Bathroom Electrics

[leevis]

Hi All
Doing a project at home in which I am removing a wall between a toilet and a bathroom to make one bathroom space.
Currently there is a light in the toilet (push switch - just turns on the light) and a light in the bathroom (pull switch - turns on the light and the extractor fan)
Wiring is in a bit of a mess but the feed appears to come into the toilet and then across to the bathroom via 2 or 3 junction boxes.
Am I right in thinking that the best way to approach this would be to identify exactly where the feed enters? If so, how can I identify this? I am pretty sure that the power comes in through this toilet (appears to come up through the wall - its in some metal conduit) but is there a way that I can check? - easiest way to my mind would be to turn power off, disconnect, tape up and then turn the power back on again?

L

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Am I right in thinking that the best way to approach this would be to identify exactly where the feed enters?

Yes.

If so, how can I identify this?

By physically tracing the cables.

If you're knocking down walls you've got to know where there are cables, or at least know with 100% certainty that there are none in the wall. There's a good chance that all that's in the walls are the switch drop cables, but it's not a certainty.

http://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting-Circuit-layouts

http://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Single-way-lighting

Will you be changing where there are ceiling lights? If so you'll be working on the circuit anyway, which will probably be above the ceiling.

I am pretty sure that the power comes in through this toilet (appears to come up through the wall - its in some metal conduit)

That could be the supply for all the upstairs lights.

What sort of cable(s) in the conduit? Does your lighting circuit have an earth? Is the conduit the earth? Is that in the wall you are removing?

but is there a way that I can check? - easiest way to my mind would be to turn power off, disconnect, tape up and then turn the power back on again?

No no no - to safely test for dead etc you must get yourself a proper 2-pole voltage indicator or a multimeter.

 

[leevis]

That's a good point about this maybe supplying all of the upstairs lights, my plan is to draw what I can see and see if it can be identified that way. There was 6 downlighters in the bathroom which I am hoping to replace with just one fitting (a proper bathroom one) in the center of the room, this will be reasonably easy I think. There is also an extractor fan but I have identified the junction to which this comes from so that shouldn't be too difficult. I plan to disconnect the downlighters and transformer (easy) and then reposition the existing pull cord switch to another part of the room and then decommission the original wiring for the toilet light. Once I draw it out it will become easier I think. I will be able to see what cable is in this conduit too, I do think that this probably does all the upstairs lights though.