Electrical Lighting Cables - Chosing the one for you

Are you a little daunted by choosing electrical cable?  Has your electrician asked you to source the electrical cable for a lighting project or chandelier restoration but not specified which cable you are to purchase?

In this blog we aim to give you some information that will assist with your choice and help you avoid ordering an incorrect item.

There are a few questions you need to ask yourself or your electrician before you start.

1. Do you need 2 core electric cable or 3 core electric cable?  2 core electrical cable does NOT have an earth and so is suitable for plastic lamp holders only - 3 core electrical cable HAS an earth and so is suitable for using with metal lamp holders
2. What is the amp requirements of your light fitting/chandelier? Light-Fix supply both 0.75mm and 0.50mm INNER core cables and as the core size suggests they have different amp suitability.  0.50mm inner core cables available from Light-Fix.co.uk have a maximum 3 amp rating and 0.75mm inner core cables available from our website have a maximum 6 amp rating.
3. In addition to the amps look at the wattage your light fitting/chandelier will be using - if in doubt check with your electrician or contact us at info@light-fix.co.uk
4. If using 2 core electrical cable do you need to earth your light fitting - this is going to depend on your lighting project and if it includes any metal components.  Earth tags are available from our website, your electrician can advise on the appropriate use of earth tags.
5. You will also need to take into account the outer width of the electrical cable and the space you have too thread the cable through on your light fitting.  Please note the outer diameter of the cable is NOT the 0.75mm and 0.50mm dimensions referred to in the main cable descriptions, as previously advised these are the inner cores not outer dimensions.  As a general rule the 0.50mm inner core cable available from our website is approx. 5-6mm outer diameter and the 0.75mm inner core is approx. 6-7mm however there are a couple of variants to these measurements including a mini clear cable which is the thinnest and strongest lighting cable that we have come across - if you need a thin cable for your lighting project this is the only one we would recommend.

You will find a comprehensive range of colours, styles and finishes in our electrical cable section including clear cables, vintage styles and colours, pvc finishes etc with minimum order levels of just one metre up to bulk orders by the 50 and 100 metre spools.

choosing your bulb holder / unlocking your bulb holder

This video will assist in your lamp holder or if you inadvertently lock your lamp holder before wiring completion

I have assembled my lampholder before wiring - how do I take it apart

If you have visited our website site, www.light-fix.co.uk you will have seen that we stock an extensive range of lamp holders, electric cables and lighting components.

With such comprehensive ranges as this we get asked a lot questions and so to assist with your lighting projects we are going to be answering the most common questions we receive.

The first we are going to answer is one that is received a lot after purchase:-

"I have assembled my lampholder before wiring - how do I take it apart?"

If you have purchased your lampholder from Light-Fix or King's Chandelier Services Ltd the following instructions are relevant for :-

1.     3 PART E27 & 3 PART E26 BAKERLIGHT LAMP HOLDERS IN GOLD, WHITE AND BLACK 

2.     E14 3 PART BAKERLIGHT LAMP HOLDERS

3.     E14 &  E27 NICKEL PLATED AND BRASS PLATED 3 PART LAMPHOLDERS

If you have assembled your lamp holder before wiring the safety mechanism will kick in and it will not be as easy to disassemble but it can be done - a bit fiddly and patience needed - but it is possible.

There is a small flap inside that acts as a ratchet, you need to push this down whilst at the same time turning the skirt anti-clockwise this releases the safety mechanism allowing you to disassemble the lampholder ready for wiring and installation.

Please remember these instructions are for items you have purchased from Light-Fix and may not be suitable for items purchased from third parties.  If you are in any doubt please contact your supplier or electrician.

www.light-fix.co.uk