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Seal holes around existing lighting cables


j_s

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Currently working on improving my house. Will be adding cellulose to the loft but first I'm sealing up all tops of stud walls. I'll be foaming and taping all joins for stud walls and taping any other obvious gaps but I'm not sure how to go about sealing around the lighting cables. I don't have any socket cables feeding down to all the bedrooms which makes it a little easier but still how should I go about sealing these holes around the cables? And for that matter to the lights themselves. I have large insulated covers for both of my single bathroom led downlights and the extraction is from a new mvhr unit so no need to worry about wiring to individual extractors anymore

 

Many thanks

James

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Yay . Somebody else from Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire.

 

Just noticed since @PeterW outed us all.

 

I think the principle is that lighting cables carry so much less current than other things that use of foam etc has few implications, particularly where LEDs are in use. Personally, I have enough recessed downlights that I have come to hate significantly dislike the things, and any changes to all of them are a major undertaking.

 

I love the idea of seal holes (Onk! Onk!) being filled with expanding foam - some expanding foam that would be. An @Onoff project.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, Roundtuit said:

I'm currently putting noggins in where cables penetrate the ceiling, and I'm planning on a generous squirt of silicon to seal the hole. Downlights will have hoods siliconed to the top side of the sealing.

 

Such sealant should be of the intumescent variety and not be detrimental to the PVC sheath of the cables. 

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Could CT1 be used to seal around downlight hoods?

 

I have found the pro clima stoppas which could be used in the holes in the top of the studwork. I know they are meant for conduit but there is no reason why they couldn't be pushed in to timber?

 

Can lighting cables be buried in cellulose or should they be in conduit / some other way of protecting them? I'll have leds used almost every where but I don't want to cause issues for future owners

 

Thanks

James

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9 hours ago, Roundtuit said:

 

Thanks. Good point. Any recommendations?

 

Rockwell Firepro does what it says on the tin...well tube at any rate! :) It's cheap too. You can also get it in gallon tubs for trowelling in. I've used this commercially.

 

Most "names" offer 4/5 hour fire resistance but some claim better flexibility than others, different expansion rates or failure temperatures. See what it claims to stick too as well in relation to what you are doing. Some double up as acoustic sealants - all good for complying with Part E!

 

Have a look too at Everbuild / Sika stuff. Firemate or Tecnic 300. (Don't think they come in tubs though). Don't think I've used a bad Everbuild product yet as an aside. With whatever check the BS & ISO numbers, the more the merrier but after Grenfell??? :(

 

These 3 specifically state for use on "cables" - some don't and you're left guessing. But...most of them state a limitation that it shouldn't be used where it might come into contact with plasticisers that have leeched (out of the cables). To be fair that's not the problem it was with modern cables but be aware of old stuff. 

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6 hours ago, j_s said:

Any ideas if the Pro Clima stoppas could be used in the timber itself? They are designed for conduit but if they can be pushed down in the timber I guess they would work ok.

 

I don't think you could drill that smooth sided a hole in timber for it to be worth bothering. I'd go something stick in a tube!

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