living room spotlights

[simonzx10]

hi

in my living room I want 9 spotlights in the ceiling. Basically 3 rows of 3 making a square.
I want to be able to switch the 4 corner spots on separate to the 5 inner spots forming a cross. So 2 switches.
As they are spot lights there isn't many connections for wiring.
Normally the wiring would go to the ceiling rose and the a run to the switch.
This doesn't seem practical with spots.
Can some one explain how to wire them please. A drawing would be great but not a wiring diagram, I find them hard to understand, just a drawing showing the real wires etc.. hope you understand hat I mean.

Thanks.[/b]

 

[wingcoax]

Take one feed from the existing ceiling rose as mentioned and daisy chain the spots on that circuit, then repeat with the other set. There is room in the connections for this.

 

[simonzx10]

ok forgot to say, there is no wiring for lights at all at the moment. I will be running new wiring from the consumer unit and originally would take it straight to a ceiling rose but now I am having spots it confused me.
So there wont be a rose at all.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

hi

in my living room I want 9 spotlights in the ceiling. Basically 3 rows of 3 making a square.

So like a giant noughts and crosses board, only one which blinds you if you look at it but is nevertheless useless at actually lighting up the room.

Nice.

Normally the wiring would go to the ceiling rose and the a run to the switch.
This doesn't seem practical with spots.

Then use a junction box.

Traditional, if it will be accessible, or maintenance-free if not.

I want to be able to switch the 4 corner spots on separate to the 5 inner spots forming a cross. So 2 switches.

2 x 4-way junction boxes. Assuming that the lighting loop is already up there.

ok forgot to say, there is no wiring for lights at all at the moment.

That's very odd, to have a room with no lighting in it.

This isn't a new extension, is it?

I will be running new wiring from the consumer unit and originally would take it straight to a ceiling rose but now I am having spots it confused me.
So there wont be a rose at all.

Are you aware that new circuits are notifiable?

Do you know all of the rules for concealed cables?

What will happen about testing?


How you wire it will depend on whether the circuit loops through the ceiling or the switches - have you decided which you'll do?

Can some one explain how to wire them please. A drawing would be great but not a wiring diagram, I find them hard to understand, just a drawing showing the real wires etc.. hope you understand hat I mean.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting


But TBH, given that you struggle to understand how things are wired, you'd be much better off getting an electrician.

 

[Taylortwocities]

For downlights, I would take the feed to the switch and do the connections there.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm still curious to know how the OP comes to have a room which has no lighting in it.

 

[simonzx10]

long story but we bought a house that was in real bad condition and the electrics were shocking. loads of connector blocks adding bits here and there. ring mains and radials feeding different sockets etc in rooms. Was just easier to rip it out and start again. the entire house had one feed to all lights. we now have proper ring mains and light circuits etc.

 

[sparkwright]

Best way then is as mentioned before;

One cable (or more) supply cable to the switch.
From switch, one cable to 4 spots.
From switch, one cable to 5 spots.

All neutrals get joined together at switch.
This eliminates the need for a junction box stuffed with wires.

May also be woth running another cable from the switch to do wall lights.

If you're feeling flash, you could run another cable from the switch to some 5 amp round pin sockets - then you can have table lamps etc controlled from the door.

 

[sparkwright]

Use a deep 35 or even 47 mm deep switch box, to allow for all the wiring and for a dimmer (if you like that sort of thing) as they are quite chunky.

 

[simonzx10]

thanks, this is how I was going to wire them, I asked the question in case there was a better way. the back box will be a deep one as there will in insulation board on that wall. The room is actually 2 knocked into one and thee will be exactly the same lighting set up in the rear of the room (with there own switch) so would I run the feed to that switch from the same first switch? the consumer unit is under the stairs which is actually in the middle of the room but on the side, could I just run another cable from the same trip to feed the switch for these lights or should it run from the original switch? its doing the same thing but having to use more cable if wired from the one switch to the other.

 

[simonzx10]

And Mr Ban-all-Sheds, all electrics will be tested by an electrician. I ask questions on area's I just need a bit of advice on. I cant keep asking my electrician as he busy and doesn't always reply.
I do all work myself as I cant afford to pay the high rates they charge just to run cables etc. This is a house I will live in and I have some serious cinema gear so it will be proper. I just don't know all the ins and outs so ask instead of just guessing and cocking it up.
Just been looking at that link you sent for wiring diagrams. Thanks these are fantastic. This is what I meant by real pictures as opposed to wiring diagrams.

 

[sparkwright]

Up to you.

You must remember not to put too many lights on one circuit.

Also, you don't want to run EVERY room back to the consumer unit, as you'd have too many wires to arrange.

It's normal to go from one room/light switch to another.

 

[simonzx10]

I know there will be a lot of spotlights but I am fitting low voltage LEDs into them to cut the running cost and also the amount of power used. That's another reason why I am having them switched in sections as I don't want to always have them all on in one go.
The downstairs is only this room a kitchen and small toilet.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Was just easier to rip it out and start again.

What did you tell Building Control would be the way that you would ensure compliance with Part P?

And Mr Ban-all-Sheds, all electrics will be tested by an electrician.

Is that an electrician who is a registered 3rd-partu certifier, or an electrician who is going to lie to Building Control to say he did the work?

I ask questions on area's I just need a bit of advice on.

You cannot possibly rewire a house by asking whatever random questions happen to occur to you about things you realise you don't know. You've already shown that you have some dodgy misconceptions - what if you get something wrong because you have no idea your knowledge is wrong? What if you miss something because you simply have no idea it even exists, and just don't realise you don't know it?

I cant keep asking my electrician as he busy and doesn't always reply.

How can you expect him to sign this:

I being the person responsible for the Design of the electrical installation (as indicated by my signature below), particulars of which are described above, having exercised reasonable skill and care when carrying out the Design, hereby CERTIFY that the said work for which I have been responsible is to the best of my knowledge and belief in accordance with BS 7671:2008, amended to 2011 except for the departures, if any, detailed as follows.

if he doesn't actually do it?

I do all work myself as I cant afford to pay the high rates they charge just to run cables etc.

But you can afford some serious cinema gear, can't you.


Just been looking at that link you sent for wiring diagrams. Thanks these are fantastic. This is what I meant by real pictures as opposed to wiring diagrams.[/quote]
If you cannot fathom something like this:

you have no business going anywhere near a rewire.

 

[simonzx10]

Right.
1: The electrician can visibly see all the wiring. It is all open for scrutiny. All I have done is run the cables.
2: The cinema gear was bought before my divorce hence the new house.
3: I can read those diagrams and understand them.

House electrics is very easy compared to elevator and forklift electrics which I do deal with. Those wiring diagrams do my head in.

All I have asked really is whether or not the bathroom lighting needs to be switched through a double pole switch or single, the way to connect a whirlpool bath and wiring up the spots which the way described above is the way I was going to do it.

But you get on your high and mighty horse. Instead of giving it the big I am why don't you just assist? The standard of this house will be better than if I'd have paid people because its my house and I am a perfectionist but not a rich one.

For instance I was given a shed load of new twin and earth, but old colours, I didn't use and bought new colours. The original wiring in the house is old colours and everyone is happy with that even though it was the worst wired house I had seen and was given the thumbs up by the surveyors. Is there anything wrong with old colours? NO. Just because some one in an office decides we should change it. In fact the old colours are more obvious to understand. Some ones making a killing somewhere! And we ran 4mm for the downstairs ring. 16th edition says no sockets in bathrooms, 17th allows it now. Suddenly death in the bathroom isn't as important as it once was.

So I am no idiot as you imply.