How to wire a JB

[dunny123]

May sound a daft question, but how do you do it neatly and quickly ?

I have found the best method for me is to strip each T&E cable, cut the individual cores to suit its entry point, and terminate one cable and one conductor at a time, lightly tightening the screws, and then adding each additional cable in the same manner. I find if I try and put two or more cables in a once it gets too fiddly and it takes longer overall, and doesn't end up as neat. Also do you bother having different lengths of conductor or just cut them all to the same, say 60mm and dress as best you can ?

I have rarely opened an existing JB with 3 or four cables and thought ooh thats neat !

 

[Spark123]

I just decide which post is to do what, cut the wires to length, strip back the insulation and screw down each post with all its wires in them, sleeving as necessary.

 

[sparkybird]

I'm with spark 123 - if it's lighting, I tend to get the neutrals out of the way first and leave the cpc's until last - dunno why, but it works!

 

[oharaf]

I'm a cpc man first myself and I always put the cpc in between the neutral and the line!!!

Hate them and will avoid using them nearly all the time

 

[londonboy]

I'm a cpc man first myself and I always put the cpc in between the neutral and the line!!!

Hate them and will avoid using them nearly all the time

Same.

Does everyone splice into circuits with a stanley knife to ensure continuity?
I can't beleive theres a thread on wiring jb's lol!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I'm a cpc man first myself and I always put the cpc in between the neutral and the line!!!

Hate them and will avoid using them nearly all the time

Same.

I third that

 

[dunny123]

I'm a cpc man first myself and I always put the cpc in between the neutral and the line!!!

Hate them and will avoid using them nearly all the time

Same.

Does everyone splice into circuits with a stanley knife to ensure continuity?
I can't beleive theres a thread on wiring jb's lol!

What do you mean by splicing with a stanley knife ??

Like most I also avoid JB's where possible and have rewired 4 bed houses without a single JB or crimp but sometimes they are practical in lighting modifications. Its just one of those things that people do differently but it just seems to take me ages perhaps i'm just being too precise!

 

[Spark123]

I think he means where you have something like 2 way strappers going through the JB but some of the wires don't need to terminate into it hence the outer sheath is just stripped back without cutting into the inner core insulation and the inner cores which pass through are uncut.

 

[^woody^]

Isn't it better (for the homeowner) to have a JB in the ceiling and just one cable coming down to the light fitting?

 

[Spark123]

It is always nice to only have one cable to contend with above a light yes.
However a JB should only be used where it is accessable. A more common practice seems to be to drop all the cables down to the switch and join the necessary wires in there using chock block.

 

[ColJack]

why would you have strappers passing through a JB?
or more importantly why would you need to "tap into" any wires that are strappers?

I might do the stanley knife thing if i needed to tap into a loop feed where there is no slack to allow the cut ends to overlap.

 

[Spark123]

Why not have the strappers passing through the JB is the JB is half way between the two switches?
It is electrically the same as running a twin and earth down to one of the switches and using that as a switch wire.

 

[ColJack]

so you mean *******ised 2 plate wiring?

live feed to one switch, 2 strappers between and a switched live back ( 3 core, labled in the WIKI as "cable saving method" )?
presumably with a live and neutral feed and a switched live and neutral to the light also?

 

[dunny123]

yeah I do the same on two way lighting on a rewire if I can only pull a single T&E through both existing switch drops, except I dont do the knife thing, just make a joint in the JB for the common strapper.

 

[Spark123]

don't you mean 3c+e dunny

so you mean b*****d 2 plate wiring?

live feed to one switch, 2 strappers between and a switched live back ( 3 core, labled in the WIKI as "cable saving method" )?
presumably with a live and neutral feed and a switched live and neutral to the light also?

yep, have seen it on a bungalow before. Either method of 2 way wiring is viable.