Downlight fitting questions - 230V

[AndersonC]

I've four mains voltage downlights (IP65 rated) for the bathroom. From what I have read on here they're not exactly flavour of the month, however I'm a little unsure what to do regarding wiring them up.

The current light is a shoddy fluorescent fitting which I think is linked to a ceiling rose above the bathroom ceiling.

I've done some searching here regarding connecting the downlights, there are mentions of junction boxes etc but nothing definitive. I have a few questions:-

Can I bin the existing flourescent light and then wire the downlights from the cable feeding that?
Do I need to go back to the ceiling rose above the ceiling and take cables from that?
Should I wire them in series or parallel?
Should I use JB's for the parallel lighting?

Who do I 'notify' when have found out how to, and done, this work?
Ceiling insulation will be removed around the lights to allow heat to dissipate.
Thanks a lot

 

[sparkyspike]

Ideally you need access to any joint box that you fit for these downlights, so see if you can move the cable (now going to the fluorescent light fitting) to your first downlight hole. Then run cable between each downlight hole. Connect to the downlight terminals in parrallel. You shouldn't need JBs at each downlight as you are not using transformers. But you will need to link the CPCs (earth conductors) together so if you only have two terminals at the downlights then add another one.

 

[AndersonC]

Thanks for the reply

I will bin the "twin" pieces of terminal block with each light and replace them with 3's so that I can connect the earth terminals.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by connecting to the downlight terminals in parallel? What does this mean in terms of physically positioning the cable?

Thanks

 

[sparkyspike]

Keep the twin block, just add another for the earth. Parrallel means live to live and neutral to neutral at each fitting. The last one in line will have one live and one neutral. The others will have two of each connected together.

 

[AndersonC]

Spike, thanks a lot for the advice

 

[ban-all-sheds]

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Series & parallel.
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[ban-all-sheds]

Who do I 'notify'

Your local council's Building Control department.

when have found out how to, and done, this work?

No no no - not "done" - you have to notify before you do the work, and wait for approval, not afterwards....

 

[AndersonC]

Thanks for that clarification BAS. So I write to them and explain what I want to do, the status of the circuit which is having the lighting added into it and they reply?

How long does it normally take for these people to reply? I am taking two weeks off work starting yesterday to "do" the bathroom!

Would the situation change if I involved a professional electrician to do the connecting?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Thanks for that clarification BAS. So I write to them and explain what I want to do, the status of the circuit which is having the lighting added into it and they reply?

Their website will have details of how to apply, and what the fee is. Be prepared for the fact that your council may be one of the ones that cheats and lies and evades their responsibilities to prevent you from DIYing.

How long does it normally take for these people to reply? I am taking two weeks off work starting yesterday to "do" the bathroom!

You've jumped the gun.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p

Would the situation change if I involved a professional electrician to do the connecting?

It would change if you employed a registered electrician to do the job - starting the work and then springing a request on an electrician for him to complete something he'd not been involved in may well not work.

 

[AndersonC]

I won't touch the lighting and get the guy who re-wired the house to sort it then.

Sounds like these councils and how they deal with the regs can difficult. I appreciate the points of wiring correctly but if they are awkward boogers it must grind people down to the point of just doing the work anyway.

I'll sort the ceiling, leave out the insulation in the areas where I want the lights, holesaw some holes in the ceiling and get mr sparky to do the wiring.