Lighting regulations question

[pz8l8t]

Hi All,
First post so please take it easy on me. Under the current regulations, from reading around, I understand that any use of JB's or ceiling roses need to be accessible. Question is what is classed as accessible. I've read a few people comment that underneath a floorboard covered by carpet is classed as inaccessible. What about a loft that is not boarded? i.e. only access to JB's or ceiling rose is via the loft.

Second part to this question. If I wanted to insert some outide lights from my existing lighting circuit, where could the JB or ceiling rose be connected for the lights outside to enable it to be accessible?
Thanks

 

[Spark123]

In an unboarded loft with an access hatch is accessable.
Those small junction boxes which you can pull through a downlighter hole are OK too as you can still access them for Inspection and Testing.
A ceiling rose is fine in anycase as the terminals are in the rose so are accessable.

 

[Chri5]

Second part to this question. If I wanted to insert some outide lights from my existing lighting circuit, where could the JB or ceiling rose be connected for the lights outside to enable it to be accessible?

At the switch / back box for the switch.

 

[17thman]

for outside lights, do your switching connections inside( ie in the light switch or in a jb) and just take the switched live outside. This limits the exterior connections.

 

[pz8l8t]

Thanks for the response guys. The issue I have is that the switch wire would be chased up the wall into the smallest bedroom (uder the floor boards). If I site a jb there and take this switch live outside, then once carpeted the jb will no longer be accessible.

Chris, How can this be done at the switch/backbox?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Bring a live and neutral feed into the switch back box. The live goes onto the switch (COM),
Run another cable to the new light.
In the switch back box, the live to the light goes onto the switch (L1) and the neutral is joined to the neutral from the feed.
Earths from both cables joined together in the back box too!

Diagram on how its done here: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:single_way_lighting

 

[pz8l8t]

Taylortwocities, many thanks for your response. Diagrams are very useful. I take it from looking at the digrams that if there are 2 extorior lights that need to work off the same switch, that there would be 2 cables coming out of the switch to feed each light.

Therefore to confirm my understanding, Take the live feed into the switch. From the switch take 2 cables to each light. As this would be that last light in the circuit, no need for a loop for the live feed. Therefor in all, 3 cables and the switch.

 

[securespark]

Therefore to confirm my understanding, Take the live feed into the switch. From the switch take 2 cables to each light. As this would be that last light in the circuit, no need for a loop for the live feed. Therefor in all, 3 cables and the switch.

Take live loop/neutral/earth feed into the switch. Take one cable from there to each of the fittings you want outside.

As mentioned before, connect the live feed to Common in the switch. The outgoing (switched) lives go to the L1 terminal(s). Neutrals together with terminal block, cpc's together in backbox earth terminal.

 

[pz8l8t]

Thanks very much for your help guys. I take it this is all above board for the 17th. Regs?

 

[Taylortwocities]

That is a MUCH bigger question.

Heres only the first two to think about.

Firstly, are all of your main earth bonding cables up to current specs?
If not they may need upgrading.

Will any of the cables that you will install concealed and less than 50mm from the surface (chased into a wall, in a partition etc)?
If so the circuit in question must be protected by a 30mA RCD/RCBO.