new bathroom lights

[Hamilia1]

I am doing up the bathroom. i currently have one central light and an extractor fan going to a double switch. I want to add wall lights into the circiut but controlled by a seperate switch from the main light. Can i just spur off the back of the existing switch to a new switch and then run a cable to the wall light?

 

[riveralt]

Providing your switch has a live, neutral and earth - yes.

Also please be aware of the IP rating for each zone within the bathroom.

 

[Hamilia1]

lights are all ip65 rated

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You need live, neutral and CPC (AKA earth).
In most installation it it not common to have the neutral at the switch but at the light fitting. Just because you find a colour core assosiated with that of the neutral do not take for granted that is what it is.
Also bathroom electrical equipment and buried cables require a 30mA RCD protective device.

 

[Hamilia1]

So how should I run the new cable. From the existing light?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

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

 

[riveralt]

So how should I run the new cable. From the existing light?

So do you have a live, neutral and earth at the light switch?
If you don't know then as the BAS said look up wiki electrics uk for lighting circuits for examples.

If you do have LNE at the two gang switch then, with the power of, you will need to replace it with a three gang switch. Then wire up the first two gangs as per the original two gang.
Then run a 1mm² T&E from the wall light(s) to the new switch.
Connect a small piece of cable (brown insulated) between the Live in and link it to the L on the third gang.
Using the new 1mm² T&E put the brown in the L1 terminal and the blue in the Neutral terminal block (which should be in the backbox) - also connect the earths together.
Then at the first wall light connect to L(brown) N(blue) E(green/yellow sleeve) the use cable to connect to the second/third etc lamp.
This will mean your wall lights will come on separately to the fan and central light.

This is a simple job - so if none of it makes sense perhaps you might need to get someone in to help you.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

So how should I run the new cable. From the existing light?

That would depend on the existing set up you have, if neutral is at switch then you can take form there, if neutral is at light fitting then you you would need to route neutral from that point to wall light, then you could take the live to switch by linking at the switch plate from exiting common/perm live.
Also make yourself aware of the permitted safe zones of cable routes, this can be found in Wiki: electrics UK, under installation techniques.

 

[ericmark]

I am doing up the bathroom. i currently have one central light and an extractor fan going to a double switch. I want to add wall lights into the circuit but controlled by a separate switch from the main light. Can i just spur off the back of the existing switch to a new switch and then run a cable to the wall light?

The question is "Can i" and to answer that one needs to know your ability and Scottish regulations. I have looked at English and Welsh regulations and with them yes you can if you have the ability but the cost of registration means you would not want to. It would be far cheaper getting a scheme member electrician to do the work.

The problem is wall lights may be in the special zones and England and Wales are different and Scotland is something else.

In most cases there is no neutral in a wall switch so logistics answer is likely "no". Likely all will need connecting from main light not switch.

Already talked about is RCD and IP rating of lamps used. In the main the lamp will need a label on it saying suitable for use in bathrooms or you can't use it. Likely you will need extra low voltage with a separated supply (SELV) to use wall lights and you will need to be careful selecting the transformer that it is an isolated supply.

It does however raise the question "How can a SELV device be protected by a RCD?" to me it can't and I would not even try. However this is one of the cases where you have to make the executive decision not any one on the forum.

I will however ask "Has anyone ever seen a 12vac RCD?" likely it was behind a rocking horse.