Adding a lighting spur

[fartknocker]

Hi all,

I've just traced the outside light wiring back to the ring main (even though it's on a two way light switch with the hall light!!). Luckily I turned the electric off completely and not just the lighting circuit.

I checked the light switch (and others in the house) and it's wired as two red into L1, 3 blacks connected together in a connector block and a single red wire into common. The L1 wires are permenantly live and the single red is to the pendant along with one of the blacks.

If I want to put the outside light onto the lighting circuit I was wondering if I can do the following thing, I think it's right but is it the best/easiest way to do it?

Add the black wire (from outside light) to the group of black wires, add a link from the original L1 (Permenant supply) to L1 on the 2nd switch and the other red from the pendant to the common of the 2nd switch.

Hope it's not too confusing, I was trying to draw a picture but it looked even worse!!

Thanks in anticipation
FK

 

[Lectrician]

That sounds fine.

Was the light on the ring for a reason (hopefully fused down via an FCU)? Possibly a 500watt floodlight This could overload your lighting circuit.

 

[fartknocker]

Thanks for the quick response,

The light is a normal cheap and nasty 60watt outside lamp that was wired directly onto the ring main with no FCU and was wired in using chocolate block connectors!!
Sums up most of the electrics in the house that have been altered but I am in the process of ripping out every bit that looks wrong and replacing it with correct wiring and junction boxes or just ripping the cables out completely.

Oh the fun and joy of house renovation!!

FK