Light fitting

Joined
11 Nov 2019
Messages
398
Reaction score
5
Country
United Kingdom
Hi,

I am about to put up a new living room light but instead of a terminal block it has no space, just a L and N and says to just put an insulated terminal block above.

How do they expect the wiring? Terminal block with tape shoved up or floorboards up and junction box above?

Seems pretty rubbish these days they don’t give you terminals. This is like wiring in the 1950s
 
Sponsored Links
You could use a besa pot box, either fixed to the ceiling, or cut into the ceiling, and do the terminations in there.

I don't know what 'like wiring' in the 1950s is - but typically 1950s lighting wiring usually didn't have any earth wires - so check your new light fitting doesn't need an earth connection.
 
Show us a pic of the light fittings wiring / base plate.
Show us a pic of the light fittings wiring / base plate.
635505C4-05F2-45D2-829A-8FC27978C8CF.jpeg


That’s literally all there is.

The instructions say basically use a terminal block for the circuit. There is no base plate other than this.

Do they expect me to fit this from above floorboard up in a JB or TB? Or just wire it from below and push it up in the cavity?

Either way it seems very old school not to have a plate like a ceiling rose and just kind of push all this on to the fitter!
 
Sponsored Links
You could use a besa pot box, either fixed to the ceiling, or cut into the ceiling, and do the terminations in there.

I don't know what 'like wiring' in the 1950s is - but typically 1950s lighting wiring usually didn't have any earth wires - so check your new light fitting doesn't need an earth connection.

So I either have to cut a hole in my ceiling or get the boards up to fit from above.

This is a light fitting from Dunelm. You’d think for £100 they would include these things or build it in , but I have a really big job now, just seems lazy from their side. They should state “home circuit modifications required” on the box!

My dad was a spark many years ago and I did a bit of electrical work a v long time ago and wiring lights from above like that, rather than inside the light fitting is something my dad only saw on old school pre 60s installations
 
Welcome to the world of arty farty modern light fittings which the designers chose form over function. This is how they all are and yes - they expect you to put all of the other wiring into a terminal block and shove it up into the ceiling void above the fitting.
 
Welcome to the world of arty farty modern light fittings which the designers chose form over function. This is how they all are and yes - they expect you to put all of the other wiring into a terminal block and shove it up into the ceiling void above the fitting.
I am fairly surprised and my father (ex sparky, left the job in the 80s) was literally aghast at chucking strip connectors up into a void “what if there’s a nail? It’s a cowboy job”

I was gonna get the floorboards up as I couldn’t seriously think that these days they think this is an acceptable way to wire things up. Also I have no idea how I’m getting 2x solid core T+e pushed into a tiny space.

How ridiculous and dangerous is that!
 
From the picture, you have a terminal block, and plenty of space to put it without disturbing the ceiling.

If the ceiling wires are too short to reach the terminal block, you will need a short length of cable between the two.

There should be no need to cut a big hole in the ceiling, and no need to push connections into the ceiling void.

Basically all the wiring and connections have to be arranged, or stuffed, into the back of the light fitting.

But there should be a bracket or something to fit to the ceiling to fit the actual light fitting to.
 
Last edited:

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top