wiring lights in parallel with one switch diagram

If you add a 13A socket to a circuit designed to carry 5A or 6A, you could absolutely overload it. In the UK and Europe, that’s normally 5A or 6A, although, in the US, it can be higher at 15A. Because there are risks with adding a socket onto a lighting circuit that you can’t disregard.įirstly, lighting circuits will have a different circuit breaker to your socket circuit. It’s not something to make light of, though. When you plug something into it, that’s when you’re going to maybe have problems… So, the first question you should always ask before undertaking any electrical job is, is it safe?Īnd technically, adding a 13A socket to a lighting circuit, providing you follow normal guidance and procedures, is going to be safe.

The main things to consider when wiring a socket with lightsĬan Lights And 13A Sockets Be On The Same Circuit?.

Why you should only wire sockets in parallel.Whether lights and 13A sockets can exist on the same circuit.Otherwise, the light switch will control the circuit. If you add a socket to a lighting circuit, do it in parallel. There can be problems with overloading the circuit.

Technically, you can wire a socket onto a light circuit, but it is not recommended. The problem is when you want to add a new power socket to your home, but it’s not close to the existing wiring for your sockets.Ī good example might be adding a power outlet in a closet under a staircase, which has a light but would be an unusual place to have an existing socket nearby.įeeding the wiring to add it to the socket circuit might be tricky, so can you not just wire the socket onto the lighting circuit close by instead? So you will have a hardwired lighting circuit for all your light fittings, a circuit for your power outlets (sometimes split between different areas of the property), and then dedicated circuits for key high-powered items such as your furnace/boiler. Electrical circuits in your home are tailored to the job they need to do.

Wiring lights in parallel with one switch diagram