# Forum Home Renovation Lighting  Billiard light socket -> powerpoint?

## Manic

Hi all,
I have a light socket that was used for powering a fluorescent billiard light that I would like to convert in to a powerpoint in the ceiling to plug a projector in to. Pics attached. 
I've removed the cover and got the multimeter out and I'm not getting any reading. I can't tell if this has a switch somewhere? After going in the roof I found it runs to a junction box(?) (pic attached). Can anyone advise if this would be constantly live and the switch have been on the billiard light?  
Is it as straight forward as wiring the existing wires to a wall socket? 
All done with the mains for the entire house off of course! 
Cheers.

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## Cecile

In a word (well, three words,) call an electrician.  The yellow banner at the top of this forum topic is there for a reason. 
Hope you can sort it out.

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## Bros

You just can't convert a lighting socket into a power point unless your projector is less that 150W which I doubt. 
So a new circuit needs to be run. 
Yes it is as straight forward as wiring a wall socket but not using the existing cable you need a new circuit. 
Unlikely that the billiard light would have an in line switch. 
I have to say this is a job for an electrician.

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## Random Username

Yep, ceiling power point wiring needed.  The average projector is 3-400 watts, so it needs to be on a power, not lighting circuit.  Power circuits get 2.5mm cable, and if you are lucky the power can come from an existing nearby power point circuit. (Typically power cables in houses are run through the roofspace and they drop down inside the walls to the power point.) 
I'm of the opinion that a junction box in a hard to access location (roofspace) is never all that good an idea, and instead of spending $4 on a junction box, spending $4 on an extra two or three meters of cable is a better option so the connection can be done at one of the powerpoints on the circuit. 
See the link in my sig so you have a better understanding of what your sparky needs to do!

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## Manic

Thanks gents - yes, leaving this one to a sparky. I will want to switch this new powerpoint on/off as I don't want the projector constantly on standby. Im currently thinking a broom should do the trick as it will be ceiling mounted but are there any other neat solutions to switch the powerpoint on/off? Would like to avoid a remote switch on a wall if possible.

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## Bros

The low tech solution can often be the best, stick with the broom.

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## Random Username

Remote Control Mains Switch Power Point | eBay 
There's also one (new on the market) that lets your phone control a remote power point

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## phild01

Not sure about the broom idea, the rocker switch could dislodge.  Finger pressure is easy to sense, broom handle less so.

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## Manic

> Remote Control Mains Switch Power Point | eBay 
> There's also one (new on the market) that lets your phone control a remote power point

  Does that remote powerpoint plug in to an exiting powerpoint? If so, can have both - socket with switch with remote adaptor plugged in to that.

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## phild01

> Does that remote powerpoint plug in to an exiting powerpoint? If so, can have both - socket with switch with remote adaptor plugged in to that.

  I had the Arlec ones that are identical and they totally failed within a short time.  BTW aren't these units also in standby, the thing OP wants to avoid!

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## Manic

> I had the Arlec ones that are identical and they totally failed within a short time.  BTW aren't these units also in standby, the thing OP wants to avoid!

  Good point! Just grabbed a chair and am able to reach the ceiling without an issue so powerpoint on ceiling should suffice. Wife won't be able to but it will be rare when I'm not there and she can always use the broom handle when needed. Thanks all for your input.

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## Danny.S

If your sparky runs a new PowerPoint from an existing one maybe he could switch the circuit.  He could replace the existing PowerPoint with one that also has a switch (pictured),  and use the existing PowerPoint on the ceiling.    
This way you flick the switch down at the original PowerPoint and it cuts power to the ceiling PowerPoint. 
(I'm not a sparky.  Perhaps another member can verify if my suggestion is allowable) 
Danny

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## SilentButDeadly

> If your sparky runs a new PowerPoint from an existing one maybe he could switch the circuit.  He could replace the existing PowerPoint with one that also has a switch (pictured),  and use the existing PowerPoint on the ceiling.    
> This way you flick the switch down at the original PowerPoint and it cuts power to the ceiling PowerPoint. 
> (I'm not a sparky.  Perhaps another member can verify if my suggestion is allowable) 
> Danny

  
Dunno if it's allowable but it's a bloody sensible idea.  Switch on the wall with a basic socket on the ceiling. A tad more expensive to set up but a win in the use and handling department

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## phild01

I have had this done before for a fridge but I am now wondering about the switch rating.  Do light switches actually have  the same rating capacity as a 10A powerpoint.  I do realise they are both 10A switches but just seems out of kilter with the loads they are expected to carry.  I suppose manufacturing them the same makes sense.  I bet if they were Chinese copies they would degrade the light switch component and still call them 10A!

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## Smurf

> I have had this done before for a fridge but I am now wondering about the switch rating.  Do light switches actually have  the same rating capacity as a 10A powerpoint.  I do realise they are both 10A switches but just seems out of kilter with the loads they are expected to carry.  I suppose manufacturing them the same makes sense.  I bet if they were Chinese copies they would degrade the light switch component and still call them 10A!

   Certain "cheap" brands of power points and switches fail alarmingly fast and I've seen one switch catch fire (in a way that could easily have burned the house down) when switched off with something still physically plugged in (and the appliance itself turned on). 
Solution is simple. No point buying cheap rubbish when Clipsal make decent products right here in Australia. Price is a bit higher, but it sure beats burning the house down and I'm quite happy to be supporting local manufacturing jobs too. Some of the imported products are decent quality, but personally I'd rather buy Aussie made and the price difference between Clipsal versus a quality import isn't much. 
The standard switch rating is 10A but there are higher rated ones available too. Most electrical wholesalers would have the 15A version in stock and it's the same physical size as a standard "light" switch. The 10A ones are fine however - no need to get the 15A unless you actually want to run a load that exceeds 10A. 
As for the original question, yes you can have a socket outlet for the projector switched remotely and any decent electrician will be able to do this. They will need to connect it to an existing (or new) power circuit however, since the lighting circuit won't be sufficient.

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## phild01

> You just can't convert a lighting socket into a power point unless your projector is less that 150W which I doubt.

  Weren't bathroom IXL's run off a light circuit.  Also just thinking about light wire rating for 1mm and 1.5mm.

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## Bros

> Dunno if it's allowable but it's a bloody sensible idea.  Switch on the wall with a basic socket on the ceiling. A tad more expensive to set up but a win in the use and handling department

  Yes it is provided the switch and socket outlet are marked to show the relationship between the two.

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## Bros

> Weren't bathroom IXL's run off a light circuit.  Also just thinking about light wire rating for 1mm and 1.5mm.

  Yes they are as they are permanently connected and not via a socket outlet. 
1 mm is 10A and 1.5 is 16A. There are exceptions but this is a good starting point.

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## phild01

> Yes they are as they are permanently connected and not via a socket outlet. 
> 1 mm is 10A and 1.5 is 16A. There are exceptions but this is a good starting point.

  Thanks Bros, I wondered if the 4in1's with 375w lamps would still be ok with 1mm.  Good thing lighting circuits carry less load these days with CF and LED (unless the ceilings are full of halogen downlights).

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## Manic

> If your sparky runs a new PowerPoint from an existing one maybe he could switch the circuit.  He could replace the existing PowerPoint with one that also has a switch (pictured),  and use the existing PowerPoint on the ceiling.
> ... 
> Danny

  I also like this idea. I'm going to get a quote on a basic powerpoint as well as this 'remote' switch. I'll let everyone know how it goes. 
Also, good discussion on light vs powerpoint load. 
Internet FTW!

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## Manic

So I had the powerpoints done yesterday. It was 3.5 hours worth of labour for three powerpoints: one for the projector, one for the screen and we added another one to the wall next to the TV. It was $80 per hour plus $40 for parts so $320 all up. I didn't bother with the switch to be lower given the frequency and ease of using a longer handle on a broom. He also would of had to punch through the plaster to get around the noggins to access the lower powerpoints which would have been messy. 
The sparky did a very neat job and overall it looks great. If I need to use a remote switch I can always buy one.

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## Bros

That's a pretty good price.

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## GoLights

Definitely use a sparky to do this. The junction box in the roof looks like a lighting supply (i can tell by the thickness of the cables, and types of cables used)  
Your electrician will need to "pinch" power from an existing power point (usually not to far away) and run it to a switch on the wall where you can access it, then the load will be switched. In this case the projector. So in basic term, your projector will simulate a light being switched on and off by the switch on the wall. 
All this will need to be run in 2.5mm TPS cable that your sparky will supply. 
Hope this helps.

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