adding a switch in existing loft lighting circuit

[aliasuk]

Xmas project

just got into my loft to find a pre-exisitng lighting circuit with bulbholder but no switch. I have to plug a bulb into the fitting which is on permanently!

I would like to fit a switch and possibly an additional wall light (fluorecent probably) but am no electrician!!

Simple advice or direction to exisiting project would be welcome!

Merry Xmas

 

[mo2]

have a look in the wiki

//wiki.diynot.com/electrics:lighting

check, in the fitting (ISOLATE ELECTRICITY FIRST), thst there is one or two supply cables connected to L and N and E


you will need some 1.5mm twin and earth cable, a patress box and a light switch

at one end of the cable, strip it, sleeve the blue core brown, this will connect through the pattress box to L1 and com on the lightswitch

the other end will go to your fitting and you will have to move the cable(s) from L (not the bulbholder though) to loop and then connect the brown core to LOOP and the blue core (sheath it brown) to L


hope that makes sense



merry xmas

 

[kevnurse]

If you are not an electrician and you have never wired up a lamp and switch before, you are best advised not to do your first one in the loft. I'm only guessing here, but I reckon the circuit that the existing (badly wired) lamp is on, is the upstairs lights circuit, which is the one thet you will be wiring the new loft light into. However, you will need to isolate that circuit to do the work. Therefore you will be using a torch; not good for a novice.

The sensible solution, although the sparks here will argue against it, is to simply make up an extension cable with one or two lamp holders. You can tie up the lamp holders where you want them and leave the cable coiled near to the loft hatch. When you open the hatch to go up there, you just drop the cable to the nearest wall socket. Its not a permanent fix, but unless you go up there every day, its a practical solution.

If you want the permanent fix, get a lecky or someone who's worked on lighting circuits before.

 

[ryanw]

I thought it was 1.0mm cable for lighting? I may be wrong.

 

[Steve]

I thought it was 1.0mm cable for lighting? I may be wrong.

or 1.5

 

[RF Lighting]

I thought it was 1.0mm cable for lighting? I may be wrong.

It is if you dont care about your installations.

All the decent sparks use at least 1.5mm² for lighting