downlight switching??

[markbaldwin]

hi peeps, im installing 12 downlights in a kitchen, im ok with the wiring of the down lights, but im having trouble working out how to wire from the downlight to the switch!! im running 2circuits, do i need 3core+cpc or 4core please help somone!!

 

[trev]

Sounds like you need an electrician
Sorry, too good an opportunity to pass up. T&E will do fine.

 

[TaffyDuck]

trev, I now have the image of 13 x 1mm T/E being crammed into a single backbox.

 

[markbaldwin]

im actually, training to be one, trouble is college course only does basic lighting!! thanks for your help though!

 

[trev]

Mark, come on I did apologise. Think of it as wiring the first light as a 3 plate then looping a switched live and neutral to the next

 

[markbaldwin]

haha! so you did! will do, thanks! ps how much is your daily rate lol!

 

[trev]

haha! so you did! will do, thanks! ps how much is your daily rate lol!

Depends on what you want me to. Some things I'm very cheap, other things you couldn't afford me

 

[markbaldwin]

haha! how would you wire the switch then, would you need to loop a live wire between the commons? and were would the line swithch go L1?

 

[Robson689]

I don't know if I'm right or not (I'm a trainee like you) but if you think of a switch, it is switching the live, so common would be the incoming power and L1 would be the switched live. So presumably you would take the switched live from L1 to the first downlighter and daisychain them after that? I guess it all depends on the load though... I'm sure I'll be corrected

 

[markbaldwin]

cheers robinson, so i link the common with the other common and the neutral (switched live) runs to the first light, as you said!

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whoops sorry mate robson!!!!

 

[trev]

Since you're both trainees think of this as a bit of homework. You're overthinking this, 2 banks of 6 lightseach controlled by 1 switch. The first on each bank is going to be wired 3 plate. T&E switch drops.
Draw it out, it's a lot easier than you think. Remember loading though.

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cheers robinson, so i link the common with the other common and the neutral (switched live) runs to the first light, as you said!

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whoops sorry mate robson!!!!

No. see above

 

[markbaldwin]

and what face plate would i use?

 

[ayjay]

god help us

 

[ste77]

god help us

steady on mate theyre learning, everyone has been at that point before!!!

 

[linfield-sparky]

Call ghostbusters

 

[kingeri]

im actually, training to be one, trouble is college course only does basic lighting!! thanks for your help though!

And what you're describing is advanced lighting?

 

[ayjay]

yeah but charging money and totally clueless ste

 

[Resu]

Coming from another trainee I would say if you need to ask these kind of questions you are in over your head mate. What you have described has a very straight forward solution. Try knocking up a wiring diagram and see if it clicks. Also might be worth joining the Trainee section.

 

[ste77]

yeah but charging money and totally clueless ste

my mistake i read his post wrong i thought it was his kitchen, been a long night.....fire at will mate!!

 

[monkee]

remeber what the wholesales say we dont give out electrical adivce..

but we are happy to sell you any thing you want and it will be cheaper to you than your average spark cause he has an account and you dont ha ha

 

[ayjay]

all i,m saying is , if the o/p is installing some simple lighting he /she should know the simple basics
if i were a customer,i wouldn,t expect a boy to arrive at my house ,not knowing how to do the simpest work! its a recipie for disaster

 

[Octopus]

It may be his kitchen but still falls under the dreaded Part P......

 

[Robson689]

It may be his kitchen but still falls under the dreaded Part P......

What is the likelihood of you getting in trouble for Part P? Especially if it is your own kitchen, you can just say you don't know who installed it??

I guess my lack of knowledge about Part P is ignorant and I apologise...

 

[guest119]

Learning, fine but this guy is actually installing..........unsupervised.


Boydy

 

[Octopus]

What is the likelihood of you getting in trouble for Part P? Especially if it is your own kitchen, you can just say you don't know who installed it??

I guess my lack of knowledge about Part P is ignorant and I apologise...

So its fine to start off while learning ignoring the rules then......

 

[partypest]

Yep, kitchen is a Part P Special Location so a new lighting circuit is notifiable. If you aren't on a scheme, you need to notify your Building Control before you get started. As for your lighting circuit, you need to start from the beginning. What's the load? What correction factors for installation method? Once you've done your calcs, you'll know what size conductor and what rating you need for your switch/switches. Will your junctions be accessible for initial verification and IR in the future? There may be some parts that need to be MF connections. I'm surprised a trainee would say "I've got a kitchen, 12 downlighters and a switch and a load of 1mm, how do I wire it all together?"

 

[imago]

A kitchen isn't a 'special location' but as pointed out it currently requires notification. Unless you wait about six weeks.