installing downlighters in bathroon

[nabby68]

ok, bear with me this is the query.

i want to install 3x50w downlighters in my bathroom. i dont want to take the ceiling down so i am limited to following the joists in that direction. i also have a fan which is conneceted via an isolator via a pull switch which also switches the lights on. at present i have a ceiling rose but plan to make that as a downlighter and put two either side.
so i have three t+e cables and one 3core and earth cable from the ceiling rose.
what would be the best and most practicle way of wiring in my three dowlighters?
is it to basically extend the switch wire via a joint box so that it feeds the new lights? i have thought about this but i will need to have 5 cables into the first jb.
does anybody have a better way?

 

[Steve]

first junction box, you need to replicate the ceiling rose connections, and stuff it into the ceiling, so you've got one cable (was the ceiling rose flex) coming out for the lights. connect this to another junction box, and connect the 3 lights into that. OR you could daisychain the lights off each other.

 

[nabby68]

thanks crafty.
was thinkin though that i would need a five-way jb for the first one?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why 5?

What would you wire to each of the terminals?

 

[Steve]

so i have three t+e cables and one 3core and earth cable from the ceiling rose.

power 1
power 2
switch
fan
plus the wire coming out for the light = 5.

may need one of these

with suitable glands and a terminal block etc, but you may need to get into the ceiling to fit it, i dont think it is designed to be pushed through small holes! If all the sides have the same knockouts on that box, you may only need one, since it has 8 holes, you would only need 7.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

so i have three t+e cables and one 3core and earth cable from the ceiling rose.

power 1
power 2
switch
fan
plus the wire coming out for the light = 5.

You've lost me.

3 T/E cables, 1 3C/E, so 13 conductors - which one(s) go to which terminals?

 

[Steve]

he has 5 cables:

T+E power
T+E power
3C+E fan
T+E switch
T+E lights

16 conductors = pretty big junction box needed.

which one(s) go to which terminals?

thought you could work that out ban!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

he has 5 cables:

T+E power
T+E power
3C+E fan
T+E switch
T+E lights

Well he says he has 4:

so i have three t+e cables and one 3core and earth cable from the ceiling rose.

which one(s) go to which terminals?

thought you could work that out ban!

Oh I can - I'm just dying to see how you would use 5 terminals....

 

[Steve]

where did we mention 5 terminals??? a 5-way junction box was mentioned, but only 4 terminals would be needed. 5 way implies that there are 5 holes for cables to enter, as far as im aware.

And i strongly suspect he has 5 cables altogether, since he may well not be counting the pendant drop wire, as this is not earthed usually and is not T+E.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

where did we mention 5 terminals??? a 5-way junction box was mentioned, but only 4 terminals would be needed. 5 way implies that there are 5 holes for cables to enter, as far as im aware.

I think you are the only person who interprets it that way.

And that large box with a glanded 20mm hole per cable is a bit OTT - one of these would do - it's quite possible to get more than one cable per opening...

 

[mapj1]

thats a 6 way box ban...

 

[nabby68]

ok. thanks crafty.
you are right. there are five cables including the one to the new light.
might try what ban suggested and try and squeeze two cables through the one opening, bearing in mind it is 1mm t+e so might fit.
was also thinking that will have to put a jb into the feed for the first light and then bring the other two feeds for the other two light into it......

 

[ban-all-sheds]

thats a 6 way box ban...

Yup - I make no claim that 6 terminals are needed, but the alternative layout of the 6-way compared to the 4-in-a-row can sometimes be handy.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

might try what ban suggested and try and squeeze two cables through the one opening, bearing in mind it is 1mm t+e so might fit.

It won't be a squeeze - go and take a look at some in a shed, before they get banned.

While you're there, pick up some of those small plastic spring- or ratchet clamps - they are very useful sometimes for holding multiple cores in place in JBs while you manipulate others, or put screws in...