Light fitting insulation tape??

I just bought a new light fitting for the kitchen and having a look at the instructions it says ‘Wrap two layers of electrical insulation tape around the connection block and round the wiring 2cm each side of the connections.’

I was wondering if this is really necessary to do as the connection block will be concealed within the gap between the bracket and the light itself and the wires themselves are in good condition?? 
 

Any advice on this would be great, thanks! 

That’s got to be the poorest light I’ve ever heard of? Never In all my years have I heard of a manufacturers instructions include the usage of tape? Where did you get this light? 

Sharpend said:

That’s got to be the poorest light I’ve ever heard of? Never In all my years have I heard of a manufacturers instructions include the usage of tape? Where did you get this light? 

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I got the light from Argos 

There's a lot of these light fittings you can buy that are utter tosh and cannot be fitted well to UK wiring.

A lot of them claim to be class 2 when it is almost impossible to maintain the class 2 rating when installing, particularly when being installed DIY by somebody who doesn't really know what a class 2 fitting is and how important the correct installation method is to maintain the rating. 

I've always viewed them very dimly and now even more so if the instructions for fitting are including the use of insulation tape. 

If I were you I'd take it back to Argos (if they're open at the moment) for a refund based on it not being fit for purpose and get something else. 

Look only for class 1 fittings and getting yourself an electrician to fit it for you is the safest course of action.  

boltonsparky said:

There's a lot of these light fittings you can buy that are utter tosh and cannot be fitted well to UK wiring.

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Especially those with a stupidly small  three terminal connector block...    headbang

that you would struggle to get a 0.75 flex  into..    :redcard

So to try and loop 3x 1.0mm (or 3x 1.5mm) neutral conductors into is about as possible a taking a Pee with your flies zipped up...

whilst wearing a blindfold and Sooty & Sweep glove puppets!!!

  :C

Any chance you could post a picture of the instructions? This is a potentially dangerous method of installation, I'm guessing this is not manufactured in the UK?

SPECIAL LOCATION said:

Especially those with a stupidly small  three terminal connector block...    headbang

that you would struggle to get a 0.75 flex  into..    :redcard

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B&Q, wickes etc are the worst. Quite like the ones from Next though, often have a decent plug in connector in them. none of this class 2 but really its class 1 without a cpc lead to the metalwork and a connector big enough to fit some bell wire into at push

SN5 said:

I just bought a new light fitting for the kitchen and having a look at the instructions it says ‘Wrap two layers of electrical insulation tape around the connection block and round the wiring 2cm each side of the connections.’

I was wondering if this is really necessary to do as the connection block will be concealed within the gap between the bracket and the light itself and the wires themselves are in good condition?? 
 

Any advice on this would be great, thanks! 

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considering tape has no electrical insulation rating, this is a very bad set of instructions indeed, and I severely doubt it meets EU/ UK standards. Tape is not to be used for insualation purposes, apart from anything else, it tends to absorb moisture and fall off! 

Had an Ikea fitting like that, a bloody great metal thing with a 2 core cable on it, it had a small chrome round 'box' that attached to the ceiling and the fitting hung from this on a lump of that clear plastic two core at the end of which was a large metal chandelier.

It may be acceptable practice to do this in the country where they originate from but it isn't over here, it was a bit like a customer who wanted two wall lights (mains voltage) over a wash basin next to a bath, 'well they had them in the showroom'  he pointed out when I said that what he wanted wouldn't comply with UK wiring regs. He persisted until I suggested a compromise, I would be happy to fit said lights, and connect them to the mains if the plumber agreed not to connect a water supply to the bathroom!

I'll bet you can guess the outcome.