Wiring new lights in garage (6 lights, two 2-gang switches)

[synobub]

Hi everyone,

We're in the process of sprucing-up our garage. As part of the process we are redoing the lighting to better suit our needs.

At present, we have a one-gang light switch by the door that turns on/off the fluorescent light on the ceiling and a two-gang light switch by the garage door that turns on/off the outside light and on/off the fluorescent light on the ceiling.

Some images of the existing setup:

Existing 1-Gang Light Switch

• synobub
• 24 Jul 2020

Existing 2-Gang Light Switch

• synobub
• 24 Jul 2020

Existing fluorescent light

• synobub
• 24 Jul 2020

Consumer Unit

• synobub
• 24 Jul 2020

We are moving the fluorescent light into the loft space, where we're creating some extra storage space, and the ceiling will now have four 2ft LED battens. The LEDs and fluorescent all have a T+E connector, and the LED battens are linkable, so one is easily connected to the next. Having purchased a second two-gang light switch, we now want the lights arranged like this:

S1 turn on/off LED Battens 1 and 2.
S2 turn on/off LED Battens 3 and 4.

S3 turn on/off Outdoor Light.
S4 turn on/off Loft Fluorescent.

Seems straight forward enough, and as a friend has given us a whole roll of T+E cable, we're able to start afresh and neatly run cables from all the various points.

What would be the best/most efficient way to wire the above? Thanks in advance.

 

[bernardgreen]

The two switches ringed in red appear to be wired as a two way circuit ( two switches controlling one lamp )

Would you still want ( need ) that two way function and if so on which lamp(s) ?

 

[synobub]

Hi bernardgreen, don’t need the two-way function. Switches 3 and 4 would hardly get used and we’re fine using just switches 1 and 2 to control the main LED lights.

 

[Taylortwocities]

As an aside, I would love to see how that SWA is terminated inside that consumer unit. Why on earth did they not bring it in to the bottom and gland it properly?
I bet the hole in the top exceeds IP2X.

 

[securespark]

How many doors has this garage?

 

[synobub]

Taylortwocities - to satisfy your intrigue:

Inside Consumer Unit

• synobub
• 24 Jul 2020

Securespark - one normal door into the garage, one up and over for the car.

 

[synobub]

Any thoughts?

 

[Taylortwocities]

The SWA is not earthed at this end. You need to examine the source end to ensure the armour is earthed there. It is a red flag if it isn’t.


Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/media/inside-consumer-unit.104948/#ixzz6TJeVfbyO

 

[AndyPRK]

S1 and s2 will be the new 2 Gang ?

Could do with better pics of the existing 2 gang wiring.

Are there any junction boxes between the 2 switches ?

 

[synobub]

Hi AndyPRK, yep, S1 and S2 are the switches on the new 2 gang. S3 and S4 are the switches on the other 2 gang in the room.

No junction boxes anywhere and the room isn't huge so can run all the lighting cabling from scratch if need be, removing what's already there.

 

[securespark]

If you have 2 doors, it makes sense to have switches at both locations.

 

[synobub]

We currently have a 2-way setup, with the single ceiling light controlled by both switches, however in nine years I don't think we've used the second switch once. The proposed layout does work for us; ceiling lights controlled by the switch next to the door we walk in and out of; rarely-used outside and loft lights controlled by switch next to the up-and-over garage door.

 

[AndyPRK]

Drill holes for new leds.

Confirm the small cable runs out of the CU and directly to the existing 2 gang switch.
Convert the existing light to only work off the existing 2 gang and pull the 3 core and earth wires out of the switch box for now , for safety.
You haven’t shown us another pic of that wiring as requested.
Turn the power back on so you can work.

Run 2 new cables from the new led lights to your new 2 gang switch.

Connect the 2 new blues to the grey in the back box and remove the brown sleeve.

Connect the earths together in the back box terminal.

Connect the new browns from led lights to the new switch individual L2s

Link the com terminals together and connect to existing brown.


Turn the power off and connect the existing 3 core and earth into the existing 2G box. Connect Earth.

Grey to the blues in the back box.
Brown to permeant live (the same brown from cu)

Test.

Now move the existing tube into the loft.

Note this is all rather a guess as we can’t see what’s going on in the existing 2 gang.