My Photo of the Week

[mdbalson]

Here are some pictures of the loft lights which were already installed, in the flat which my Nan & Grandad have just moved into.

The 1st Light

The adaptor in the 1st light, which supplys the 2nd light

The 2nd Light

Close up of the 2nd Light

The 1st light is a normal batten holder fitting (which is above the loft hatch & is very easy to hit your head on as you stand up), into which is an old 2 way baynet adaptor (the type which used to be used for plugging in the electric iron into the light fitting). Plugged into the adaptor is a 150W bulb in the stright socket, for the 1st light, & into the side socket is plugged a baynet plug which is connected to a old wooden handle handhold light.

The handhold light is on a hock down the far end of the loft, with the cable laying all over the loft floor (on the main walkway). The handhold light also as a 150W bulb in it.


I will at some stage replace the current lights with two 5ft fluro's, by putting a JB where the 1st light is, & then running new cable from the JB to the fluro's.

 

[SeanT]

It's a cracker!

 

[oharaf]

That is a piece of history

Is that insulation tape near the bayonet fitting?

Make do and mend was the policy back in the old days

 

[dongargon]

wired to the 17th edition?

 

[streetlighter]

Keep hold of that bayonet adaptor nice bit of history, Remember seeing an old information film from the 40s to encorage people to install more sockets, In the film a Hoover cleaner is plugged into the light socket and ends up pulling it away from the plaster.
I watched that clip in the Electricity gallery at the Manchester science museam.

 

[mdbalson]

Keep hold of that bayonet adaptor nice bit of history...

I was going to keep hold of the bayonet adaptor & plug, & put it in my box of old electrical bits, along with the old plug in push button MEM mcb, the piece of VIR & the piece of lead sheathed twin core cable which I already have in the box.

I reckon that Rob & some of the other sparks on here, must have boxes of old electrical bits, which they have come across on jobs.

 

[mdbalson]

That is a piece of history

Is that insulation tape near the bayonet fitting?

Make do and mend was the policy back in the old days

Yes I think that it is insulation tape near the bayonet plug, proboaly put there the outer insulation of the flex was cut back too much, or something like that.


I will be redoing the loft lights in the next month or so, replacing the 2 lights with two 5ft fluros.

 

[mdbalson]

Does anyone have any comments about the old loft lights setup

 

[GaryMo]

They need ripping out?

 

[Spark123]

Does anyone have any comments about the old loft lights setup

You mean the original fixed installation? Bar the skirt is missing from the batten lampholder, there's not much more to see. The handlamp and 2 way adapter look like they were added later.
I have a couple of those 2 way BC adapters laying about too, I was looking for some of the BC to flex adapters a while back but they seem to have been removed from the market

 

[Steve]

Mr grandad's loft is exactly the same setup. Only the second light is fixed.

 

[baldelectrician]

Keep the old bayonet adaptor- it's good for testing lamps.

 

[streetlighter]

I used to have a Wylex plugtop in my collection of bits they where quite common around this area.

 

[DESL]

I remember my Gran plugging her iron into the light fitting using one of those adaptors