Downlights Question

[Scout70]

Hi all & well done on a great informative site.

First of all sorry if this is a repeat of a question asked already. Anyway the better half has told me to get off my backside because she’s sick of me going to pub to watch Rugby World Cup, Champions League & Scotland trying to qualify for Euro ’08 recently!!! Well I’m doing a complete refurb of the kitchen.

Finally question… Replacing a single light fitting with 9 downlighters (not my idea) with dimmer switch also. Have been advised not to ‘daisy’ more than 5 so was going to run cable from dimmer to a junction box, click me , thought of this one then feed individually each light (50W) with two core 1mm cable. There is a 80mm ceiling void by the way. If this wasn’t enough she has also insisted on under cupboard lighting; for this I was going to run a short spur from new dimmer to separate fused (3a fuse fitted) switch then onto a set of four 10w halogens via a 60W transformer.

Thoughts please ladies & gents. Cheers.

 

[Steve]

For the under cupboard lights, where appearance isnt important (unless you have very short friends), use fluorescent striplights. They are more efficient and give off much more useful light. And I cant for the life of me work out why you'd want to dim these, a work light, nor any light in the kitchen.

Any junction box will do, as long as its accessible. Who told you you cant daisy more than 5? You can. Up to the limit of volt drop and cable capacity (neither is an issue here)

Beware halving the brightness of a light fitting with a dimmer does not half its power consumption, by a long way.

Ask your wife who pays the electricity bills, and then tell her you wont pay for the extra electricity these lights will use.

Your light switch will probably not have a neutral in it. And you dont need to fuse down on a lighting circuit, when adding more lights.

 

[Scout70]

Who told you you cant daisy more than 5? You can. Up to the limit of volt drop and cable capacity (neither is an issue here)

Thanks Steve for your reply, regarding above it states this in the leaflet that was supplied with the lights i bought, the are supplied with 50w lamps

 

[loosenup]

if they are metal light fittings you will need an earth .. so use 3 core not 2 for the downlights. And with only 80mm ceiling void .. you will need fire rated fittings ideally. ( always a good idea anyways )

 

[securespark]

..unless they're double insulated...

Why do you need fire-rated fittings?

However, you're right about the 80mm. Most downlighters require >100mm clearance, Clarence.

 

[Scout70]

..unless they're double insulated...

Why do you need fire-rated fittings?

However, you're right about the 80mm. Most downlighters require >100mm clearance, Clarence.

Thanks again for replies guys. Well opened up ceiling void tonight and in fact it has depth of 220mm so thats fine.

The ceiling rose has been more or less plastered into hidden ceiling as has the conduate so removal will be a pain. So fed cable from rose to a new 20A 6 way junction box then daisy chaining 5 lights on one ouput the other five on an other.

Yes they are double insulated so 2 core will be ok. Discovered that previous person had failed to connect earth to ceing rose, fitting not double insulated, connections made at fitting not at rose.

Hope i don't ring alarm bells out their with you sparkies, but promise being careful; Particular lighting circuit is on a 5A trip, will be 10 x 50w lamps on circuit (understand max is 10 x 100w), using 1mm 2 core cable. Ceiling void is plentyful with no insulation/debris.

Is their any particular dimmer switch you would recommend by the way?

The project is a complete refit of kitchen, surface mount & cooker sockets have been replaced with flush & repositioned, spur from ring main ran for a fused switch, installation of new cooker, hob, extractor, lighting.

 

[securespark]

I'd buy a 1kW dimmer for those, or one specifically designed to switch TH lamps (soft start).