Best Cable For 9x 5w Downlights In Existing Ceiling?

[Skyhigh]

Our living room has 9x halogen downlights that I'm planning to replace with fire rated fittings and dimmable 5w GU10s.

Current fittings are 12v, each light with a transformer all cabled with 2 core square - no earth.

I have to swap out the 2 core for 3 core to reintroduce earth*.

Cable run length will be about 12m in total between first and last light. Approx another 3m to light switch.

So, for an existing ceiling with limited access (I.e. downlight holds) what is your recommended cable?

I was originally planning on using 3183Y 1.5mm 15amp flex as this seemed easier to work with - but looking online it seems something like 6242Y (1.5mm square) is recommended for fixed wiring.
I can see this being hard to work with though...**

Thoughts?



Cheers,

* I know there are double insulated downlight fixings but they are all plastic which isn't a great look.

** Lifting the floorboards of the room above is one option but it's not easy, plus there's a section of 3 lights well under a tiled bathroom floor and another 3 in a single story extension with inaccessible loft area...!

 

[Iggifer]

Use 6242Y 1.00mm² Twin & Earth. And buy some Green/Yellow to sleeve the bare copper earth.

Don't use flex, it's just rough. T+E is easier to dress into downlight connectors than flex anyway. The cores stay where you put them

 

[sparkwright]

So many DIYers prefer to use flex, but twin and earth is in fact easier to work with.

The ends go in the terminals better - stranded flex doesn't always go in small holes very well - the strands can miss the hole, or break off easily.

 

[Skyhigh]

I used flex when replacing our bedroom downlights (as it was already used, I just replaced a few sections to tidy up the cabling).

Flex is indeed a pain. Most of the time on the work was twisting the stands together and faffing with the terminals.

Like most I do prefer solid cores, but was under the impression t&e was hard to work with.

Twin&earth it is!


Cheers guys, I appreciate your advice.