A bit of DIY wiring?

[JohnQ]

I have bought a fibreoptic kit to install in the upstairs bathroom so my good lady can enjoy twinkly lights in the ceiling when she has a bath.

I have spent ages drilling all the little holes (112) and feeding through all the fibre optics through from the loft above, then fitting all the caps on the end of them to keep them in place.

I have put my fibreoptic box on a heat resistant tile across the joists in the loft as the box does get hot. This will provide a safe base for it with airflow underneath.

Now comes my dilemma...

The box has a lead coming from it with a plug on the end, I don't have a plug socket in the loft so would need to get the extension out every time we wanted the twinkly lights on.

I have a double light switch outside the bathroom which I thought could be converted into a triple light switch incorporating the new twinkly lights.

If I feed the cable for the fibreoptic box down the cavity wall to where the light swich is situated I can get a new 3-way switch and just wire it all up together. Job done. I have never any experience with electrics before but to be honest I read a book on it and it looked a piece of cake.

Any advice before I take the plunge ?

Thanks

John

 

[davy_owen_88]

Check that there is a neutral at the light switch before you start. If there is then no problem, if there isn't then you'll need to get a neutral from somewhere else (junction box in the loft, ceiling rose etc.).

Davy

 

[sm1thson]

i personally wouldnt cut the plug off as it can invalidate your warranty, and you may need it, my experience of lighting transformers (which may or may not be part of the box you have) is they can and do die, also to get the twinkle there are moving parts which can and do die, and the box gets hot which increases the chances of failure, so you may need that warranty (hopefully not but you dont want to shoot yourself in the foot by cutting the plug off). you are technically allowed a plug socket on a lighting circuit but it should idealy be labelled as been on the lighting circuit, and possibly through a 3amp FCU -someone else can advise on that.

it may also be that the cable on your box is only rated 3amp so shouldnt be on the lighting circuit without its own fuse (ie the one in the plug), although its quite possible that its 5amp cable, but still it would be a different thickness to the rest of the lighting circuit which some may argue as been bad practice, also flex used in fixed wiring is often frowned on (mind you so are sockets on lighting circuits, but if you label it theres no problem)

 

[securespark]

WHY DON'T YOU ASK THE MANUFACTURER?????????????