non-modern lighting wiring in attic

[smp50]

What do you make of this? This is for the upstairs lighting in my friend's new house, not the wiring layout I was hoping to see:

The junction box is slightly damaged as well as being filthy. Do you propose that this calls for proper rewire and reorganisation, rather than just changing the junction box? The wires are easily traced to the four lights and four switches, but it's not the nicest layout, is it. I went up there to put an attic light in (hoping to loop in at the final ceiling rose) but don't want to go any further at this point.

Any thoughts?

thanks,

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The JB is too small, overcrowded, the cpcs are nor sleeved or properly joined, there's a wirenut in there, and what looks like a "joint" wrapped in tape.

So yes - that needs to be replaced with something bigger and better.

There is absolutely no reason to completely change the layout of the wiring.

 

[smp50]

The JB is too small, overcrowded, the cpcs are nor sleeved or properly joined, there's a wirenut in there, and what looks like a "joint" wrapped in tape.

So yes - that needs to be replaced with something bigger and better.

There is absolutely no reason to completely change the layout of the wiring.

thanks - do you recommend a particular type of JB that would suit? I've only used small ones like that for a spur once.

I would also need space to pull out another light from the whole thing.

 

[crystal ball]

My personal preference is a J701, gives you room to work and allows for further expansion
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ701.html,
available from most wholesalers for a few pounds

Get the 15 amp connector strip 5 is physically a bit small

 

[smp50]

My personal preference is a J701, gives you room to work and allows for further expansion
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASJ701.html,
available from most wholesalers for a few pounds

Get the 15 amp connector strip 5 is physically a bit small

Ah, I see - so basically just a box like that and my own separate connector strips do all the joins - got you. I'll see if I can come up with a layout for it and understand the actual wiring!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Just copy the wiring in the old one!. Do it one joint at a time (like a weekend in Amsterdam).

As the J701 box has no strain relief for the cables, the box should be screwed to a joist and the cables clipped, to prevent the wires being pulled out.

This is for the upstairs lighting in my friend's new house

That's not a new house! New to him, maybe.....

 

[Robin0577]

An alternative to the one joint at a time approach, (I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with that, just that this might be quicker/neater), if you can trace the cables and mark them as "light 1", "switch 1", "live supply", "light 2", etc. etc. would be to use something like this, http://www.screwfix.com/p/surewire-sw4l-mf-16a-4-way-pre-wired-junction-box-white/2742j which is pre-wired into 4 independent circuit sections, and includes grips for each cable. I seems perfectly suited to the central junction layout you have there.

 

[sparkwright]

I wouldn't worry about.

That's how people sometimes did it 50 years ago.

They would bring the bare earths out of the box and twist them all together.

The screw-it joints hopefully are sound, you can soon check.

You can inspect the screw down connections.

The crud can be brushed out.

My only concern is where you say 'slightly damaged'. If it's cracked or the lid doesn't stay on, then it really does need replacing.

The wiring is messy anyway. It's not neatly clipped to the joists. So you may as well wait for the next re-wire.

You could find which cable is a permanent live and neutral, then cut into that cable somewhere and fit your own junction box to supply the loft light. This way you don't have to disturb that existing junction box.

 

[smp50]

I wouldn't worry about.

That's how people sometimes did it 50 years ago.

They would bring the bare earths out of the box and twist them all together.

The screw-it joints hopefully are sound, you can soon check.

You can inspect the screw down connections.

The crud can be brushed out.

My only concern is where you say 'slightly damaged'. If it's cracked or the lid doesn't stay on, then it really does need replacing.

The wiring is messy anyway. It's not neatly clipped to the joists. So you may as well wait for the next re-wire.

You could find which cable is a permanent live and neutral, then cut into that cable somewhere and fit your own junction box to supply the loft light. This way you don't have to disturb that existing junction box.

hmm, yes I suppose I could do that - I know where things first come up from downstairs so I could put an extra junction box in there. The lid fits on but has a crack/piece missing, that's the damage - might be worth taking the opportunity to change it over.

I'll have a look next time I'm round there and decide - I reckon that a good compromise will be leaving the actual cable layout as it is but sorting out the jumble into several separate junction boxes (one for each light) and mounting them all a board on the back wall of the attic?

It's kind of superfluous considering that they all come together to one central point and could fit into one box (as we see here) but it's a nice way to lay it out and would make things very obvious to whoever next works on it, perhaps.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

See if you can find an Octopus for sale somewhere....

 

[Taylortwocities]

The item linked in post #4 is the modern equivalent. Looks like they do not come in brown any more!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The item linked in post #4 is

just a plastic box.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Yes, and the old Octopus boxes were just a Bakelite box.

Unless you are thinking about the splendid metal Hartley box?

 

[Robin0577]

The one I linked to in post 7, however, is pre-wired for 4 lights with 4 switches.

 

[Taylortwocities]

New-fangled things. You'll never get me up in one of those.........