I’ve just bought a cheapy fluorescent batten for the garage but there’s no earth in the wiring. It’s a garage ‘en-bloc’ (as estate agents love to say) with a plastic conduit coming through the wall from the garage next door. There’s no earth wire in the switch either so would imagine there’s none in the whole block. A quick search suggests cheap, cheerful and double-insulated are not commonly found together, if at all, not to mention the £15 I’ve just spent. Any suggestions?

Presumeably no meter either?

Invest heavily in hydroponics and set up a hash factory?

No other useful suggestions available.

How are you planning to turn the electricity off when you put a new light in?

Replace is with either a normal hanging pendant or a batten lamp holder, depending on ceiling height.
Fire in the brightest BC lamp you can get, 22watt low energy would be perfect.
Shouldn’t be more than £7 all in and will not require an earth.
Happy days 🙂

Murf, that is what’s already there and it’s not bright enough for fettling, plus it’s low down and keeps getting battered.

How are you planning to turn the electricity off when you put a new light in?

Switch off, rubber gloves and wellies 😉 I was actually planning to find out from the maintenance guys where the breakers are, I just know they’re not in my stairwell.

Why does it need an earth? Are you planning on spending a lot of time on the ceiling?

Are you planning on spending a lot of time on the ceiling?

marvinpines = Lionel Ritchie?

Why does it need an earth? Are you planning on spending a lot of time on the ceiling?

In my garage some of the chain fixing points are quite close to the lights so I think it’s always best to be safe. And I prefer to work on my guests with DC.

marvinpines = Lionel Ritchie?

Oh, I so wish I’d thought of that.

Depends if Lionel Richie’s layin’ it down.

The fitting has a steel chassis and says “This appliance must be earthed”. I’m not 100% convinced it’s necessary so thought I’d open a can of worms on here…

Damn my slow typing!

Hmm.. wire falls out, touches casing, light goes out.

Marvinpines: Oh look the light’s gone, let me just replace it
Ohm’s law: The casing of this appliance is now live, have some current. Boom!

Can you not just run a seperate earth into it..
And wire the thing through an inline RCD…

Lights quite often don’t have an earth connection if they are double insulated and have no surface / exposed metal parts…..

EDIT: and yes, you will die; but unlikely this light will have anything to do with it.