Best way to wire these lights?

[JT101]

Hi guys

I have a room with a single pendant light towards one end of the room, a single twin and earth cable comes into the pendant, and a single switch on the wall. I want to add a light to the other side of the of the room where is quite dark.
I know I have to wire this in parallel, but not 100% clear how to do this. Can someone explain in a diagram please?

I would have assumed that just extending the live and neutral to a second light would constitute series wiring, but from what I've read I'm not so sure. Both bulbs to be controlled from one switch.

Finally, if you do wire in series, is this just bad practice because of the dimmer bulbs as a result of shared load, or is it actually illegal?

looking at this video from John Ward im assuming its the example right at the end of the video, so i should be looking for a junction box in the ceiling, but it still looks like series to me:

.

Thanks

 

[ETAF]

you probably have a juncion box in the ceiling anyway - to take the LIVE down to the switch and then back from switch - possibly to the Junction box - Unless its modern ish and the neutral is also at the switch
picture of switch

does this help

Multiple lights from a single switch

Adding one or more extra lights so that they are all controlled from a single switch

flameport.com

how will you get the wire to the new lamp

 

[endecotp]

I know I have to wire this in parallel, but not 100% clear how to do this. Can someone explain in a diagram please?

ETAF has posted a good link above. Yours is even simpler because you have fewer wires at the light. You may have a junction box in the ceiling, but if you can conveniently run the cable for the new light from the existing light, then the junction box doesn’t matter.

I would have assumed that just extending the live and neutral to a second light would constitute series wiring

No. (Huh?)

Finally, if you do wire in series, is this just bad practice because of the dimmer bulbs as a result of shared load, or is it actually illegal?

It would be a ridiculous thing to do, like plumbing the waste from your washbasin to the cold tap on your bath. Actually “illegal”? No idea.

Beware, you seem to have little clue what you’re doing. There’s a potential for serious mistakes. If you post photos, people here will check for you. Make sure the power is off before you do anything.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Series and Parallel circuits

Differences between series and parallel wiring, and why house lighting is in parallel

flameport.com

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Looking at the photo, to my eyes, it looks as if that has been strangely surfaced wired, the grey T&E cable, goes into the ceiling rose, along the surface of the ceiling - unless I am misunderstanding what I am seeing?

The ceiling rose only has the switched live, neutral, and earth terminated in it, so that makes what the OP wants to do simple....

Just add twin and earth cable, from that ceiling rose, to your new ceiling rose position. Connect its brown to the same place as the present two browns, likewise with the blue, and the earth wire green yellow.

At your new ceiling rose, follow a similar layout, to your original ceiling rose.

There are no rules, preventing you wiring these in series, or parallel, in fact series/parallel switching, was often used as an easy way, to give a choice of dim lighting in a room, or bright. Both lamps wired in series, would need to be a similar wattage for it to work, but it would not work with modern LED, or florescent lighting.

 

[mikehammer69]

Could be t+e looped at switch

 

[endecotp]

Looking at the photo, to my eyes, it looks as if that has been strangely surfaced wired, the grey T&E cable, goes into the ceiling rose, along the surface of the ceiling - unless I am misunderstanding what I am seeing?

Hmm, is that second photo actually the new light, not yet actually wired to anything?

 

[opps]

Looking at the photo, to my eyes, it looks as if that has been strangely surfaced wired, the grey T&E cable, goes into the ceiling rose, along the surface of the ceiling - unless I am misunderstanding what I am seeing?

It does look like that. And where are the screws that fix it to the ceiling?

Hmm, is that second photo actually the new light, not yet actually wired to anything?

I have no idea. It looks like it was taken on a (paint) rolled surface- which would imply a ceiling (or a wall).

It might help if the OP could elaborate.