Garage Lights

[newtodiy123]

Hi

I have one light in the garage but that does not seem to be enough.

I want to add at least one more in the garage and possibly one outside at each end of the garage.

Presumably I need to create a lighting circuit.

How do I do this. The thing that confuses me is how I get an individual switch for each light, rather than switching them all on and off together.

Also do things get more complicated if I want to put a florescent strip light in the garage, or am I best sticking to normal bulb lights.

The more information the better please.

I am getting more confident at work like this, or would I get prosecuted for work like this

Thanks



PS Some people have suggested funning floodlights back to a switched three pin socket. Any thoughts on this as well??

 

[Steve]

This is notifiable work under part p of the building regs (as far as i know).

The single lamp you have - how is this fed?

There are diagrams of lighting circuits in the wiki at the top of the forum, see if any of these make any sense to you.

Fluorescent lights produce better work light. You may find one of these in the place of that single bulb you have to be much better, and it isn't much different to wire, in fact it might be identical.

Look at the diagrams, any more questions do come and ask.


PS: floodlights on a 3-pin plug is possible, though it is a bodge - it would be better to have them on a garage lighting circuit if you are making one.

 

[breezer]

flood light on a lighting cct? hmmmm......................

that aside , i wouldn't, floodlights by their nature light everything, the neighbours house, his garden, bedroom etc etc.

stick with a flourescent, and if you have the height you can even get floourescent fittings that have a bc on hem just as an ordainairy lamp has, so you can take lamp out put one of these in

 

[Steve]

breezer, note i said "it would be better to have [the floodlights] on a garage lighting circuit if you are making one"

I see no harm in this, since domestic garage lighting circuits are usually fairly lightly loaded, yet built to a high enough spec that any excessive floodlights can be accomodated by a 10A fuse.

And he was asking about fluorescents inside, not outside.

 

[breezer]

i never said flourescents outside

 

[davelx]

This is notifiable work under part p of the building regs (as far as i know).

If he was to do the same work inside the house, would it be notifiable? If so, then it is notifiable in the garage, otherwise not.

from Approved Doc P 2006:

"e. Conservatories and attached garages are not
special locations. Work in them is therefore
not notifiable unless it involves the installation
of a new circuit or the extension of a circuit in
a kitchen or special location or associated
with a special installation.

f. Detached garages and sheds are not special
locations. Work within them is notifiable only
if it involves new outdoor wiring."

 

[Steve]

If he creates a new circuit its notifiable.

 

[davelx]

If he creates a new circuit its notifiable.

Exactly - which would be notifiable inside the house as I said.

If he already has a light operated by a switch, adding additional lights and switches to that circuit could, arguably, be said to be extending an existing circuit, so long as he does not go back to the CU.

As with all these regs, the definitions seem to me to be deliberately vague.

 

[DESL]

Newtodiy

I suggest you contact your local Building Control dept and seek clarification before start any work. They are usually very helpful!!

Also be aware that external lighting is now covered under the Environmental Health Act in terms of light polution so if your floodlights shine beyond your boundary and cause a nuisance you may get complaints

 

[JohnD]

Newt, for a very clear DIYers guide to household wiring, get yourself "The Which? Book of Wiring and Lighting" from a bookshop or library. There is also a Readers Digest book that is good, and a few others. Some of the books you will see are aimed at apprentice electricians and contain more technical and industrial information than you need at he moment.

It will help you a lot, and give you information that you did not know you need to ask about.

It will show you how the light switches that you were asking about work, and lots more.

This forum is good when you have a particular question to ask, but the book will be better for learning the principles.

If you get it from the library, check that it is a version published in 2004 or later.