Bedroom Under Cabinet Lighting

[siross85]

Hi all,

My wife and I have just bought a house that we're doing some work on. The master bedroom has under cabinet lighting with pull cords which is quite useful but they need changing.

I cannot for the life of me find any lights that are even remotely similar! I'm thinking the best thing for me to do would be to get normal under cabinet lighting and wire that to a switch, is that possible?

The wiring looks like this:

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Certainly possible, but I would suggest looking for LED's in some sort of fitting, if the fittings are faulty(?).

What you have there is a fitting designed for a a pigmy lamp, the sort of thing often used inside ovens and over hob extract fan cowls - either small screw ins, or small bayonet caps. I have seen such LED lamps stocked by Poundland.

 

[siross85]

Certainly possible, but I would suggest looking for LED's in some sort of fitting, if the fittings are faulty(?).

What you have there is a fitting designed for a a pigmy lamp, the sort of thing often used inside ovens and over hob extract fan cowls - either small screw ins, or small bayonet caps. I have seen such LED lamps stocked by Poundland.

Hi, thanks for the response.

One of the fittings works but the other is faulty so I was going to replace both.

I was looking at changing to an LED fitting of some sort, something like these?

My confusion starts as to how I switch them on and off? The only switch currently is the integral pull cord switch.

There are touch lights like these but that would be a pain to reach from the bed?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My confusion starts as to how I switch them on and off? The only switch currently is the integral pull cord switch.

There are touch lights like these but that would be a pain to reach from the bed?

Those lights do include a rocker switch, but there is nothing to prevent you adding another switch, maybe an architrave switch, in a box, where you can reach it? They are like a normal wall mounted switch, but rather than having a square faceplate, they have a narrower one.

 

[siross85]

Those lights do include a rocker switch, but there is nothing to prevent you adding another switch, maybe an architrave switch, in a box, where you can reach it? They are like a normal wall mounted switch, but rather than having a square faceplate, they have a narrower one.

That sounds like a good idea, maybe a couple of the LED strip lights, one for each side of the bed.

Then I could have a switch either side so either the wife or I could have the light on, something like this. These could be wired down the internal side of the tall wardrobes and protrude at a comfortable height above the bedside tables.

Now I'm a wiring noob....Am I right in thinking the feed currently going in to the light would go in to the switch. Then I would need new wires from the switch to the light fitting?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Now I'm a wiring noob....Am I right in thinking the feed currently going in to the light would go in to the switch. Then I would need new wires from the switch to the light fitting?

Yes!

Live (brown)_________switch_______light
Neutral (Blue)____________________light

or if you are installing a separate additional switch to the one in the light fitting..
Live (brown)_________switch______switch_light
Neutral (Blue)_________________________light

 

[siross85]

Yes!

Live (brown)_________switch_______light
Neutral (Blue)____________________light

or if you are installing a separate additional switch to the one in the light fitting..
Live (brown)_________switch______switch_light
Neutral (Blue)_________________________light

Thanks, I'll buy some 2 core electrical cabling and those switches

I'm just going to be buying two of these, 2 of these and some of this.

If I need to extend the original live to get it to the switch, which I'm fairly certain I might need to, am I better off with a junction box like this or will I get away with a taped up "choc block"?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If I need to extend the original live to get it to the switch, which I'm fairly certain I might need to, am I better off with a junction box like this or will I get away with a taped up "choc block"?

Far better to just avoid the need to have any joints in the flex at all, but if you have to join - use a proper junction box.

You need to add to your shopping list, a back boxes for the architrave switchs. You will likely need to use a single choc block connector in the back box, for a neutral to neutral joint in the flex. If you use a metal back box, it will need to be earthed via a 3 core flex. If the light fitting has metal work, that will need an earth too.

 

[siross85]

Far better to just avoid the need to have any joints in the flex at all, but if you have to join - use a proper junction box.

You need to add to your shopping list, a back boxes for the architrave switchs. You will likely need to use a single choc block connector in the back box, for a neutral to neutral joint in the flex. If you use a metal back box, it will need to be earthed via a 3 core flex. If the light fitting has metal work, that will need an earth too.

I can see how far the original wire comes down but I don't think it would be at a decent height for the switch. This is the wardrobe layout:

I won't be using a metal back box, probably just this. The light fitting doesn't have any metal either, they are listed as plastic, this one for example. Therefore I don't think I'd need an earth?

I'm a bit confused as to your comment "You will likely need to use a single choc block connector in the back box, for a neutral to neutral joint in the flex". Do you mean that instead of the neutral terminating in the switch, it connects from the old wire to the new wire via a choc block, like the image below?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I won't be using a metal back box, probably just this. The light fitting doesn't have any metal either, they are listed as plastic, this one for example. Therefore I don't think I'd need an earth?

I'm a bit confused as to your comment "You will likely need to use a single choc block connector in the back box, for a neutral to neutral joint in the flex". Do you mean that instead of the neutral terminating in the switch, it connects from the old wire to the new wire via a choc block, like the image below?

The plastic back box you linked to, includes a terminal intended for an earth connection, you could repurpose that earth terminal as a way to joint the blue / neutral instead - so no need for a separate connector.

Your diagram above is correct apart from your problem with the original wire appearing to be too short. The preferred solution would be to replace the entire flex which is too short, with one long enough. Second best solution is to use the junction box items you linked to earlier.

 

[siross85]

@Harry Bloomfield thanks for the advice. It worked a treat on one of the switches but on the other side it doesn't work at all.

When I plug the LED light in it just flickers and the switch has no bearing at all. Regardless of the position the light is still on and flickers! Sounds like I've wired something wrong here but everything is the same!

The only difference is the neutrals are terminated in the back box in the working light and terminated in a choc block on the other because I lost patience trying to connect in such a tight gap! Will that be the cause?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The only difference is the neutrals are terminated in the back box in the working light and terminated in a choc block on the other because I lost patience trying to connect in such a tight gap! Will that be the cause?

The choc block should not make any difference at all. I can only suggest double checking everything is properly connected, all terminations good. If the LED is lit on and quite dim, it might be worth swapping the two LED lamps over to make sure its not the LED itself.

A final possibility, is that the switch itself might be faulty.

 

[siross85]

The choc block should not make any difference at all. I can only suggest double checking everything is properly connected, all terminations good. If the LED is lit on and quite dim, it might be worth swapping the two LED lamps over to make sure its not the LED itself.

A final possibility, is that the switch itself might be faulty.

Thanks Harry, I'll have a double check tomorrow. I was going blind with it tonight after a while.

I'll have a go at checking everything first and then start swapping stuff.

Thanks again

 

[siross85]

@Harry Bloomfield turns out it was a dodgy LED light! Swapped them over and the wiring and switch work perfectly, LED doesn't. I'll get it changed at Screwfix tomorrow.

I also bought a larger LED light to replace the fluorescent tube where the dressing table is. However this came with a plug and I want to wire it to the switch. Presumably I can just cut the plug off and strip the wire?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I also bought a larger LED light to replace the fluorescent tube where the dressing table is. However this came with a plug and I want to wire it to the switch. Presumably I can just cut the plug off and strip the wire?

Yes, that sounds OK.