Installing an additional wall light

[RedD]

Hi,

I want to install an additional wall-light (as due to a previous plastering disaster we do not currently have a fixed light in the bedroom and are have to rely on lamps)

There is a light switch in the bedroom which controls a wall light on the stairway to our room. How difficult would it be for me to get an an additional wall light to run off this switch?

Something like this;

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/7009/lightof3.png


Or is this a job for a professional?

Thanks in advance

 

[plugwash]

The problem is at your switch you probablly only have permanent live, switched live and earth, no neutral.

So to do what you want the peice of cable between the wall light and the ceiling light would need to be replaced with three and earth, how difficult this is depends on how the cable is run.

What exactly was the "plastering disaster" and why did it result in no light in the bedroom?

 

[luminaire]

The first thing to do is to check to make sure there is no neutral as Plugwash says. Have a look in the switch to see if there is a connector at the back of the switch with a couple of black (or blue) wires connected up.
If so you would be really lucky as these would be the neutrals.

 

[RedD]

The problem is at your switch you probablly only have permanent live, switched live and earth, no neutral.

So to do what you want the peice of cable between the wall light and the ceiling light would need to be replaced with three and earth, how difficult this is depends on how the cable is run.

What exactly was the "plastering disaster" and why did it result in no light in the bedroom?

we had an en-suite put in, and the plasterer left the wires for the old light fittings behind the wall. We didnt notice until he'd finished the job. So we now have the wires stuck inside the wall cavity with no way of getting them out without amashing holes in the wall. Unfortunately we didnt notice his mistake until he had long gone.

Ill have a look inside the switch to see whats there. There should be a spare wire really (i.e. the one thats stuck inside the wall cavity!).

2 lights were run off this switch when we moved in, so I guess its just a case of working out which one is which and replacing it with a new wire to the new light fitting?
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