Hi,
I have run a spur up into my loft from a upstairs bedroom using 2.5mm cable, the plug socket i have attatched in the loft is a 3 gang 13a fused socket.
i have 6 x 600w cooltube lights running up the the setup is like this -
extention plugged into 1 socket in the 3 gang (because ballasts are to far away from plug) - contactor - extention (contactor only has 3 sockets) - ballasts.
My carbon extractor and oscillating fan are plugged in the other 2 sockets and my cooltube fans are connected to a seperate plug in the loft (running of upstairs lights).
Here is the problem, this setup has been running fine for around 4 months, i went to away for 3 days and when i returned the fuse on the power plug part of the contactor and burnt, burnt right through the plug that is going into the extention, i could see the fuse in the plug as the plastic had burnt.
Now i know this is extremley dangerous and i do have all my ballast and connections lying on concrete flag but this cannot happed again i may not be so lucky.
1.How has this happened? Could it of been because of the colder temps up there no its is winter and the sudden surge when all 6 lights come on?
2. Any ideas on how to make this a completley safe setup, i know the 2.5mm cable is good enough so what are the best/economical sockets/contactor setup i can use?
I though maybe get another contactor and plug 3 lights in 1 socket of the three gang and the other in the 2nd socket of the 3 gang, would this work safely?
I have run a spur up into my loft from a upstairs bedroom using 2.5mm cable, the plug socket i have attatched in the loft is a 3 gang 13a fused socket.
i have 6 x 600w cooltube lights running up the the setup is like this -
extention plugged into 1 socket in the 3 gang (because ballasts are to far away from plug) - contactor - extention (contactor only has 3 sockets) - ballasts.
My carbon extractor and oscillating fan are plugged in the other 2 sockets and my cooltube fans are connected to a seperate plug in the loft (running of upstairs lights).
Here is the problem, this setup has been running fine for around 4 months, i went to away for 3 days and when i returned the fuse on the power plug part of the contactor and burnt, burnt right through the plug that is going into the extention, i could see the fuse in the plug as the plastic had burnt.
Now i know this is extremley dangerous and i do have all my ballast and connections lying on concrete flag but this cannot happed again i may not be so lucky.
1.How has this happened? Could it of been because of the colder temps up there no its is winter and the sudden surge when all 6 lights come on?
2. Any ideas on how to make this a completley safe setup, i know the 2.5mm cable is good enough so what are the best/economical sockets/contactor setup i can use?
I though maybe get another contactor and plug 3 lights in 1 socket of the three gang and the other in the 2nd socket of the 3 gang, would this work safely?