First DIY electrics project

[dogburster]

I am attempting my first electrics project for a dartboard spot in my hallway.

I want to run a 3 light spot from my hallway light with a pull cord next to the spotlight. I have purchased a pull cord but spotted it is described as a one way, can I use this? The idea is to run a cable along the ceiling from the hallway light to the pull cord and then a cable to the spotlight.

Any tips for doing the job or another way of thinking would be appreciated, many thanks.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Do you want to be able to use the spotlights independently of the ceiling light, or only when that is on?

 

[dogburster]

either is fine to be honest as I don't fancy going into the ceiling to work on existing cables, but whatever is safest to setup
View media item 86148 View media item 86147 View media item 86146
sorry the pics are upside down cant fix em

 

[aesmith]

I have purchased a pull cord but spotted it is described as a one way, can I use this?

"One Way" means it's just a simple on/off switch which is probably what you want.

As opposed to "Two Way" which would switch one circuit on at the same time as it switches another one off (also called "change over"). Used in homes where you want two switches to control the same light.

 

[dogburster]

Thanks, do i just wire in and out of the same terminal with the same colour wire? Which wire should go in common and should I use |L1 or L2 for the other?

 

[EddieM]

Mmmmm...I would very strongly advise you read the stickies in the electrics uk forum BEFORE doing anything else.

Also goes without saying, turn off the power to the relevant circuit before doing any work on the circuit (if after reading the stickies you still want to attempt it)

And probably after you've had your "ears" burnt!

 

[aesmith]

Thanks, do i just wire in and out of the same terminal with the same colour wire? Which wire should go in common and should I use |L1 or L2 for the other?

I'm not sure it's a good idea to ask for "which wire goes where" advice, we can't examine your installation so don't know exactly what you're working with. It's better for you to understand what you're doing.

What I would say is that you're going to be taking three conductors to your light - Live, Neutral and Earth (properly called CPC). Make sure you're switching the Live.

 

[dogburster]

I understand. What is the difference between the common, the L1 & L2 on the pull cord switch?

 

[deadshort]

BAS, do what you do best,give the guy the basic electrical theory course in two easy steps


Regards,

DS

 

[aesmith]

I understand. What is the difference between the common, the L1 & L2 on the pull cord switch?

On a two way switch, L1 and L2 are the two outputs. So with switch in one position C connects to L1, in the other position it connects C to L2.

Have a look at some of the drawings.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

sorry the pics are upside down cant fix em

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=free+image+editing+software

Thanks, do i just wire in and out of the same terminal with the same colour wire? Which wire should go in common and should I use |L1 or L2 for the other?

• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=electrical+circuits+(basics+OR+101)
  
  
• http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=uk+house+wiring+(basics+OR+101)
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:books
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:index
  
  

Please don't hope to do electrical installation work by blindly following instructions to put-this-wire-in-that-hole without actually understanding why. It's a very bad idea - you really do need to genuinely understand how what you want to fiddle with works. It's not rocket science, and it won't take ages to do, but you must learn about it.

 

[dogburster]

Thanks for all the tips and links, much appreciated. Here is what I've learnt:

Test connections first with a tester to see what is live and then again when the power is isolated at fuse to make sure your tester is working and the power is actually off

When the power is off make sure it stays off

I know the difference between switched live and live

So here is the thing that I haven't quite grasped yet. If I run cable from the ceiling rose to a pull cord and then to the spotlight, how does the neutral connect? Live goes through the com to L1 then to Live connector in the spot and Neutral comes back but how does it connect in the pull cord so it can go back to terminal 8 in the ceiling rose?

Picture Title

• dogburster
• 30 Nov 2014
• 1

Feel like I'm nearly there

 

[dogburster]

Thanks BAS for the tips, found them helpful:

Untitled

• dogburster
• 30 Nov 2014
• 1

Untitled

• dogburster
• 30 Nov 2014
• 1

Untitled

• dogburster
• 30 Nov 2014
• 1

 

[AndyPRK]

You buy a seperate terminal block
Or choc block to connect the neutrals.

Regarding the earths there maybe a terminal in the back off the backbox to join them. If not, again use a seperate terminal block

 

[aesmith]

Feel like I'm nearly there

Assuming there's enough room in your pull switch, join the in/out Neutrals with a bit of connector strip. That's perfectly OK just sitting inside the switch housing as long as there's no bare copper showing.

IMPORTANT - your light fitting is metal, so you need to connect the earth as well. In fact it's more important at the light fitting than at the switch.