Upstairs/Downstairs Light Circuits

[Rhodders]

Is it normal that the upstairs and downstairs lights in a 3 bed semi can be on the same circuit?

Just I turned on the light in the bathroom this evening and it fused all the lights throughout the house (the light fitting is the one that was here when we moved in and obviously isn't meant to be in a bathroom). Wherever I have lived before I'm sure the upstairs/downstairs lights have been on a different circuit.... Gotta say I'm a little confused

 

[Taylortwocities]

Sometimes they are on separate circuits. It depends on the loading calculated at the time the house was wired. The sparky may have decided that as the load was light (excuse the pun) then one circuit would do it.

Generally the lighting loads are split up & down, or left and right, front and back - whatever suits the layout and the load. It means(as you have found) that you dont lose all the lights if something trips the fuse

 

[333rocky333]

Has any new circuits been put in.
Sometimes if there is not enough ways in the board, people bunch up two lighting circuits in one mcb/fuse, to make way for there new shower/ cooker or whatever.

 

[mattylad]

It is very common for ALL household lighting to be on the one circuit, especially in older houses.
Modern practise may well be to put them on separate ones.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

They can be easy to split if you want - somewhere there'll be one circuit cable running from the first floor void to the loft.

Check that you won't create a borrowed neutral at the landing light if you do split them.