So I have bought a new light fitting for our shower room (This is the bulb.)
On the instructions it says if fitting in a bathroom a 30mA RCD is required. We have a fairly old fuse box, so wired fuses no RCDs. I see the lighting circuit has a 5A fuse on it. Does this actually equate to a 5,000mA RCD?
Does this mean the light fitting is no good for our circuit? Would I need to wire up a whole new circuit just for this light? Why would fitting it in the bathroom affect the size of RCD required?
Best Answer
My understanding of UK law (I am not a lawyer) is that like-for-like replacement does not require you to bring an electrical installation up to current standards.
I'd interpret that to mean I can change an incandescent lightbulb to an LED bulb, of same or lower real wattage (not equivalent wattage), in the same fitting, without needing to worry about RCD protection.
I would make sure that the fitting is properly earthed (assuming it has metal parts) and that people using the bathroom cannot reach the light fitting.
I would also make sure that the fitting allows for adequate flow of air around the bulb as LED-based bulbs seem to need cooling much more than incandescent bulbs do.