Recessed halogen lights under the loft, opinions appreciated

[Grenage]

Hi chaps,

I bought my house just over a year ago, and while we're planning on moving in a couple of years, I'm currently fixing odds and sods - decorating and attempting to fix the apparently endless bodges that were done.

One of the main bedrooms was fitted with halogen lights, recessed into the ceiling; I don't particularly like these things, I think they're poor at illumination and a waste of money. I started insulating the loft, after discovering that what insulation was present, was bunched up - leaving large bare patches - including most of the aforementioned bedroom.

Now I don't know much about lighting and electrics, but given that these lights are just bare to the loft, and that halogens tend to get a bit warm, I can't insulate over the things. Cue a bit of reading, and what I suspect are my options:

A) Install some fire caps over the 8 lights, which will probably cost a fair bit.

B) Rip them out, and install a single traditional light. I'd need to repair the holes, and I'm reasonably sure I'd need an electrician to wire it in and sign it off. (that is a legal requirement now, right?).

We don't use the room, so while I could just leave it, I don't particularly want to leave the next occupant with a fire hazard. The main bedroom had its light replaced with three up-lights (wired by an idiot), so I could probably get a sparky to wire a replacement there at the same time.

I'm not that flush, so does anyone have any idea how much your average electrician charges for that sort of work? I'd read up and do it myself, but I'm pretty sure it has to be done by someone qualified.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[riveralt]

None of the work you describe has a legal requirement to get the work signed off. In other words you can do it yourself.
I like down lights but not in the bedroom!!!
If you want to replace them then as long as you feel confident and competent it is relatively easy to replace these lights with a standard ceiling rose.
If you do not replace them then you cannot have insulation material over the top of them and covering them with fire type hoods or metal covers would cost between £50/70 for the parts alone.

Having said that some lighting circuits can be a bit tricky especially if, as you say, a bodgerman has been in before you.

Look on wiki under Uk Lighting and that you will give a good idea of how lighting circuits work.
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting

For simply removing the existing down lights and fitting a new ceiling rose is about an hours work - provided there is nothing untoward regarding the existing installation. Add half a hour for a 'simple' rewire of your existing bedroom light to a ceiling rose type.
So around the North West of England that would be £60 with parts - might be a bit more down south.

 

[Grenage]

Hi there, and thank you kindly for your reply.

That's interesting! I've got a reasonable idea of how a lighting circuit works, but I'll brush up and see what I can make of the complete electrical abortion in the loft. If in doubt, I'll get an electrician in to do the final rewire.

Honestly, every job I start uncovers at least one more to add to the list!

 

[riveralt]

If all the down lights operate from one switch then they are likely linked together in a 'daisy chain' fashion - in which case you need to find the first light on the link - this will also contain the switch live.
Before you do anything photograph or draw and mark the cables so that you will remember which one is the switch live (this is often a black cable - normally associated with the neutral)
Depending on its location on the lighting circuit this first lamp could have the live loop conductors (2 red), the neutral loop conductors (2 black), the earth loop conductors and a third cable with a red (live to switch), black (returning switched live) and an earth.
Unless all the old cables can reach the new ceiling rose I would join them in a junction box and run the a new 1mm ² T&E cable with switch live(brown)/neutral(blue)/earth(sleeved) from the junction box to the new ceiling rose.

 

[Grenage]

Hi again, Riveralt.

Thanks for the tips, that sounds sensible. There was a relatively large box next to one of the far lights, which I can only assume to be some sort of transformer/control box for the lighting. I'll have to pull off the insulation and make a note of where everything goes, but hopefully it will make some sort of sense.

 

[winston1]

The easiest thing to do is box each light in and just insulate up to the box.

Also note some people use terracotta flower pots as fire hoods, cheap enough.

 

[Grenage]

Hi Winston,

You're right, they'd probably do the job quite nicely. I'll have a butcher's hook at the wiring first, as I don't much like the down-lights, and the other room could do with being sorted out anyhow!

 

[Grenage]

Just to say thank you, it went just fine. I removed all of the lights, covered with wood from above, and installed a new pendant.

Out of curiosity, is one supposed to cover the exposed earth wire (from the T&E) with a ground-coloured jacket? I noticed that some of the old wiring had been, and some had not.

 

[riveralt]

Out of curiosity, is one supposed to cover the exposed earth wire (from the T&E) with a ground-coloured jacket? I noticed that some of the old wiring had been, and some had not.

Exposed cpc (earth wire) must be fitted with the appropriate yellow/green sleeving.

 

[Grenage]

I suspected that would be the case, so used some of the old sheath on the new wiring. Thanks a lot for your help.