[b]Lighting Circuits[/b]

[LaurenceGregory]

Lighting Circuits:Why is it that every home electric's and D-I-Y book on electric's I seem to pick up doesn't show the way that my house is wired? I'm beginning to think there is a problem the way it's been done. Let me explain; In all the books I've read and seen diagrams of, the ceiling rose appears to be the main junction where both circuit cables and switch cable are present (I think this is called "Loop-in wiring"), or the "Junction box wiring" method, where switch and ceiling rose are fed from the junction box. The "Loop-in" method does away with the junction box.

Well in my house each of the ceiling roses to the light fittings has just one 1.0mm2 cable/two wires feeding them, presumably the "switched live" and "Neutral". Whereas, behind all the light switches there are numerous cables and wires terminating. I can only assume that the switch itself is being used as the "junction box" or "Loop-in?"

Is this method normal? Does it have a special name?

 

[breezer]

it is most unusual to have lighting wired the way you have, it looks like who ever did it must of had loads of money as it uses more cable that way

 

[alexnic]

It would appear by the sound of it that the feeds have been looped via the switches in your case so you would have the 2-lives at the common and the switched live at L1(or -L2 as it used to be) on the switch. The neutrals will be connected together in a terminal block.
I would hope that deeper boxes rather than the 16mm PD boxes have been used

This way is quite common in older middle flats for example where there is fancy cornicing etc. and no access above to run the cables... it's easier to try and get a single cable thro' it to the ceiling rose rather than pull 3 in for loop-in.

 

[paulfromswindon]

Another reason why people do this is because they intend to put decorative light fittings up, so it makes it much easier than having to reterminate three cables and stuff the decorative fitting with connectors (especially as some aren't really designed with that in mind). Not always a safe thing for people to do, some DIYers don't realise how the 3-plate system works, much better for them to have just one cable.

Nothing wrong with it, not the usual, but not that unusual. I do it sometimes where I know the customer is gonna have nice fittings. I've also noticed it in new houses lately. Put some lights up for a friend in her brand new house and it was wired that way. We'd never do it in rewires cos you'd never get three cables down an existing switch channel in the wall. In my view it does have advantages.

No name for it as far as I know. The usual method of doing it is called the three-plate method.

By the way Laurence, you say one cable/two wires in each fitting - I trust there is also an earth?

Cheers

Paul

 

[LaurenceGregory]

Thanks for the info Guy's

Yes, Paul the cable is twin & earth

Incidentally, the house was built in 1986

Cheers

Laurence