help with dividing lighting circuit

[royer1989]

Hi guys new to the forum just signed up, I currently have a rather large room with 9 Light fittings in controlled by 2 switches either side of the room how ever I've just put a couple of walls up as a projector/ cinema room and I'd like to now have a separate switch for 4 lights I know it's possible but can't find a topic as to how to do it, could someone please explain as simple as possible it would be much appreciated I have access above for cabling etc, regards

 

[Taylortwocities]

Its all explained in the WIKI

start here
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting

ask again if you do not understand anything…….

 

[royer1989]

Thank however which topic under the lighting do I check out to find my answer? Regards

 

[securespark]

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

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I feel that you need to take a step back on the learning curve to the place which more accurately reflects your basic knowledge.

• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=uk+house+wiring+(basics+OR+101)
  
  
• http://kevinboone.net/electricity.html
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/domesticinstallations.html
  
  
• [wiki]Electrics%3Abooks[/wiki]
  
  
• [wiki]Electrics%3Aindex[/wiki]

You really should not attempt electrical work on the basis of following instructions to put-this-wire-in-that-hole without truly understanding why.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thank however which topic under the lighting do I check out to find my answer? Regards

It depends on the existing wiring and where the "loop in" is on the existing lighting circuit. Is it at the light fitting, or in the switch?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Hi guys new to the forum just signed up, I currently have a rather large room with 9 Light fittings in controlled by 2 switches either side of the room. I'd like to now have a separate switch for 4 lights

4 new lights or 4 of the existing 9?
Do the two switches work as a two way function or control separate sections of these 9 lights?

 

[royer1989]

Switches with as a 2 way currently in 1 door out the other but I've put some walls up so need to now add a switch to turn off 4 lights

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Switches with as a 2 way currently in 1 door out the other but I've put some walls up so need to now add a switch to turn off 4 lights

New or existing lights? Have you created a partition wall splitting nine lights up?
And would this circuit now require RCD protection on the new cables required?

We need to understand exactly what you are attempting to do!

 

[royer1989]

There existing lights I've created a partition in 1 corner which now has 4 of the 9 lights inside the room so I now need to be able to switch those on and off basically separate to the remaining 5 lights

 

[royer1989]

Won't require a new rcd no

 

[Taylortwocities]

OK

Really finding it hard to decipher what basically you want to do.

My guess: please confirm each point

1. You currently have 9 lights in a room that are controlled by two switches
2. these two switches can switch all of the 9 lights on or off
3. you want to separate 4 of the existing lights from the other 5
4. you want to have these 4 lights switched separately from a new switch that is not located near one of the other two switches

please advise or amend

last question, do you have easy access to the ceiling and walls of the room to access/add/modify wiring?

 

[royer1989]

Yes the above is correc and I do have access to the ceiling and inside the new walls I've just built but don't have access to the inside of the walls were the existing switches are as there brick built

 

[Taylortwocities]

So, your first job is to identify where your lighting circuit feed connects to the lights and/or the existing switches.
You are going to need to find the permanent live and neutral and get that to either the new switch or one of the 4 lights.
Then connect up per the diagrams in the WIKI, choosing either the loop in at light, or loop in at switch - depends on how you run the permeant feed.

Of course you will also need to rewire the existing lights so you separate out 5 lights on to the existing switches.

BTW, what sort of lights are these?

 

[royer1989]

There twin strip lips office style lights