finding cables once ceiling plaster board is on

[ZETEC153]

hi

i need to fit a new piece of plasterboard to the ceilingin my porch. while its all exposed, i intend to extend the light cable and fit 2 low voltage downlights.

how will i find the cables again once the new plasterboard sheet is in place??

any tips or tricks??

cheers

 

[ColJack]

measure and write it down.. simple..

 

[ZETEC153]

so i just leave the cable coiled up and drill the hole for the downlight where i have measured it and fish the cableout with some welding rod or something??

 

[sparkyspike]

Make sure that any join you make will be accessible through the downlight hole. Leave plenty of length on the cables so that when you cut your hole (after having measured it and written it down, as above) you get more chance of grabbing the ends through the downlight hole.

I tend to use 72mm downlight holes, because I can get my whole forearm in to search for stray cables. If you have trouble (and big hands) then a bit of coat hanger can be handy. Also a torch and a small mirror!

 

[ZETEC153]

i get ya!

i was going to have to extend the existiong lighting cable and was going to use crimps (ratchet crimper not halfords special!!) and heat shrink sleeving. then into one downlight, then out and into the other one. this sound ok??

cheers

 

[sparkyspike]

Yes, sounds fine.

I'm sure you'll appreciate that replacing the cable is better than making a join, but I assume that you don't think it possible to do this.

 

[ZETEC153]

it will be a headache to replace the cable so i was just planning on extending the cable.

thanks for the advice - will give it a go and see how i get on!!!

cheers

 

[LiamPope]

You could always measure and cut the holes in the new plasterboard then, as you offer up the board have somebody feed the cables through. Easier if you temporarily extend the cable with chock block so you can feed it through your plasterboard at a comfortable height. That way you never loose it in the first place.

Liam

 

[Taylortwocities]

I tend to use 72mm downlight holes, because I can get my whole forearm in to search for stray cables.

Boy, are you scrawny, Spike!!

 

[flameport]

The best way is to fit the cables, and measure where the joists are, and where you want the downlighters to go.

Fit the plasterboard, and have it skimmed. This means it is much easier to get a flat finish, rather than trying to plaster around the holes.
When the plaster is dry, paint it - avoids getting dust from the edges of the holes in the paint.

After all that, cut the holes, pull the wires through, attach the lights and fit the lights into the ceiling.

Obviously, you need to make sure your measurements are 100% before any plasterboard is fitted.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As well as measuring and making notes, when you've got the cables coiled up ready to be pulled through future holes, borrow your wife's sewing tape measure, fix it to the bottoms of the joists with blu-tak, and take photos.

Make sure you clean it before giving it back....

 

[Johnmelad502]

Don't make your notes on the back of the plasterboard you are putting up... Like wot I once did.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[Chri5]

I drill 10mm pilot holes let the plasterer do his finish and then spot the holes due to them being a longer dry time and more likely to indent when dry.

When the holes are revealed I then use the cutter suitable for the downlight and simply fish out the cable

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That's a useful tip.