Wiring a wardrobe light in old airing cupboard

[aab203]

Hi there,

I recently changed my existing central heating system to have a combi boiler installed. In doing so we got rid of the hot water cylinder, which has now left us with a nice little cupboard to which I want to install shelving. I also want to install a cupboard light at the top of the inside door frame as the cupboard is quite dark.

There is already an existing fused spur/socket which fed the power to the immersion heater. This socket is directly connected to the consumer unit. What I would like to do is to install a push-to-break switch on the door frame to allow the light to come on each time the door is on.

My plan is to install a 5A fuse into the spur on the wall. Then feed a wire (I will use an old wire that was once used to power an electric shower, so is quite thick and is 3-core -- I assume that having a thicker wire than necessary is not a bad thing?) from the spur to the push-to-break switch (this is the one I am getting: http://tiny.cc/N31Rb ), then a wire from the switch to the light fixture.

Does that sound right? Are there any other considerations I should know about?

Many thanks!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Wouldn't a surface mount switch be a lot easier to install than a recessed one?

You'll really struggle to get large cable into a door switch - buy something a lot smaller.

What did you plan to do with the neutrals?

Your tiny link doesn't work - could you edit it please?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Here's the revised link the close brackets got added to the URL

http://tiny.cc/N31Rb

I agree with BAS re surface mount. put a 3A fuse in that FCU and use much smaller wire (0.75mm² will be plenty).

Note some of these little switches don't like fluorescent lights due to high start currents.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Here's the revised link the close brackets got added to the URL.

Thanks for encouraging laziness....

 

[aab203]

Wouldn't a surface mount switch be a lot easier to install than a recessed one?

You'll really struggle to get large cable into a door switch - buy something a lot smaller.

What did you plan to do with the neutrals?

Your tiny link doesn't work - could you edit it please?

Thanks for your reply. Sorry for my ignorance, but could you clarify your points. I don't quite follow what you mean by the switches and the neturals (i assumed everything would be wired up and there would not be any 'left-over' wires)

 

[aab203]

Here's the revised link the close brackets got added to the URL.

Thanks for encouraging laziness....

Don't worry - I fixed my original post

 

[aab203]

Here's the revised link the close brackets got added to the URL

http://tiny.cc/N31Rb

I agree with BAS re surface mount. put a 3A fuse in that FCU and use much smaller wire (0.75mm² will be plenty).

Note some of these little switches don't like fluorescent lights due to high start currents.

When you say surface mounted switch, do you just mean a switch that is screwed directly to the frame and connects the circuit when the door is opened? Could you provide me with a link to an image of the type of switch that would be most suitable?

Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I don't quite follow what you mean by the switches

The type you linked to will require you to cut a recess for it to go into, and bury the cables.

This type of switch:

just fixes to the surface of the frame.

and the neturals

They are single pole switches - the only switch the live - what were you planning to do to join the neutral from the FCU to the neutral from the light?

(i assumed everything would be wired up and there would not be any 'left-over' wires)

I really think you ought to take a bit of time out to learn the basics of electrical circuits, what switches do, etc.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Apologies for any confusion - aab203 edited his post while I was replying - I'm not making things up - this is what it originally looked like and what I replied to:

Wouldn't a surface mount switch be a lot easier to install than a recessed one?

You'll really struggle to get large cable into a door switch - buy something a lot smaller.

What did you plan to do with the neutrals?

Your tiny link doesn't work - could you edit it please?

Thanks for your reply. Sorry for my ignorance, but could you clarify your points. I don't quite follow what you mean by the switches and the neturals (i assumed everything would be wired up and there would not be any 'left-over' wires)

 

[aab203]

Thanks for the comments BAS.

I have been reading up on this subject and I was under the impression that everything accepted the earth, neutral and live wires. Given that I am not an electrician by trade and do not find myself often needing to do DIY electrical work I had not come across single poled devices yet, so this is why I wasn't sure about what you meant with regards to the neutral wires.

I don't plan on doing a cowboy / dangerous job - I want to do things the right way (hence why I posted on here lol). I will continue to read up on this subject.

What would you recommed the best thing to do for the neutrals?

Many thanks

 

[londonboy]

How about one cable from spur to light.
Another cable from switch to light.

No problem with neutrals then

 

[Taylortwocities]

There are diagrams on how to do it in the WIKI at //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:single_way_lighting

Find one-way lighting and use the "Junction Box" method.
You'll need to buy a junction box.

 

[aab203]

What did you plan to do with the neutrals?

Would capping the unused neutral wires work ok?

 

[aab203]

There are diagrams on how to do it in the WIKI at //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:single_way_lighting

Find one-way lighting and use the "Junction Box" method.
You'll need to buy a junction box.

Thanks for the link, I'll take a read through.

I must say, this is a lot more effort than I originally anticipated lol. I am glad I posted my question!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Would capping the unused neutral wires work ok?

Why do you think that any neutral would be unused?