Changing fluorescent light to track lighting/spotlights

[Alison556]

I want to change the fluorescent tube in the kitchen to spotlights or track lighting - I think track lighting will probably be better because the wires don't come into the centre of the room - so spotlights would be offcentre.

I just want to check if swapping it over is going to be pretty idiot proof, ie for me to do.

I've got two twin and earth cables coming in.

The two brown wires from each cable are joined together into a block connector - attached to nothing.

The two earth wires are sleeved together and go into the earth of the light fitting.

One blue wire from one cable goes into the light fitting block connector.

The other blue wire has been sleeved with brown and it goes into the light fitting block connector.

Does this sound like it's just going to be a simple swap over to a new light fitting? Is track lighting any different to wire up than normal lighting?

Sorry if I'm being vague - but you might guess, I'm no sparky!!! I'm not stupid and can do a straight swap but I don't think I've got the confidence to do anything more technical than that.

Any pointers much appreciated.

Alison

 

[sparkwright]

You need to consider where the cable entry point on the 'track' is, and if you have space to get the two cables + a connector block for the two browns within the fitting. If not, you may have to do a joint somewhere so one cable emerges from the ceiling, and in the correct place.

 

[Alison556]

Never thought of that.

Is it OK to do joins as such in mains cables then?

Could I do all the joins into a block connector and use a bit of twin and earth out to connect to the new light fitting? And put the joined bits in the ceiling? If that was OK to do, I could actually bring the bit of cable into the middle of the room and get away with a normal spotlight fitting but I thought that joining like that and tucking it into the ceiling would be a fire hazard or some contravention of good electrical practice or something.

I realise I'm sounding even more clueless - do I need an electrician!!!!

 

[sparkwright]

If there is a loft space above which is accessible you would do a joint within a 20 amp 4 terminal junction box.

If there is a room above then the joint will not be accessible so not allowed.

Perhaps there is some slack on the existing cables so you can centralise them and use the the spot fitting you were talking about.

Never use an unenclosed connector block to join cables.

 

[riveralt]

I just want to check if swapping it over is going to be pretty idiot proof, ie for me to do.

I've got two twin and earth cables coming in.

The two brown wires from each cable are joined together into a block connector - attached to nothing.

That is the live(line) loop - leave it as it is.

The two earth wires are sleeved together and go into the earth of the light fitting.

That is the earth loop - which is connected to the earth block on the new fitting.

One blue wire from one cable goes into the light fitting block connector.

This is your neutral wire and goes into the Neutral block on the new light fitting.

The other blue wire has been sleeved with brown and it goes into the light fitting block connector.

This is you switch live and goes to the Live terminal on the new fitting.

Does this sound like it's just going to be a simple swap over to a new light fitting? Is track lighting any different to wire up than normal lighting?

Should be a simple swop subject to the cables being long enough to reach the new fitting.

 

[Alison556]

Thank you for the explanations.

I've no access from above - it's a flat I'm in so it's my neighbour's kitchen that's above me - so that knocks joining it on the head.

I'll get a look at track lighting and see how much space there is in the track. There's not enough slack on the cables to try and pull them centrally - why they've not centralised them when they did the rewiring, I'll never know.

 

[sparkwright]

The cables can be extended by line crimping. You need the correct type of crimping tool and some heat shrink sleeving - possibly a job for a pro.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thank you for the explanations.

I've no access from above - it's a flat I'm in so it's my neighbour's kitchen that's above me - so that knocks joining it on the head.

.

That also means that you cannot fit downlights as your ceiling is a fire-barrier to the flat above..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1) How many watts is the fluorescent light you are planning to remove?

2) How many watts is the lighting you plan to replace it with?

3) Does 2 v 1 look like a good thing, or a bad thing?

 

[Alison556]

I did think about downlighters - I've got them in the bathroom - but used Parador stuff to drop the ceiling and put the downlighters in that but I got a quote for doing the kitchen like that and once I'd picked myself up off the floor, decided that it was a tad on the expensive side.

BOS - I've no idea the wattage of the fluorescent light - do you mean the tube?

The new light fitting is 50W I believe.

And not sure what you mean in your last question.............

 

[riveralt]

BOS

He'll like that

The new light fitting is 50W I believe.

And not sure what you mean in your last question.............

BAS is referring to the amount of light you will get from fitting spotlamps to the rail as against a fluroscenent light. Although not directly comparable play around with the slider on the right to give you an indication of the difference between spot and 'normal' lights.
http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/article/spotlight-beam-angles/
Most spots are around 35/40 degree beam angles.

In broad terms spots are what they say - they give you pools of light in specific places against the surface mounted fluroscenent which gives a wide pool of light. Depending on the size of the room to get a similar amount of light you might need 4 or 5 times the amount of wattage for spotlights against a comparable fluroscenent.

 

[Alison556]

Ooopsie - typo!!!!

Yeah, I get where he's coming from but I really hate that fluorescent light - it just makes everything look dull and yellow and horrible. I'd love downlighters like I've got in the bathroom - it looks so crisp and white and bright but I'd need to put Parador or something up in the kitchen and I was quoted £900 to do it - nearly fainted!!

So spotlights seems to be the next best thing. Halogen ones should be nice and bright, shouldn't they? I reckon I need at least four. The kitchen is 4m x 3m roughly.

Went to my local electrical wholesalers today - ha! they dont keep lights in stock!!!!

I think I might get away with spotlights that are on a bar as opposed to having like a central rose.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yeah, I get where he's coming from but I really hate that fluorescent light - it just makes everything look dull and yellow and horrible.

What colour tube is in it?

Does it also have an old, yellowed diffuser?

They don't have to look like this:

For example the top right one here:




or these:

And these are all from just one maker.

So spotlights seems to be the next best thing. Halogen ones should be nice and bright, shouldn't they?

Yes - halogen spotlights will produce nice bright spots of light. That's what they are designed to do.

What they won't do is provide good, even, room illumination. That's not what they are designed to do.

I reckon I need at least four.

I doubt that'll be anywhere near enough.

 

[djrock]

Halogen spots do look good. In my kitchen I have a bar with 4 on. This adds up to 200watts!! I have a set of 3 non halogen R80 100w spots in my bedroom. Now both fittings light up the rooms fine but for the amount of wattage you need to light the room you are better off avoiding them!

You end up with parts of the room that are not so bright.

After I have used up my R80 lamps I will be sticking in normal cfl’s. Which may look naff but will do a much better job of light my room.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Try the GE Genura lamp in the R80s.