What is IP Zoning?

To illustrate IP zoning regulations, we show a bathroom area divided up into areas or ‘ZONES’ which are classified using the numbers 0, 1 & 2. Luminaires are then assigned an ‘IP RATING’ which indicated how much protection they provide against ingress of water and other particles. Each zone has a minimum IP requirement that must be met if a fitting is to be installed in this area.

• ZONE 0 (IP67 RECOMMENDED) Inside the bath or shower. Any Fittings used here must be SELV (max 12V) and have a minimum rating of IPX7 (protected against immersion in water).
• ZONE 1 (IP65 RECOMMENDED) Above the bath or shower to a height of 2.25m. A minimum rating of IPX4 is required. *(See note 1)
• ZONE 2 (IP44 RECOMMENDED) The area stretching to 0.6m outside the bath or shower and above the bath or shower if over 2.25. An IP rating of at least IPX4 is required. *(See note 1)
• OUTSIDE ZONES  (IP NOT ESSENTIAL) Anywhere outside zones 0, 1 & 2. Where water jets are not to be used for cleaning purposes, the general rules of BS7671 apply. *(See note 1)

1. In zones 1 & 2, if there are is a likelihood of water jets being used for cleaning purposes, a minimum of IPX5 is required 
2. In zones 1 & 2, SELV or 240V luminaires may be used (subject to IP rating)
3. The above information is intended as a guide only. For detailed information refer to the I.E.E. Wiring Regulations or speak to your electrician.

 IP Ratings Explained

“IP” (“Ingress Protection”) RATING
 

FIRST DIGIT 

Protection against ingress of foreign bodies e.g. tools, dust, fingers, ect.

SECOND DIGIT 

Protection against ingress of liquids i.e. IP44 is protected against solid objects greater than 1mm and water sprayed from all directions.

Part P Building Regulations for Electrical Safety in the Home

Part P – What is it?

When did the new rules start and why?

On January 1st 2005, new Part P Building Regulations were enforced in England and Wales to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and fires caused by faulty electrical installations and to make it harder for 'cowboy builders' to leave electrical installations in an unsafe condition. Part P is intended to increase the safety of households by improving the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations in dwellings when these installations are being newly built, extended or altered.

The risks posed by unsafe electrical installations are electric shock, burns and other injuries arising from fires in buildings ignited by electrical components overheating or building up dangerous currents causing 'arcing'. Installations that are properly designed, fitted, tested and commissioned in accordance with British Standard BS 7671 (a requirement of Part P) will help minimise these risks.

From 1 January 2005, people carrying out electrical work in homes and gardens in England and Wales will have to follow the new rules in the Building Regulations.

The Scope of Part P

Part P applies to the following areas:

• Dwellings
• Combined dwellings and business premises having a common supply (such as shops, pubs etc.)
• Common access areas in blocks of flats (but not lifts)
• Shared amenities in blocks of flats (such as laundries, gymnasiums etc.)
• Out-buildings, including sheds, garages and greenhouses
• Garden lighting and power supplies

How to meet the new rules

If the work is going to be carried out by yourself or a friend , you don’t need to tell your local authority’s Building Control Department about repairs, replacements and maintenance work; or extra power points or lighting points or other alterations to existing circuits (except in a kitchen, bathroom, outdoors and specialist locations).

However you do need to tell your local authority’s Building Control Department about most other work before you start.

If you are not sure about this, or you have any questions, ask your local authority's Building Control Department.

If the work is going to be carried out by a contractor or installer, you don’t need to tell your local authority’s Building Control Department about repairs, replacements and maintenance work; or extra power points or lighting points or other alterations to existing circuits (except in a kitchen or bathroom, outdoors or specialist locations).

However you do need to tell your local authority’s Building Control Department about most other work.

However if your contractor or installer is registered, the contractor or installer will look after all the building regulations for you. You do not need to contact your local authority’s Building Control Department.

What is a ‘special installation or location'?

The following are classified as special installations or locations:

• locations containing a bath tub or shower basin
• swimming pools or paddling pools
• hot air saunas
• garden lighting or power installations
• solar photovoltaic power supply systems
• electric floor or ceiling heating systems
• extra-low voltage lighting installations, other than pre-assembled, CE-marked lighting sets
• small scale generators such as microchip units

All electrical installation work in such areas (as well as in kitchens) will need to be notified, or self-certified by a prescribed competent person, even if only 'minor works'.

Why should I use a contractor or installer who is registered with a competent person scheme?

For the purposes of Part P, the Government has defined ‘Competent Firms' as those registered under the NICEIC, ELECSA or similar Approved Contractor scheme / Domestic Installer Scheme.

Members of schemes can deal with all the new rules for you.

• Members are qualified to carry out electrical work.
• Members will give you a certificate to confirm their work follows the new rules.
• You will not have to pay Building Control charges.
• You will have the option of taking out an insurance-backed guarantee for the work.
• You will have access to a formal complaints procedure if you are not happy with the work.

If you decide against using a registered firm to carry out any work for you, bear in mind the following points:

• There is no guarantee that the electrical installation is safe
• You will have no official record of the work you’ve had carried out
• You may have difficulty selling your home if you do not have the right electrical safety certificates
• Your local authority’s Building Control Department may insist that you put right any faulty work

Enforcement

Failure to comply with the requirement will be a criminal offence. Local authorities will also have the power to require the removal or alteration of work that does not comply with the Building Regulations. Failing to comply with the Building Regulations is a criminal offence; however, registration with a Competent Person scheme is not compulsory.  If you decide to use a firm that has not registered as a Competent Person, you must ensure that the firm has submitted notification of the work and arranged for it to be inspected and certified by your local authority's Building Control Department on completion. Part P applies to all electrical installation work carried out in dwellings.

Building Regulation requirements in addition to Part P

Contractors self-certifying compliance with Part P will also have to certify compliance with other relevant parts of the Building Regulations that have been affected by the electrical work, such as Part B (fire safety), Part F, Part M (accessibility) and Part L1 (energy conservation).

Further Information

If this section has not fully answered your questions or you require more information please contact Dusk Lights on 01404 817289 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we will be happy to help you.

ALWAYS CHECK BEFORE EMPLOYING SOMEONE FOR ELECTRICAL WORK

Remember never be afraid to ask to your Installer / Electrician for proof of membership to a Part P Self Certification Scheme. They will not be offended and will be proud to show their membership details to you. In order to obtain this qualification, electricians must have an annual assessment, and if they are not deemed competent, will lose their membership to the Part P scheme.

Once you have decided that you wish to install Downlighters in your room it is important for you to decide several things:

1.    How many Downlights do I want? Or need?
2.    Should the Downlights be 12v or 230v?
3.    Do the Downlights need to be fire rated, acoustic rated or IP rated?
4.    Can I do the work myself or should I get an electrician in?
5.    What is the best process from start to finish for actually fitting the Downlights?
6.    Do I need any special tools?
7.    Can the existing lighting circuit support the extra light fittings?

How many Downlights do I want? Or need?

This very much comes down to personal preference. Personally I prefer to fit more than is required, and then divide then up onto different switches. This will create different lighting effects. For example if you are putting the downlights into a kitchen you could have the downlights that are placed over the worktops on one switch and the other downlights that are illuminating the rest of the kitchen on another switch possibly a dimmer. This then means that you have good task lighting where needed and controllable mood lighting elsewhere.

However  there are still some important factors to remember.

Without having any technical information about your particular room, use the following ‘Rule of Thumb’. This best describes a kitchen, but can be adjusted for any room in your house.

Firstly make sure the Downlights that are going to be closest to your walls are no more than 600mm into the room. The reason for this is that 600mm is the standard measurement for the depth of your floor cupboards. This will mean that once the Downlights are fitted, no shadows will be created over the area that you are working.

You should now work out the position of the other lights by spacing them at intervals of between 900mm and 1200mm. From these figures you should now be able to calculate how many fitting will be in a row and how many rows you will need.

Should the Downlights be 12v or 230v?

This has been a long standing debate with no particular winner. I hope the below information helps. 

Low voltage (LV or 12v) downlights are wired to a transformer, which is then wired to the mains supply. Although the transformer wastes approximately 10% of the power through stepping down the voltage to 12v this is more than compensated by the improved performance of low voltage downlights.
Due to a thicker filament, the halogen 12v bulbs (size MR16) are more efficient than the halogen 230v (size GU10) equivalent. The thicker filament also means that the bulbs are more robust.
Another advantage of 12v is that low voltage bulbs use halogen gas, which provides a much whiter and brighter light with higher clarity than the more traditional mains voltage incandescent bulbs.

Mains voltage downlights are wired directly to the mains without the need for a transformer.
The mains voltage (230v) downlights are generally cheaper, and can be simpler to install, as there is no need to install a transformer.  

As an electrician I would advise my customers to use 12v Downlights in Kitchens and bathrooms where you generally need more light, but can be reduced using low wattage bulbs or dimmer switches if needed. The use of 230v Downlights in other areas would then be perfectly acceptable.

Do the Downlights need to be fire rated, acoustic rated or IP Rated?

Ceilings provide an important barrier that helps to prevent the spread of fire and noise between the floors of a building. Installing recessed downlights punctures this barrier and can reduce the effectiveness of this safety barrier.

Installing fire rated downlights helps to protect your premises from the effects of both fire and noise pollution and aids compliance with new building regulations governing the installation of downlights. Made from intumescent materials, fire rated downlights seal the gap between the ceiling and the fitting to offer up to 90 minutes protection against the spread of fire into the void spaces within your ceiling / loft space.

Fire rated downlights are more expensive than non-fire rated downlights. However,  the worst decision you can make is to buy cheaper models that look exactly the same only to find out from the electrician fitting them, that building regulations require fire rated downlights for that situation. Then fire hoods will have to be bought and you would now find that you have spent more money in the long run.

Personally I feel it is best to always go for the safest lights on the market. Fires cost lives, surely that is worth a few pence more to fit fire rated downlights.

Having the right IP rated downlights is also a very important factor. Please see ‘What is IP Zoning’ to see whether you will need an IP rated downlight. Water and electricity do not mix. Again IP rated downlights cost a fraction more but by paying a little extra you could save yourself from being electrocuted, or causing the contacts in the fitting to corrode. This could lead to a short circuit and possibly a fire.

Can I do the work myself or should I get an electrician in?

Firstly you should read ‘Part P – What is it?’ as this will answer whether or not you can legally carry out the work you wish to do. Some people will always have a go, no matter what their level of competence is.

Electricity is dangerous and could kill you. I will always suggest to get an electrician in to do the work required, but if you are determined to do some electrics yourself please remember to be safe at all times and follow some basic safe isolation procedures before proceeding:

1. Locate / positively identify correct isolation point or device
2. Check condition of voltage indication device
3. Confirm that voltage indication device is functioning correctly
4. Switch off installation / circuit to be isolated
5. Verify with voltage indicating device that no voltage is present
6. Re-confirm that voltage indicating device functions correctly on known supply / proving unit
7. Lock-off or otherwise secure device used to isolate installation / circuit
8. Post warning notice(s)

What is the best process from start to finish for actually fitting the Downlights? 

1. Decide where you wish to place your chosen downlights measuring out the ceiling and marking the central point of the light. Now drill a small pilot hole through the ceiling.
2. Now you have marked out the positions of the downlights it is a good idea to check above the ceiling to ensure that there are no joists / wires / pipes in the way. You should be able to see a small pinprick of light coming through the ceiling where you drilled the pilot holes. If you are unable to view the ceiling from above it gets trickier. The best way is to determine which way the joists run and what the spacing of them are. You could then use an old wire coat hanger bent at a 90⁰ angle to the width of the downlight. Insert the wire through the hole until the 90⁰ bend is through. Now twist the wire a full 360⁰ and hopefully it will not bump into any obstructions.
3. In the instructions or on the box of the downlights it will say what the cut-out for that downlight will be. For the best results I will generally use a hole saw (a type of drill bit) to the correct size of the downlight which can be purchased very cheaply from most DIY stores. Alternatively the use of a plasterboard saw (Pad Saw) can be used which eliminates the need for a drill and hole saw. For this method you will need to draw a circle on the ceiling to the correct size as a guide for when you start to saw.
4. Hopefully now you have produced a clean cut hole in the ceiling, got the plaster out of your eyes and shaken yourself outside to stop you looking like Casper the ghost!
5. Once the wiring has been pulled through the hole the downlight can be wired. To fit the downlight into the hole hold the two springs back against the sides of the downlighter and push up into the hole. The springs then lie flat on the top of the ceiling holding it in place

Do I need any special tools?

This all depends on what you have in your tool box already! Please see the below list of what tools I have used in the past for fitting downlights. Some of them you might not need but can often prove useful.

• Chalk line
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Pad saw
• Hand drill
• Hole saw (type of drill bit)
• Small drill bit for pilot hole
• Screw drivers

Can the existing lighting circuit support the extra light fittings?

Lighting circuits are usually on 6 amp circuit breakers often know as MCB’s (Miniature Circuit Breakers). To calculate how many Amps are loaded onto the lighting circuit a simple calculation is made. UK voltage is 230 volts, now assume that each light on the circuit is 100 watts, and you have got 12 lights on the circuit.

The calculation would be:

Total Watts ÷ Voltage = Amps

So taking the above information the calculation would be:

1200 watts ÷ 230 volts = 5.22 amps

So now we can see that the above described lighting circuit is using 5.22 amps meaning that the circuit breaker of 6 amps is not being overloaded.

Now to confuse things a little but very helpful on lighting circuits when you are wishing to add more lights. On lighting circuits once you have worked out the amps you can now apply a thing called Diversity, which for lighting circuits is 66% of the total load. So to work out this calculation we can do the following sum:

5.22amps ÷ 100 x 66 = 3.45 amps

So now we can see that we are able to add more lights to the circuit now that diversity has been applied to it.

Remember to carry out your calculations before you start any work!