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wiring advice

M

michael percy

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have an extension which I need to wire up lighting inside and outside.
I have 1 wall light and two external halogen lights and I want all three
switched from the same place but on its own switch.(simple enough)!!
I have run a permanent live and neutral from the upstairs lighting circuit
to the switch box and from there I have run 1 cable to each light fitting, I
intend to put the permanent live to the first common on the switch and then
loop to the next two commons on the switches, then I intend to run a live
from the opposite side of the swithches to each light fitting and connect
all three neutrals together with the permanent neutral.
2 electicians have told me this is correct and 1 electrician has said its
not right.
so, who is right ??
mike
 
B

Bruce Simpson

Jan 1, 1970
0
The way you described the wiring connections will work as long as the cable
from the upstairs does infact contain a permanent live and not just the
switch line from that light.
Also just make sure that you are not exceeding the rating of the fuse/mcb or
the cable by adding these additional lights.
 
J

John

Jan 1, 1970
0
michael percy said:
I have an extension which I need to wire up lighting inside and outside.
I have 1 wall light and two external halogen lights and I want all three
switched from the same place but on its own switch.(simple enough)!!
I have run a permanent live and neutral from the upstairs lighting circuit
to the switch box and from there I have run 1 cable to each light fitting, I
intend to put the permanent live to the first common on the switch and then
loop to the next two commons on the switches, then I intend to run a live
from the opposite side of the swithches to each light fitting and connect
all three neutrals together with the permanent neutral.
2 electicians have told me this is correct and 1 electrician has said its
not right.
so, who is right ??

It will work, but won't meet code. (if I understood your cryptic description
correctly)
You cannot have more than one wire connected to a terminal of a switch; you
have to connect the line hot to three pigtails, and run the pigtails to the
switches. Is that what the third electrian told you?
 
P

Paul

Jan 1, 1970
0
I agree with Bruce as I take it you are a UK citizen by your email address.
I would also advise you to use a 1 inch deep back box to allow room for play
with the wires. Ensure you connect all the earths. Also, ensure the
connector block for you neutral is rated accordingly. It can be quite easy
to overload the circuit with two 500w halogens as (ignoring pf) 1000w / 240v
= 4.17A. The additional lamps on the circuit may push the current to more
than the 5A or 6A capacity of the lighting circuit.
Other factors which govern an installation are the sizing of the cable, how
the cable is run and the protection device for the circuit (fuse type / mcb
type).
Paul F
 
M

mike

Jan 1, 1970
0
John said:
fitting,

It will work, but won't meet code. (if I understood your cryptic description
correctly)
You cannot have more than one wire connected to a terminal of a switch; you
have to connect the line hot to three pigtails, and run the pigtails to the
switches. Is that what the third electrian told you?
There would only be 1 live feeding all 3 commons of the 3 switches, then
the 3 lights would be on its own switch
The third electrician told me nothing except that he was right and if i
didnt accept the way he was going to wire it he would not do the wiring,
(he`s the in-law (ex norweb inspector))
Now I`ve found he changed back my wiring prior to plastering work and I now
have 3 twn + earth wires going to an external light, 2 twn + earth wires to
the 2nd ext light and 2 twn + earth wires and the perm live + neutral wires
to the internal light with 3 twn + earth wires to the switch box. I cant
understand it, there seems to be too many wires.
I`m not trying to prove anybody wrong, only to understand how everything is
wired in my own house, I have friends who are sparks and would do ths
differently, however the in-laws got involved first and the wife wont let me
tell them where to go.

mike
 
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