Lighting Circuit Wiring

[blawford]

Hi all,

I am in the process of completely renovating my bathroom, I am at the stage where I am putting some cables in place for lighting.

Plan is to have two wall lights and a ceiling light all operating off a single switch in the hallway.

Can I please check the following diagram with you to see if anyone foresees any issues. The connections are going to be behind plasterboard so every connection will be in Wago 3-Way Lever connectors (10 used in total) and then in Wago Lighting Junction boxes.

Thanks!

 

[Darkwood]

Hi blawford, welcome to the forum .

I take it you are asking this from a DIY approach, I have approved for the general forum for now but Admin' may give you DIY access when they are online and relocate the thread.

Our members will be happy to assist until then.

 

[telectrix]

firsat.i'd make all connections in the switches and fittings. sod the buried wagos. and then what about an extractor fan, vanity mirror/ cabinet, shaver socket? then there's the RCD issue.

 

[blawford]

firsat.i'd make all connections in the switches and fittings. sod the buried wagos. and then what about an extractor fan, vanity mirror/ cabinet, shaver socket? then there's the RCD issue.

Not having any of that stuff, this is the downstairs bathroom, we have an upstairs shower room that we will be using daily, this will just be for very infrequent baths and toilet use.

Would prefer to go down the route I already have as it will be a while before I get the light fittings in place and I want to get the plasterboard up, plus they are quite spread out. Will it work?

 

[telectrix]

i'd feed to the switch first, L and N, then take sw.l and n to the lights. saves all the joints for the perm. L.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I'm with Tel. I don't understand why you would want to design an installation with unnecessary joints.

 

[Octopus]

I'm with Tel. I don't understand why you would want to design an installation with unnecessary joints.

That's because you are a spark and the OP is a DIYer

 

[blawford]

i'd feed to the switch first, L and N, then take sw.l and n to the lights. saves all the joints for the perm. L.

The problem I see with that is that the feed to the room is already in place from before, cut to length, partly plastered in the wall and not close to where the switch is, so I would need to join another cable to it to get it to the switch anyway. Also, if I'm not misunderstanding, your idea would require two cables going to the switch. So in the case of the room I am working in I would have to chase another long channel in some plaster to accommodate that.

Also the problem I have with daisy-chaining between fittings in this case is that they are quire spread out and it would require a lot of cable, hence me trying to run cable to the middle between two fittings and then split off from there.

I am not trying to be difficult or ignore your advice, I know you guys know more than me and that is why I am here asking for advice and the wiring doesn't already have plasterboard over it.

I will take another look at the physical space tonight when I am home from work and see whether I can make any changes to remove some of the buried connections but in terms of safety and regs is what I have done currently OK? Also, I assume I have wired it up correctly, if not I am guessing someone would have already told me?

Thanks.

 

[Pete999]

I'm with Lee and Tel, I know you are a DIYer, but you have been given sound advice, which you seem reluctant to take for the sake of a few extra chases and more cable.

Installing it the way of the advice would eliminate the use of Wagos, yes they are MF but Murphy's law comes into play, if you have a potential for faults it's going to be with the Wagos and if they are buried, more work and expense to dig them out and repair, my advice would be to take the advice you have been given, it makes sense. Good luck with your project.

 

[blawford]

I'm with Lee and Tel, I know you are a DIYer, but you have been given sound advice, which you seem reluctant to take for the sake of a few extra chases and more cable.

Installing it the way of the advice would eliminate the use of Wagos, yes they are MF but Murphy's law comes into play, if you have a potential for faults it's going to be with the Wagos and if they are buried, more work and expense to dig them out and repair, my advice would be to take the advice you have been given, it makes sense. Good luck with your project.

OK, fair enough. So what should I do about the feed cable, given its length and position, just connect a new cable to it with the Wago connectors?

 

[telectrix]

Also the problem I have with daisy-chaining between fittings in this case is that they are quire spread out and it would require a lot of cable, hence me trying to run cable to the middle between two fittings and then split off from there.

is this a bathroom or a swimming pool?

 

[Pete999]

OK, fair enough. So what should I do about the feed cable, given its length and position, just connect a new cable to it with the Wago connectors?

Can you provide us with a rough drawing of the room layout, and also remember that any wiring within a bathroom, or cables running through the bathroom require RCD protection, a room layout with dims would help.

 

[blawford]

Also the problem I have with daisy-chaining between fittings in this case is that they are quire spread out and it would require a lot of cable, hence me trying to run cable to the middle between two fittings and then split off from there.

is this a bathroom or a swimming pool?

Haha. Yeah, OK, I had just about enough cable to do it the way I was proposing and to do it your way I would have to go buy more, plus I have 50 of the Wago connectors so using a few extra wasn't really a problem!

 

[blawford]

Can you provide us with a rough drawing of the room layout, and also remember that any wiring within a bathroom, or cables running through the bathroom require RCD protection, a room layout with dims would help.

Room is about 2x3m. Cable is from the RCD, ends about 1.5m from where the new switch will be on a perpendicular wall.

 

[Octopus]

Time to get my coat!

 

[blawford]

Time to get my coat!

OK, why exactly?

 

[BES]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2nUwZmg4W6c

 

[blawford]

So, do I just join another piece of cable to the feed cable with the connectors I have in order to get the length I need to run it to the switch?

 

[telectrix]

exten existing cable to switch with wagos in enclosure above ceiling. then feed out from switch daisy chaining the lights. might be an idea to switch them independently using a 2 gang switch.as for cost, a 50m drum of 1.0mm is only £15 or so.

 

[Pete999]

I realise most of us are aware, but the work the OP is proposing is in what is classed as a room with a bath or a shower and will need to be notified to the LABC, only just thought of this.
I don't feel comfortable in advising someone who is obviously not Electrically competent to do work in this area, although I wish him well and hope he gets it sorted, thinking about it, he should get the work done by an Electrician

 

[telectrix]

could do worse than DIY though. he could get a plumber or a builder to wire it.

 

[Pete999]

could do worse than DIY though. he could get a plumber or a builder to wire it.

Worse still a kitchen fitter

 

[telectrix]

Worse still a kitchen fitter

another one needs to wash his mouth out with soap. :15:

 

[Octopus]

OK, why exactly?

Because you seem to be ignoring good advice.....

 

[blawford]

i'd feed to the switch first, L and N, then take sw.l and n to the lights. saves all the joints for the perm. L.

Can anyone direct me to a diagram of this way of doing things? Just want to have it to hand while I actually do the work.

 

[BES]

Can anyone direct me to a diagram of this way of doing things? Just want to have it to hand while I actually do the work.

Id hang onto that diagram to show the judge how you burnt your house down. Just get someone in who knows what they are doing pal it wont cost you a fortune and will be done safely and correctly and you will have a nice little certificate from the spark and from Labc to say so [emoji1]

 

[telectrix]

feed the tingly cable from another permanent feed onthe lighting circuit. then feed cables to the new lights. connect to existing tingly cables with a switch. then they all tingly and the lights work. if you get it wrong, they still tingly, lights don't work, your wife and kids are fried. you're in front of the man in the silly wig, then you go to a place where you don't bend down to pick up the soap.

 

[blawford]

Why does this forum have a DIY forum that people reply to? Surely easier to set up something that replies to every thread automatically telling them they are too stupid to do whatever they are trying to do and to instead pay an electrician.

 

[SJD]

I think its already been said several times, you want to avoid any buried junctions (Wago or otherwise, much though I like them), you can have all the connections in the switch box. You could run the cable from each light to the switch box, or daisy chain them (which doesn't always work well with some fittings that only have room for one cable entry). Cable is cheap, if you've run out then just get some more, rather than attempt to join sections of cable. If you've got a chase for a cable, it is trivial to make it wide enough for 2 or 3 cables. I think the negative comments are due to you still wanting to do it another way.

 

[blawford]

I think the negative comments are due to you still wanting to do it another way.

I don't want to do it another way, since post number #10 on the first page of this thread I changed my opinion and said:

OK, fair enough. So what should I do about the feed cable, given its length and position, just connect a new cable to it with the Wago connectors?

Maybe it wasn't clear that I was planning on following the methodology laid out in the first few replies I was given, but it should have been given I asked for a diagram of how it should be done, just so I am sure I am on the same page.

Not really sure why I have been persuaded to change everything I had already done, then when I ask for more clarification all I get is jokes about how I will burn my house down. I appreciate that my first way of doing it wasn't the 'ideal' way but it wasn't wrong or dangerous, correct?

I am a very competent DIY'er and don't really believe it should require me to shell out £50+ for someone to come round for 5 minutes work, considering all the cables are run and even the individual wires stripped at this point.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I don't want to do it another way, since post number #10 on the first page of this thread I changed my opinion and said:



Maybe it wasn't clear that I was planning on following the methodology laid out in the first few replies I was given, but it should have been given I asked for a diagram of how it should be done, just so I am sure I am on the same page.

Not really sure why I have been persuaded to change everything I had already done, then when I ask for more clarification all I get is jokes about how I will burn my house down. I appreciate that my first way of doing it wasn't the 'ideal' way but it wasn't wrong or dangerous, correct?

I am a very competent DIY'er and don't really believe it should require me to shell out £50+ for someone to come round for 5 minutes work, considering all the cables are run and even the individual wires stripped at this point.

But as Pete pointed out its more than likely notifiable work and if your not willing to pay out £50 for an electrician then you definitely wont be paying £250 plus for the LABC to have your work inspected and tested.

 

[Octopus]

The principal reason for the forum is for sparks to share information with each other.

The DIY thread was created to answer minor issues and not be a step by step guide for Joe Public - you need to appreciate that the majority of us are self employed so giving away information isn't really in our interests......

As for 5 minutes work - there is more to it than that and the testing and certification takes far longer, and if this work falls under Part P - then that takes time too.

Who is to say that your current set up is up to standard and doesn't need some basic improvements too?

 

[BES]

As a VERY competent electrical diyer perhaps you could tell us what tests and inspection you will complete prior to and after you proceed with this project and which test equipment you own to partake the required tests.