Hi There,
I am intending to install a loft light at some point this week and was after a bit of clarification on the earthing.
Essentially I am going to follow this method which was on another post.
1) Check that your ceiling roses are wired with the 3-plate method - Have a look in them, you should see three sets of terminals (plus an earth terminal) - Each ceiling rose will have two or three cables going to it - if you only have one, this method will not work. The middle terminals should have red wires, the two outer ones (which feed the light itself) should have a black in each, one of which should have red sleeving on, (but this is often missing). These two outer terminals sets should also have the pendant connected to them.
2) Take a 1mm T+E cable from a ceiling rose to a switch box fixed to a joist in the loft. You will find that most or all of the roses will have three wires in, but the last light on the circuit should only have two - you will find it easier to wire it from this one if you can find it.
3) From this switch box, wire another 1mm T+E cable to the light fitting in the loft, and connect the light fitting to this.
4) In the switch box, connect the incoming and outgoing earths together to the earth terminal in the switch box, or if there is not one, into a 5 or 15A insulated connector block (don't forget to put green/yellow sleeving on the earth wires).
5) Connect both of the Neutrals together in the switch box into a 5A or 15A connector block.
6) Connect the incoming live (from cieling rose) to the 'C' connection on the switch.
7) Connect the outgoing live to the L1 connection on the switch (you may need to swaop this to the L2 if switch appears upside down when you have finished).
This all makes perfect sense, just a couple of queries :
- Rather than connecting the neutrals together in the switch box, would I be better off using a choc block ?
- The light is double insulated (no earth), so what should I do with the earth wire when I get to the light ? Just cut it back ?
- Am I OK to use a metal light switch/back box or should it be plastic ?
Thanks in advance
I am intending to install a loft light at some point this week and was after a bit of clarification on the earthing.
Essentially I am going to follow this method which was on another post.
1) Check that your ceiling roses are wired with the 3-plate method - Have a look in them, you should see three sets of terminals (plus an earth terminal) - Each ceiling rose will have two or three cables going to it - if you only have one, this method will not work. The middle terminals should have red wires, the two outer ones (which feed the light itself) should have a black in each, one of which should have red sleeving on, (but this is often missing). These two outer terminals sets should also have the pendant connected to them.
2) Take a 1mm T+E cable from a ceiling rose to a switch box fixed to a joist in the loft. You will find that most or all of the roses will have three wires in, but the last light on the circuit should only have two - you will find it easier to wire it from this one if you can find it.
3) From this switch box, wire another 1mm T+E cable to the light fitting in the loft, and connect the light fitting to this.
4) In the switch box, connect the incoming and outgoing earths together to the earth terminal in the switch box, or if there is not one, into a 5 or 15A insulated connector block (don't forget to put green/yellow sleeving on the earth wires).
5) Connect both of the Neutrals together in the switch box into a 5A or 15A connector block.
6) Connect the incoming live (from cieling rose) to the 'C' connection on the switch.
7) Connect the outgoing live to the L1 connection on the switch (you may need to swaop this to the L2 if switch appears upside down when you have finished).
This all makes perfect sense, just a couple of queries :
- Rather than connecting the neutrals together in the switch box, would I be better off using a choc block ?
- The light is double insulated (no earth), so what should I do with the earth wire when I get to the light ? Just cut it back ?
- Am I OK to use a metal light switch/back box or should it be plastic ?
Thanks in advance