Wiring advice please

[Risotto]

I've got a couple of wall lights that need installing. There aren't any existing lights there, so no existing wiring.

Normally I would have just taken a feed from the nearest ceiling rose in the room but this is the first wiring work I've attempted in our new house and the lighting circuit isn't a design I've come across before.

The ceiling roses seem to have a single 2 core & earth feed. I unscrewed a couple of switch face-plates and it looks as if the permanent live comes from the consumer unit, into the switch and then goes out again (presumably to the next switch) with a separate spur going to the ceiling rose.

Is this right? Is that how lighting radials are wired these days?

Basically I need some advice as to how best to wire up my wall lights while conforming to the basic regulatory requirements (I haven't done any wiring since part p came into effect).

Also, there is a wall socket nearby - could I power the wall lights by running a fused spur from the ring main? Access to all the wiring is a bit limited so this may save me some bother if it's still permissible.

Edited by Risotto on Monday 10th November 18:06

[HOGEPH]

Get an electrician in, it'll be safer and cheaper in the long run.

[elster]

Risotto said:

I've got a couple of wall lights that need installing. There aren't any existing lights there, so no existing wiring.

Normally I would have just taken a feed from the nearest ceiling rose in the room but this is the first wiring work I've attempted in our new house and the lighting circuit isn't a design I've come across before.

The ceiling roses seem to have a single 2 core & earth feed. I unscrewed a couple of switch face-plates and it looks as if the permanent live comes from the consumer unit, into the switch and then goes out again (presumably to the next switch) with a separate spur going to the ceiling rose.

Is this right? Is that how lighting radials are wired these days?

Basically I need some advice as to how best to wire up my wall lights while conforming to the basic regulatory requirements (I haven't done any wiring since part p came into effect).

Also, there is a wall socket nearby - could I power the wall lights by running a fused spur from the ring main? Access to all the wiring is a bit limited so this may save me some bother if it's still permissible.

Edited by Risotto on Monday 10th November 18:06

Don't take power from sockets.

If you don't know what you are doing I would say to get someone in.

[Graham E]

in reality, get a sparky..

OR,

as a non sparky type, I _think_ that there will be a juction box somewhere in your loft, hence the "strange" 2 core setup to the roses.

I googled a decent site when I was doing wiring bits, before this part p / city and guilds rulings cropped up - sure there are plenty about still.

[MonkeyHanger]

Do you need wall lights?

Personally they always remind me of being in a pub. I don't bother posting advice on here any more as the PH desk jockeys all know my job much better but i'm sure someone will be along soon to quote Part P in tedious accuracy.

Best suggestion is get an Electrician in, if you can find one who can be bothered....i know i can't

[FlossyThePig]

There's a couple of diagrams on this site which might make things clearer for you. The colours changed in 2004 but the principle is the same.

Hugh

[Risotto]

MonkeyHanger said:

Do you need wall lights?

Personally they always remind me of being in a pub. I don't bother posting advice on here any more as the PH desk jockeys all know my job much better but i'm sure someone will be along soon to quote Part P in tedious accuracy.

Best suggestion is get an Electrician in, if you can find one who can be bothered....i know i can't biggrin

The wall lights are sort of reading lights for either side of a bed where floor space is limited (so table lamps aren't really an option). We hate having to get out of bed to switch the light out, so wall lights with a switch within reach of the bed seemed an ideal solution.

Thanks for the advice so far guys. I don't mind getting an electrician in to do the work, I just like to attempt things like this myself wherever I can. You learn things, gain confidence and save money.

Edited by Risotto on Monday 10th November 18:59

[MonkeyHanger]

Risotto said:

The wall lights are sort of reading lights for either side of a bed where floor space is limited (so table lamps aren't really an option). We hate having to get out of bed to switch the light out, so wall lights with a switch within reach of the bed seemed an ideal solution.

Thanks for the advice so far guys. I don't mind getting an electrician in to do the work, I just like to attempt things like this myself wherever I can. You lean things, gain confidence and save money.

From your description it sounds like they've taken the feeds (L&N) to each switch in turn?...An odd way of doing things but not necessarily unsafe if the connections are sound...i wonder if your house was wired by erm..."Foreign nationals" ?

[Risotto]

MonkeyHanger said:

From your description it sounds like they've taken the feeds (L&N) to each switch in turn?...An odd way of doing things but not necessarily unsafe if the connections are sound...i wonder if your house was wired by erm..."Foreign nationals" ?

Yes, that seems to be what they've done (no idea if they were foreign or not I'm afraid!)

Having looked around a few websites, it seems that this is what we've got:

[cjs]

I'd take the easy route and come of the ring main using a fused spur, as you have already suggested. Stick a 3 amp fuse in, job done.

[M400 NBL]

Seriously, for an easy, cheap solution, is there not a socket nearly that you can plug a wall light into?
Or you could use wall mounted lights that are (recharable) battery powered.

[AlexanderV8]

What about a remote controlled room light switch. Keep the remote by the bed & turn it off from there, job done, no mess!

[Deva Link]

Risotto said:

MonkeyHanger said:

From your description it sounds like they've taken the feeds (L&N) to each switch in turn?...An odd way of doing things but not necessarily unsafe if the connections are sound...i wonder if your house was wired by erm..."Foreign nationals" ?

Yes, that seems to be what they've done (no idea if they were foreign or not I'm afraid!)

Having looked around a few websites, it seems that this is what we've got:

That's quite bizarre - if it was physically wired like that then there's 3 twin and earth cables going to the light switch and the light switch becomes a junction box.

I suppose that neutral block could be in the ceiling somewhere then only 2 lives would need to go to each switch (loop in and out, if you like) and a switched live would come from the switch to the ceiling rose. Those could be individual sheathed cables.

Edited by Deva Link on Monday 10th November 20:29

[MonkeyHanger]

Deva Link said:

That's quite bizarre

I've only come across it once and it wasn't on this island...hence my question.

If i found anyone wiring lights like that on a site i was running they wouldn't be around very long.

[306 Si]

MonkeyHanger said:

Deva Link said:

That's quite bizarre

I've only come across it once and it wasn't on this island...hence my question.

If i found anyone wiring lights like that on a site i was running they wouldn't be around very long.

They've fed the switch, pretty common really as it saves having junction boxes around the house which have to be accessible according to regs. There's no problem with the lights being fed from a fuse spur on the ring as long as it is fused down ... but if your not sure, get the professionals in! Where abouts are you? If your in the Oxford/Reading area might be able to help.