Renovating a room that has 2 light switches, no earths

[JP_]

Renovating a room and it had 2 light switches, both were housed back to back on a now removed partition in a wooden box. There is no earth cable. All other rooms have earth, I think - our bedroom certainly does. All other switches look newer and the ones I've removed have metal back boxes.

I have bought new back boxes and switches to go on the new stud wall I'll build. Can I use these same lighting cables as they are, or should I put in an earth? If I put in an earth, can I run a separate cable from another light fitting in the loft, or should I run new cables?

The switches are currently hanging down in the photo - I've put them out of reach of short people and got a sensor bulb in there at the moment so no need to touch them while working in the room.

In the loft above

 

[ericmark]

official following regulations or being safe is not quite the same, if the home is to be rented then it has to follow current regulations, but if owner occupied then some common sense is required. The problem with no earth is it limited what can be used, plastic switches with either plastic screws or caps that fit over the screws, and to be frank if it were me I would want to rewire so I am not restrained as to what I can use latter.

The guy rewiring my mothers house use three core and earth for every switch, but did not connect the third core, it was left for me to either use for two way lighting or a neutral.

 

[RF Lighting]

Those cables are at least 60 years old now, so I think you’ve had your money’s worth out of them.

If you replace the cables you know for certain that they are going to be good and not need replacement for another 60+ years, and it’s going to be a 1000 times easier to do it now while your room is in busts than it will be once it’s all put back together and decorated nicely.

It’s a no brainier for me.

You must test the earth wires at your junction box to prove they are actually earthed before you go connecting onto them.

 

[JP_]

OK, so in the room on one side is this

So connecting to earth should be easy, if I knew what I was going or where these wires are going in the loft ...

In fact, there's a light in the loft too - could I come off this? That would be easier...

 

[JP_]

Think i might have just keep one of my good ideas....

This is the old part of the house. 2 years ago i had an extension, with new consumer unit split into 2 halves, one for old, one for new. So new light circuit is on its own circuit. There are just 5 lights inside, plus 4 outside lights.

So can i run a cable from one of the new ceiling roses? Any one, or does it have to be last one?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Any one, it doesn't have to be the last one.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Just test to make sure that the earth you are connecting to actually is an earth.

 

[JP_]

Just test to make sure that the earth you are connecting to actually is an earth.

How do I do that?

 

[JP_]

Nearest new light fitting on new consumer unit looks like this:

So I assume that the main lighting cable runs to the switch first (3 switches for the 3 ceiling lights in the kitchen).

So, I can't hook up a cable onto this can I, as this is either on or off from switch? Or have I misunderstood it?

 

[EFLImpudence]

You will need a long piece of wire to verify continuity between the CPC(earth wire) and the Main Earthing Terminal near or in the consumer unit.

 

[EFLImpudence]

So, I can't hook up a cable onto this can I, as this is either on or off from switch?

That is correct.

You will have to run the new cable from a switch.

 

[JP_]

Damn. Switch in nice new wall. That's that plan blown!

Maybe I should just bite the bullet and start a new light circuit for the old house .... as well as this room + corridor, I have another bathroom, and hallway still to renovate. If I use ceiling rose junctions (is that the right term?) then I could add the bedrooms later...

New circuits on the left, old on the right. I think 18 might be the external light I had put in separately after extension.