Thanks,

 

[Steamy Tom]

Hi,

I currently have lights mounted to a wall, I'd like to rewire it to the ceiling and therefore need to extend it, the wire needs to be as thin as possible as it's going to be exposed (concrete ceiling). The plan is to use a cable connector and join the existing cable to the new one. Any ideas on which gauge/type of wire can I use?

I've had an electrician look at it already and this is basically what he plans to do, but at quite a hefty fee. Would I lose my electrical compliance certificate by doing it myself?


Thanks,

yes alterations makes it no longer fall under the COC.

you should use 1mm flat twin + earth. you should stick it in trunking imo, will also look better.

 

[Tacet]

1. You would lose your CoC by doing it yourself. You're modifying an electrical installation, and that requires a CoC.

2. The guage of the wire needs to be matched to the circtuit breaker protecting the wire. Example: if you install a 1.5 mm2 cable, and you have a 63 A breaker, the wire will melt/burn before the breaker trips. That's a pretty extreme example, but as we don't know what breaker you have, we can't comment on the wire guage. Basic design methodology: get load requirement, install circuit breaker and matched wire guage to comfortably carry the load.

//Edit
General note:
Many people seems to think that circuit breakers are there to protect you. They're not. Circuit breakers are there to protect the wire connected to them from melting or burning in case of short circuit or overload. The circuit breaker needs to be sized according to the smallest wire in the circuit fed by that breaker. The thing that protects humans against electrical shock is the earth leakage, not the circuit breakers. So circuit breakers and wire guage goes hand in hand, always.

 

[Taariq404]

Probably best to stick with a qualified electrician then. Thought it would be easy enough to do it myself.

 

[Taariq404]

1. You would lose your CoC by doing it yourself. You're modifying an electrical installation, and that requires a CoC.

2. The guage of the wire needs to be matched to the circtuit breaker protecting the wire. Example: if you install a 1.5 mm2 cable, and you have a 63 A breaker, the wire will melt/burn before the breaker trips. That's a pretty extreme example, but as we don't know what breaker you have, we can't comment on the wire guage. Basic design methodology: get load requirement, install circuit breaker and matched wire guage to comfortably carry the load.

//Edit
General note:
Many people seems to think that circuit breakers are there to protect you. They're not. Circuit breakers are there to protect the wire connected to them from melting or burning in case of short circuit or overload. The circuit breaker needs to be sized according to the smallest wire in the circuit fed by that breaker. The thing that protects humans against electrical shock is the earth leakage, not the circuit breakers. So circuit breakers and wire guage goes hand in hand, always.

Any chance you're an electrician? I can even pay you in eBucks if you prefer

 

[Tacet]

Any chance you're an electrician? I can even pay you in eBucks if you prefer

Nope, sorry. I'm by the nature of my work quite familiar with SANS 10142-1, but I'm not registered and as such may not do installations. If I were you'd I'd buy the conduit and cable from a store like ARB, install the conduit and connector box, and then get an electrician only to connect the cable. So you do the hard work, he does the electrical work. That should work out cheaper than letting him do everything.

1 mm2 cable should be fine (depending on the installation method it can be used with a circuit breakers between 10.5 A and 15.5 A {13.5 A for cables enclosed in conduit on a wall on in trunking}).

Relevant snip from the Government Gazette, 6 March 2009 which says that you may not do it yourself.

 

[Taariq404]

Nope, sorry. I'm by the nature of my work quite familiar with SANS 10142-1, but I'm not registered and as such may not do installations. If I were you'd I'd buy the conduit and cable from a store like ARB, install the conduit and connector box, and then get an electrician only to connect the cable. So you do the hard work, he does the electrical work. That should work out cheaper than letting him do everything.

1 mm2 cable should be fine (depending on the installation method it can be used with a circuit breakers between 10.5 A and 15.5 A {13.5 A for cables enclosed in conduit on a wall on in trunking}).

Relevant snip from the Government Gazette, 6 March 2009 which says that you may not do it yourself. View attachment 763592

Thank you for this!