Under Counter Spot Light Wiring

[Happyunited]

Hi,

I am in the process of giving my kitchen a face lift with new worktops, tiles and pelmets. I have also decided now is a good time to put in some under counter spots.

I have purchased three spots which has one transformer between them. From this transformer it says it can simply be wired into a plug and switched on/off. I don't want to have a plug and a wire hanging down so I want to do a neater job.

I have a socket in one of the under counter cabinets that I am planning on plugging the lights into but I want to put a simple switch on the wall so I can switch these on/off without opening the cupboard door each time. If I break into the wire going from the transformer to the plug how do I connect the live and neutral wires to the light switch? The switch I have has COMM and L1 (1WAY switch). Firstly is this correct switch to use? Do I keep the neutrals together away from the COMM and L1 ports and put one live in COMM and the other live in L1?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[Iggifer]

You will need something capable of DP switching to do this properly. A switch like this will switch both live and Neutral

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK5403.html

You can do it with the switch you have, it's not ideal but it will work

cut the wire, live from feed into the common, live to the transformer into L1 and then connect the neutrals together in a connector block, if you're using a metal back box you will need to connect the earth to this as well as continuing through to the transformer.

Work in a kitchen is notifiable to LABC however, as you are adding to the fixed wiring

actually, what are you planning to switch, the socket or just the lights fed from the socket? You would be better adding a spur off the sockets to a 13a FCU then using that as the switch

 

[Steve]

Please dont use spot lights for this job. You will be working in shadow all the time. Halogen spot lights are very good at creating shadows.

Use fluorescent strip lighting, it is PERFECT for this job and will actually "mood light" the room nicely without any main lighting on. I've just put some strips under the cabinets in my new kitchen and am amazed by the difference they make.

 

[Happyunited]

You will need something capable of DP switching to do this properly. A switch like this will switch both live and Neutral

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK5403.html

You can do it with the switch you have, it's not ideal but it will work

cut the wire, live from feed into the common, live to the transformer into L1 and then connect the neutrals together in a connector block, if you're using a metal back box you will need to connect the earth to this as well as continuing through to the transformer.

Work in a kitchen is notifiable to LABC however, as you are adding to the fixed wiring

actually, what are you planning to switch, the socket or just the lights fed from the socket? You would be better adding a spur off the sockets to a 13a FCU then using that as the switch

Thanks for your quick and helpful reply.

You said about adding a spur and putting in a 13A FCU but is the 13AMP fuse in the plug not the same thing??

I want to flick the switch so that it will switch my lights on/off so I'm guessing it doesn't matter what way round the lives go?

Also there is no earth. Do I just ignore it?

Thanks again.

 

[Happyunited]

Please dont use spot lights for this job. You will be working in shadow all the time. Halogen spot lights are very good at creating shadows.

Use fluorescent strip lighting, it is PERFECT for this job and will actually "mood light" the room nicely without any main lighting on. I've just put some strips under the cabinets in my new kitchen and am amazed by the difference they make.

Are you talking about under counter lights or lights in the ceiling?

Argghhhh. I have already purchased the spots!

I was in a friends house and they had spots and they looked well although they still used the main lights for cooking etc I'm planning on using these more for decoration to have on at night if I'm making a drink or something.

 

[Steve]

My opinion is that you wont see the undercounter lights (unless you're a dwarf (no offence if you are)), so why buy something attractive over something functional?

I also plan to eventually buy some "undercounter" fluorescent strips to go along the top of the wall units to throw light off the ceiling. I have LED spotlights on the ceiling (where you want something nice looking), 3 watts each x 7 = 21 watts in total.

If you already have the spots, live with them for a while then change them for strips, you will never look back, and you will come back here and thank me

The strips are more efficient too. I have a 27cm one which consumes 6 watts. The wattage goes up in proportion with longer lengths.

 

[Iggifer]

I have seen both, and whilst we have the fluorescent fittings, it all depends what you want.

I am not really understanding what you're planning to do, hence the unclear response.

Are you planning on channelling out the walls and running the cable up to the switch at then the counters? If so, are you planning to plug a plug in, and then have the cable from the plug plastered over?

I assume not. If you are going with some surface trunking/counduit you could use a surface box for the switch and then there would be no burying needed, but I suspect you don't want this, I wouldn't

 

[Happyunited]

My opinion is that you wont see the undercounter lights (unless you're a dwarf (no offence if you are)), so why buy something attractive over something functional?

I also plan to eventually buy some "undercounter" fluorescent strips to go along the top of the wall units to throw light off the ceiling. I have LED spotlights on the ceiling (where you want something nice looking), 3 watts each x 7 = 21 watts in total.

If you already have the spots, live with them for a while then change them for strips, you will never look back, and you will come back here and thank me

The strips are more efficient too. I have a 27cm one which consumes 6 watts. The wattage goes up in proportion with longer lengths.

They are similar to this design;

http://www.massivelighting.co.uk/prodimg8060.jpg

I do appreciate your advise. When I first bought the house there was originally strip lights under the cabinets but the wiring was so bad and messy I ripped them all out and I think they are now in the attic as lights for up there!!

Are my type pf spots hard on electricity? As you said If I change my mind I can maybe keep the same transformer and just plug in the strip lights?

 

[Iggifer]

the strip lights will be 240v requiring no transformer, if you have a transformer for these lights they are most likely 12v

 

[Happyunited]

I have seen both, and whilst we have the fluorescent fittings, it all depends what you want.

I am not really understanding what you're planning to do, hence the unclear response.

Are you planning on channelling out the walls and running the cable up to the switch at then the counters? If so, are you planning to plug a plug in, and then have the cable from the plug plastered over?

I assume not. If you are going with some surface trunking/counduit you could use a surface box for the switch and then there would be no burying needed, but I suspect you don't want this, I wouldn't

Sorry if I'm unclear.

I have already removed the old tiles and I have channeled the wall so that the wire from the transformer to the plug is buried and yes the plug will be plug into a socket in one of the base cabinets, I'm planning on leaving this plug switched on permanently but Have my switch above the worktop so I can switch the lights on/off without having to switch the plug on/off. I think what you advised me before will work OK. All the cables will have a plastic protection and this will all be plastered and tiled over.

 

[Iggifer]

I can't say as I recommend this method, I have no idea what the wiring regs would say about this, but common sense tells me it would not be allowed.

You are much better off spurring off the double socket with some twin and earth to a FCU

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK1040.html

then some more twin and earth up to a small Junction box fixed to the underside of your cabinets, which then connects to the lights.

Also, don't bother with plastic channeling covering any buried cable, if you can get a screw / drill / nail through the tile and plaster, a bit of pvc isn't going to stop anything. Use steel

http://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-galvanised-steel-channel-37mm-x-2m-20m-pack-of-10/66834

 

[Happyunited]

I can't say as I recommend this method, I have no idea what the wiring regs would say about this, but common sense tells me it would not be allowed.

You are much better off spurring off the double socket with some twin and earth to a FCU

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK1040.html

then some more twin and earth up to a small Junction box fixed to the underside of your cabinets, which then connects to the lights.

Also, don't bother with plastic channeling covering any buried cable, if you can get a screw / drill / nail through the tile and plaster, a bit of pvc isn't going to stop anything. Use steel

http://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-galvanised-steel-channel-37mm-x-2m-20m-pack-of-10/66834[/QUOTE]

That's great. Thank you very much for your help.

Good advice re the plastic covering. Not sure why they sell it for this purpose?

 

[Iggifer]

Perhaps because it's non conductive, but I'm not 100%

 

[Steve]

Plastic capping is fine for this as long as its in safe zones. It is simply to protect from plaster and the plastrrers trowel. Only where cables stray out of safe zones do you need metal and it must be earthed then. A nail will go thru plastic or metal easily.

 

[Happyunited]

Plastic capping is fine for this as long as its in safe zones. It is simply to protect from plaster and the plastrrers trowel. Only where cables stray out of safe zones do you need metal and it must be earthed then. A nail will go thru plastic or metal easily.

Am I in this safe zone? what defines the zones?