non-modern lighting wiring in attic

[ban-all-sheds]

The one I linked to in post 7, however, is pre-wired for 4 lights with 4 switches.

I don't think anybody should buy electrical products from a company whose level of expertise is such that they think this is a schematic showing how their product is wired:

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, and the old Octopus boxes were just a Bakelite box.

Was that one actually called an Octopus?

Unless you are thinking about the splendid metal Hartley box?

That one was:

Was this?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What do you make of this? This is for the upstairs lighting in my friend's new house, not the wiring layout I was hoping to see:

Could be worse:

Untitled

• Sureitsoff?
• 2 Feb 2010
• 2

 

[Echo the husky]

Those old joint boxes are so cool, so much wiring room and well thought out terminal design and cable clamps. You don't get that now.

 

[smp50]

hah, very interesting photos here! Thanks for all the comments.

What I did in the end was a rather over-engineered solution, and unnecessary considering that all the cables came to a central point. But, it gives my friend confidence regarding the layout and it didn't really take much longer than sticking everything into one box. Basically I split it all up into four new junction boxes (the 65p-from-screwfix sort), one for each of the four lights+switches being served, with just very short cable between each box, and mounted them all on some board which I then mounted low on the back wall of the attic.

(I also added a fifth junction box to serve the new attic lights which was the whole purpose of my original investigation)

 

[EFLImpudence]

For some reason DIYers seem to love junction boxes.

 

[smp50]

For some reason DIYers seem to love junction boxes.

First time I've used them! In my own house I looped in at the ceiling roses but I now see what a damn pain that actually is.

 

[JohnW2]

First time I've used them! In my own house I looped in at the ceiling roses but I now see what a damn pain that actually is.

I think the main attraction of loop-in wiring is that all the connections remain accessible (at rose and/or switch) even if there is no access to the space above the ceiling. However, the technique is (in my opinion) not without its downsides.

Kind Regards, John

 

[crystal ball]

My usual method of wiring upstairs lights through the loft was to bring all the cables back to the hatch and use a J701 fixed to a purlin or similar and connect up stood on the ladder, it to has its downsides