halogen down lights

[warrior316]

fitting down lights in kitchen, hoping to use existing tube wiring and switch will this be a major task

 

[securespark]

need more info

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It shouldn't be, but the fact that you are asking means that you don't know what's involved, and if you don't know what's involved then it might be more major for you.

The good news is that you will be able to use the wiring you have. The bad news is that you may have to invest some time in learning how lighting circuits are wired up:

this site, diydick.com, does a good job of explaining it all.

If your existing light is connected to a rose, and you don't understand why there are so many wires in it:

then if you go off half-cocked, the next post we get from you could be one of the "help I have replaced my lights and now they don't work/are on all the time/trip the circuit breaker" variety.

Since striplights don't hang from roses, though, it is possible that somone has already replaced the rose with an appropriate alternative, and you will be able to easily see where the live, neutral and earth for the striplight are, in which case you just need to connect those to each downlighter in turn.

 

[Big_Spark]

Ban, posting that picture, which is a good one, may seem like a good idea on the face of it, but as he has said it is "tube wiring" implies conduit, and normally lighting circuits in conduit are two-plated, so the drawing you posted will confuse not help as it will bear no resemblance to what he has.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It was me, not Breezer, and I interpreted "tube" to mean that he has a flourescent strip light in his kitchen....

 

[Big_Spark]

It was me, not Breezer, and I interpreted "tube" to mean that he has a flourescent strip light in his kitchen....

Duly edited..apologies.

You could have a point there, that is why we need all the information possible before answering such questions as it is easy to give incorrect information by accident.

 

[warrior316]

thanks for the info so far, bog standard strip light ive replaced it once. only the one light in kitchen and one switch, hoping to install 6/8 down lights not sure yet on how many, just the two wires coming thru ceiling into strip light thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well - if your downlighters don't need an earth, then those two wires are all you need.

But I'm now concerned - you've replaced the existing light once already, you know what is there, but you don't know if it would be a big job to install downlighters?