Sparky question.. socket in loft

[Mudball]

All our heating is up in the loft. Our electrician also added a light switch and installed a couple of lights up there.. I am wondering how easy/difficult it will be create a spur off that light switch to have a socket next to it. I am looking to use the socket to add an additional router on the first floor for the mesh I am planning to putting in. To save some floor space & declutter, i was planning to put the router on the ceiling - just like the smoke detector. The loft light switch has one cable going in as a feed and an second cable going to the tubelights. No dramas going on there.

 

[CliveW]

The lightswitch cannot be used in the way you describe as it doesn't have a line and neutral wire.

 

[GreiginFife]

Not sure you want to be putting a socket on to a 6A circuit.

 

[jim8flog]

If you have a boiler in the loft (bad place for it to begin with but that is another story) there must be a 30 amp ring or a spur going to that. Is the boiler going to socket next to it or is cabled down to a socket or ring in the floor below.

 

[williamalex1]

Depends on a couple of things, most modern boilers require a permanent supply [ minimum 6 amp ] and a switched supply via a controller /thermostat.
If there is a permanent supply at the boiler spur, you could spur off to a separate 6 AMP socket to supply your router.

 

[Fade and Die]

Taking a 13A socket off the lighting circuit is not allowed, look to take it off the boiler supply. Needs checking though as the supply to your boiler may not be permanent, it may be switched by your programmer or thermostat.
If there is not a permanent 16A or 32A supply in the loft maybe look to put a 5A socket in.

 

[Mudball]

Our loft did not have any electric supply. The previous owner had a long cable with bulb attached that he would pop into a socket downstairs... That was one way of him avoiding to get into the loft
So when we put the moved the boiler, the builders added new rings.

The lightswitch cannot be used in the way you describe as it doesn't have a line and neutral wire.

I had a similar doubt.. then i opened the switch...

If you have a boiler in the loft (bad place for it to begin with but that is another story) there must be a 30 amp ring or a spur going to that. Is the boiler going to socket next to it or is cabled down to a socket or ring in the floor below.

No socket... permanently fused.

 

[Mudball]

If you have a boiler in the loft (bad place for it to begin with but that is another story) there must be a 30 amp ring or a spur going to that. Is the boiler going to socket next to it or is cabled down to a socket or ring in the floor below.

Why would you say that... asking for a friend...

 

[williamalex1]

There will be a permanent supply at one of the 2 spurs, possibly the one on the left below the joint box .

 

[Fade and Die]

Our loft did not have any electric supply. The previous owner had a long cable with bulb attached that he would pop into a socket downstairs... That was one way of him avoiding to get into the loft
So when we put the moved the boiler, the builders added new rings.



I had a similar doubt.. then i opened the switch...

View attachment 33516




No socket... permanently fused.

View attachment 33517

Not surprised to see a neutral in a loft switch, it’s easiest to do it that way.

Spur off the spur to a socket is the best way to do it.
What does the spur on the left do? The one that’s turned off.

 

[williamalex1]

Not surprised to see a neutral in a loft switch, it’s easiest to do it that way.

Spur off the spur to a socket is the best way to do it.
What does the spur on the left do? The one that’s turned off.

This , or take 6 amp socket/spur outlet from the light switch, the router only requires max 20 watts.

 

[Mudball]

Not surprised to see a neutral in a loft switch, it’s easiest to do it that way.

Spur off the spur to a socket is the best way to do it.
What does the spur on the left do? The one that’s turned off.

I must say, i have no idea... never even noticed it .. one of the benefits of it being in the loft i guess.

My guess would be, the boiler engg or the sparky rigged it up. Then a few days later we ordered a Nest thermostat. So whatever he was planning to do with it got replaced. But this is pure speculation. I will have to open it to see if there is anything live inside it.

 

[Fade and Die]

This , or take 6 amp socket/spur outlet from the light switch, the router only requires max 20 watts.

Yes I did suggest this in post 6.
5A socket though surely Bill? Not familiar with a 6A.

 

[Fade and Die]

I must say, i have no idea... never even noticed it .. one of the benefits of it being in the loft i guess.

My guess would be, the boiler engg or the sparky rigged it up. Then a few days later we ordered a Nest thermostat. So whatever he was planning to do with it got replaced. But this is pure speculation. I will have to open it to see if there is anything live inside it.

Quick fix if it’s redundant, change it for a single socket outlet and plug your router in it!

 

[Mudball]

Quick fix if it’s redundant, change it for a single socket outlet and plug your router in it!

That may be the easiest... given it is switched off .. i never toggled it. I might need to put a socket and then get an extension cable... since the router would be about 2 or so meter away from it.

 

[Mudball]

So i m too curious/nosey to not go and check what the switch is... So couple of things

1) It is live... i can turn it on.
2) it is connected to some sort of immersion heater..
3) I cant remember the conversation, but i think the boiler guy mentioned something to the effect that it was a backup option in case we had a boiler trouble and we can still get some hot water... (but that is my vague memory)

 

[williamalex1]

That may be the easiest... given it is switched off .. i never toggled it. I might need to put a socket and then get an extension cable... since the router would be about 2 or so meter away from it.

Check it's not the old immerser supply.

Yes I did suggest this in post 6.
5A socket though surely Bill? Not familiar with a 6A.

I've been retired for quite a while it's been a while since i installed a 5 amp socket . I just assumed they would've upgraded them to 6 amp , a 5 amp socket on a 6 amp circuit breaker doesn't seem right lol/

 

[williamalex1]

Yes I did suggest this in post 6.
5A socket though surely Bill? Not familiar with a 6A.

See post 5

 

[Mudball]

So whats the final view @williamalex1 and @Fade and Die ... a spur off the immersion one or easier to take one off the light given it has 3 cables? The only thing we agreed is a 5A... i will be nailed on the same frame that the light switch is on.. I will have a trawl of screwfix website to find a decent socket

 

[williamalex1]

IMHO , A switched fused outlet would do fine taken from the lighting circuit , just fit a 3 amp fuse. Remove the plug top from the router cable and connect into the 3 amp fused spur. The immerser spur may be controlled from a switch or timer . Edit- BTW I haven't lost an apprentice in years