Adding round pin sockets to existing lighting circuit

[Triffle]

1 grey cable coming out of the ceiling ?

THere is either a small junction box in the ceiling, or the octopus design. (large central junction)

If you can't get into the roof, or the rooms are tall, you way want to consider another way, i.e donig it with the floor boards up.

Yup just one grey cable coming out. The hole wasn't easy to see into but at first look with a torch we couldn't see a small junction box there (that doesn't mean there wasn't one just out of sight I suppose!)

Floor boards would be much easier, as the room is uncarpeted at present (and good void below floorboards). But wouldn't we still have to get to the junction/octopus box in the ceiling to correct to?

No, I would make a guess at a joint box having been used, rather than a loop in system - judging by the red, black and the dark green earth sleaving plus the older style switch. If there is no loop in at the ceiling rose, then you need to track down the location of that joint box.

Ok thanks. Tracking down the joint box seems to be the sticking point if we can't get into the loft, which is rather frustrating!



Sorry my pictures haven't been more helpful. I appreciate all the help I'm being given on this thread though




EDIT: sorry another question... I've been assuming the octopus junction box, if we have one (which is looking increasingly likely) would be above that room... but could it be anywhere in the house? The room in question is right at the back of the house so is in effect the 'last' room if that makes sense.

 

[AndyPRK]

See my post on the other page, on an alternative way of doing it

 

[Tigercubrider]

I know that you're keen on a rewire, which is neater, but you can fit cheap remotes.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energenie-...48&hvtargid=pla-421961245865&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

I use these at work to switch small spotlights in a space, and also at home.

 

[Triffle]

See my post on the other page, on an alternative way of doing it

Thank you - those instructions make sense and seem perfectly do-able. That might be the way forward.

I know that you're keen on a rewire, which is neater, but you can fit cheap remotes.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energenie-...48&hvtargid=pla-421961245865&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

I use these at work to switch small spotlights in a space, and also at home.

Interesting, I've not heard of those before. I am more keen on proper wiring in but it's useful to know something like that exists.

 

[AndyPRK]

If you are going to have 1 switch doing all 5A sockets, then you need to think carefully where you will join the wiring.

If the 5A sockets, will be at one end of the room, then you can chain one socket from another.

If the sockets will be in different directions from the light switch, then you could join the cables in these ways:

1) Under the floor. This isn't really recommended, but maybe best for a DIYer
2) In the box behind the fuse. This makes most sense. Hopefully there will just be room in their to join them.

The problem is that many new cables won't fit into your existing light switch box. You might just get away with two, i.e. In and Out.

 

[AndyPRK]

when I say fused unit. I mean one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Crabtree...765143?hash=item58d8c2c517:g:7~EAAOSwH3hZ5cSF

 

[Triffle]

If you are going to have 1 switch doing all 5A sockets, then you need to think carefully where you will join the wiring.

If the 5A sockets, will be at one end of the room, then you can chain one socket from another.

If the sockets will be in different directions from the light switch, then you could join the cables in these ways:

1) Under the floor. This isn't really recommended, but maybe best for a DIYer
2) In the box behind the fuse. This makes most sense. Hopefully there will just be room in their to join them.

The problem is that many new cables won't fit into your existing light switch box. You might just get away with two, i.e. In and Out.

Sorry, forgot to address that from your last post. The idea would be to have one (new) switch (beside the existing switch) operating all the 5A sockets, leaving the existing switch to operate the ceiling light. We haven't decided exactly where the new sockets would go but there would likely be two of them, at opposite (pretty much) sides of the room.

Here's a quick diagram 'looking down' onto the room, if it helps (showing off my MS Paint skills ):

when I say fused unit. I mean one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Crabtree...765143?hash=item58d8c2c517:g:7~EAAOSwH3hZ5cSF

Yup, gotcha. (I love trips to Screwfix for things like this).


I'd prefer to do the join behind the fuse if possible.

 

[AndyPRK]

looks like a few more 13A socket would be good too!

If you aren't sure where you want 5A, it doesn't hurt to add an extra spare one, while the floor is up

 

[Triffle]

looks like a few more 13A socket would be good too!

If you aren't sure where you want 5A, it doesn't hurt to add an extra spare one, while the floor is up

Haha yes! When I went to check the room before I made the diagram, I looked round and thought damn, that's not many sockets.

Thing is we've been sort of doing up rooms at a time since we moved in a few years ago and that room has been used for storage and what-have-you so we kinda forgot about it and it never got any attention when we had the rewiring done. We got more sockets added in other rooms but stupidly didn't think of that one.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Your issue with running 5A sockets from the lighting wiring is that you will need to take wiring to the first 5A socket in the chain the following
1. A switched live
2. A neutral
3. An earth

To do this you would need a cable from the light switch (to provide 1 and 3)
And
A separate cable from the existing light to provide 2 (and 3).

Your lighting arrangement involves a junction box hidden somewhere, this doesn’t make easy additions of extra switches or lights.

 

[Triffle]

Your issue with running 5A sockets from the lighting wiring is that you will need to take wiring to the first 5A socket in the chain the following
1. A switched live
2. A neutral
3. An earth

To do this you would need a cable from the light switch (to provide 1 and 3)
And
A separate cable from the existing light to provide 2 (and 3).

Your lighting arrangement involves a junction box hidden somewhere, this doesn’t make easy additions of extra switches or lights.

So this will require access to the existing lighting and cannot be done by connecting to sockets and adding a 5amp fuse unit as per Andy's post #14?

 

[Taylortwocities]

I was rewinding to the original requirement.

Andy’s method is another way using another power source. As he suggests, use a separate switch and box if you go that way.