Wiring downlights?

HammerHappy · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 7:29 pm Post Subject: Wiring downlights?

I want to wire 8 down lights (50 watt Halogen no need for transformer type) in my kitchen. Would anybody be able to tell me the best way of doing this please. I\\\'m thinking of either using 3 junction boxes and join them there or just more simply going from the first light to the next and so on like a chain. Also they are double insulated so i guess i just trim the earth back and leave it? Do i just use normal lighting cable or does it have to be special heat resistant cable? It doesn\\\'t say anything in instructions! Thanks for any help!

Steve · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 7:44 pm Post Subject:

The way to do it is to daisychain them. connections need to be accessible, so using junction boxes all over the place wont meet regs. Use 1.5mm² cable.

Its worth noting that's 400w of lighting you will have in your kitchen. How many watts did you have before? How many watts in total do you have on this circuit (incl. this addition)? What rating is the protective device (MCB/fuse)?

Dont snip the earth off. It make be needed in future. Continue the earth through the daisychain if you can, using terminal blocks.

HammerHappy · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 8:46 pm Post Subject:

Thanks i'll daisy chain em then and keep the earth continuity going with terminal blocks. This circuit will have a total of 1100w and will be protected by a 6amp mcb. I understand this to be ok. So the flat grey 1.5mm cable is ok then, it doesn't have to be special heat resistant cable? Thanks for your help again!

Steve · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:57 pm Post Subject:

HammerHappy wrote:

This circuit will have a total of 1100w and will be protected by a 6amp mcb. I understand this to be ok.

yes this is fine. Just checking because a lot of people add extra lights to their downstairs circuit and end up overloading it - 500w outside lights are good at this!

btw, i meant to make the point earlier, that 400w is a lot of light. How big is the kitchen? how many watts did you have before?

HammerHappy · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 9:06 am Post Subject:

It's a fair size. approx 2.7m wide and about 5m long. I know this does seem a lot of light though. Maybe 6 would be enough but i dont want to create shadows by not having enough light. Thanks for your help.

baldelectrician · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:49 pm Post Subject:

use these
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/searchresults.jsp;jsessionid=TDKO440NHGNS0CSTHZOCFFY?_dyncharset=UTF-8&q=choc+box&n=&pn=1&pd=1&pi=1&cn=1&cd=1&x=0&y=0

or something like them above each light, then a tail to each fitting.
Personally I would use ELV (12V) lamps with trannys as a 35W )quality - osram / phillips lamp will give the same light as a 50W mains halogen.
Also the lamps last longer and are cheaper to replace.

this makes all connections acessible as you can pull them out of the roofspace to get to them