Cabling for 6 new spotlights

[smilerbatten]

Hi All,

I am looking at replacing my single light fitting (one of those ugly flourescent tubes) in the kitchen for 6 new fire rated 12v spotlights.

Are there any recommendations on how i run the cabling for the 6 spotlights, should they be daisy chained one off the other and can that be done at the transaformer or is a junction box required for each light fitting?

Or can i simply put a junction box where the current single light is and then run 6 new wires from that to the 6 transformers?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jason

 

[Chri5]

Jason are you going 24v with transformers at each fitting, one group transformer or GU10 240v ?

I'd suggest that if you are going transformer route you supply 1 x transformer for each lamp, that prevents the loss of anything other than 1 s fitting if the transformer fails.

So I'd suggest LNE to 1st transformer with SL via switch cable and then daisy chan the SL-N-E 1-2-3-4-5-6

Keep the transformers near the lamp fittings and then you can drop the fitting out for mtce access to transformer if ever needed !

 

[pjcomp]

Any special reason for going the 12v route? Use 24oV fittings and there's no transformer to replace when it burns out, and you have the option of low energy lamps as well.

PJ

 

[smilerbatten]

Thanks Chris,

The plan was to have 1 12v transformer for each light.
So it seems that daisy chaining the lights is the best way, but how do i achieve this, do i need junction boxes at each light fitting or can i daisy chain the cables in and out of the transformer?

I was looking at buying the Aurora AU-DLL911 lights for this, £150 for 10 of these on ebay with Aurora transformers and bulbs (i only need 6 but 4 will go elswhere later on). Unless you have any other alternatives to these.

Many Thanks
Jason

 

[riveralt]

I used these for the last downlighter job I did. Nine downlighters split into four and five groups down to two switches.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLCT100C.html

Allows you to loop in and out of the pushfit - makes testing very easy - no need to remove the transformer wiring because it fits to the second part of the push fit.

Take your power to the switch and switch live out.

Don't forget to inform you building control.

 

[smilerbatten]

Take your power to the switch and switch live out.
.

Thanks Riveralt, what does this mean though, I was going to start the chain from the cable that is currerntly supplying the flourescent light, are you saying go to make sure I go back to the live coming out of the switch?

Any special reason for going the 12v route? Use 24oV fittings and there's no transformer to replace when it burns out, and you have the option of low energy lamps as well.

PJ

Hi PJ, the only reason i like the 12v option is they give a nicer light effect dont they?
I always thought they had a crisper whiter glow...is this not true?

Thanks
Jason

 

[riveralt]

The question is where does the current light get its power from?

Under normal circumstance with a ceiling rose circuit a cable runs from the line terminal in ceiling rose through the switch via Common and out from the switch via L1. (brown/red in common - blue/black out L1 (with appropriate sleeve (brown/red) on the cable).

Quiet often when a ceiling rose light is replaced by a flurosecent lamp the ceiling rose is replaced by a junction box. Nowerdays, that jb must be accessible.

If the jb is accessible then you can use the switch live to connect the downlighters without the trouble of doing anything at the switch end. So, for example, you would run a twin and earth from the accessible jb to the click flow - remember that the blue/black switch live should be connected to the brown cable that runs to the first click flow. The blue cable should be connected to the neutral on the jb and then run to the same first click flow.

You then daisey chain each click flow - with two browns two blue and two earth cables. This is called parallel wiring and is required for lighting circuits. The final click flow should have just one set of brown/blue and earth cable.

The other side of the click flow will connect to the transformer which in turn will connect to the downlighter. The transformer will probably will only have a line and neutral cable - these marry up to the twin and earth brown and blue cable.

You should also be aware that adding six downlighters may impact upon the total load of your lighting circuit. You need to calculate this using diversity.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I am looking at replacing my single light fitting (one of those ugly flourescent tubes) in the kitchen for 6 new fire rated 12v spotlights.

Some questions for you:

1) The wattage of the existing light is: __________

2) The total wattage of the 6 spotlights will be: __________

3) This change is:
a) a good thing
b) a bad thing

4) Spotlights are called spotlights because
a) They produce spots of light
b) They only illuminate spots
c) They are no good at providing whole room illumination
d) All of the above

 

[pjcomp]

the only reason i like the 12v option is they give a nicer light effect dont they?
I always thought they had a crisper whiter glow...is this not true?

All in the eye of the beholder ... I don't think the defference is 12V vv 240V but a difference between manufacturer, room decor, height of ceiling, even the light fitting, as some hold the lamp further forward than others.

PJ

 

[SUNRAY]

the only reason i like the 12v option is they give a nicer light effect dont they?
I always thought they had a crisper whiter glow...is this not true?

All in the eye of the beholder ... I don't think the defference is 12V vv 240V but a difference between manufacturer, room decor, height of ceiling, even the light fitting, as some hold the lamp further forward than others.

PJ

My daughter is in a 2.5 year old house and the whole development [which is still being built] is fitted with spot lights in kitchen & bathrooms/en suites plus other rooms depending on house spec.
The builders electricians and plasterers are being kept very busy with PJ's removing the crap and fitting proper lighting.
I suppose they're fine if you like bright patches of light and deep shadows.
The popular conversion is to fit a 5ft florry in the middle of the kitchen ceiling

 

[pjcomp]

Got to say I'm not a big fan of spotlights/downlighters. Lots of people like to have them because they're "fashionable" or because they're flush to the ceiling, and old fluorescents look ... well, old. But I always reckon you can't beat a toob for decent lighting in a kitchen. I tell 'em, spotlights give you cones of light and lots of shadows, the lamps pop for a pastime and the running costs are enormous - 8 x 50W = 400W plus replacement lamps, as against a 56W fluorescent which lasts forever. No contest. But if that's what the customer wants ....

PJ

 

[smilerbatten]

I too am a big spotlight fan for bathrooms / kitchens / maybe hallways.

I have a sloped roof in the kitchen with skylights, so finding lights is difficult and spotlights just seem to blend in the nicest, i thought of pendant style lights but couldnt find one i liked enough.

SO...i have bought some 240v Aurora low energy (13w) spot lights and will position these in such a way, that if i dont like the light effect they give me i can change one or two of them for a pendant (or other) style

Surely this is a win win situation

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I too am a big spotlight fan for bathrooms / kitchens / maybe hallways.

What is it about inefficient lighting which doesn't do a good job that you like so much?