Basic questions about garage lighting

[yorkshirelad500]

I've decided to give my garage a bit of a spruce up, nothing fancy just a lick of paint and some new lights. First things first, lights. I've currently got one flouresecent strip light in the centre of the garage running a 36w 3500k tube, and to be honest, it's terrible. I'm thinking of putting up two or more double strip lights and knowing nothing about electrics, just wanted to check a few things so I don't end up burning the place down:

1) Would I be OK just wiring them in to the existing unit, via the switch. Pictures below (i.e. remove existing single strip and fit new fittings)

2) Is there a limit on number of strip lights I can fit? Consumer unit says 100A on it.

3) Presumably I can just split the existing feed to the light via a suitable T junction box and just keep doing this for each additional light I fit?

Thanks a lot for any advice.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

1) Would I be OK just wiring them in to the existing unit, via the switch. Pictures below (i.e. remove existing single strip and fit new fittings)

Do you want the one switch to turn all light on?

2) Is there a limit on number of strip lights I can fit? Consumer unit says 100A on it.

There is a limit, but the load will depend on the size of the breaker (MCB)
for example you have a B6 type breaker that can carry a maximum load of MCB rating X voltage = Watts (6Amps X 230V) so 1380W

3) Presumably I can just split the existing feed to the light via a suitable T junction box and just keep doing this for each additional light I fit?

depends how you want the lights to function, if just from the same existing switch you can link all the lights up together via the light fitting.
like this
View media item 41403

 

[yorkshirelad500]

1) Would I be OK just wiring them in to the existing unit, via the switch. Pictures below (i.e. remove existing single strip and fit new fittings)

Do you want the one switch to turn all light on?

2) Is there a limit on number of strip lights I can fit? Consumer unit says 100A on it.

There is a limit, but the load will depend on the size of the breaker (MCB)
for example you have a B6 type breaker that can carry a maximum load of MCB rating X voltage = Watts (6Amps X 230V) so 1380W

3) Presumably I can just split the existing feed to the light via a suitable T junction box and just keep doing this for each additional light I fit?

depends how you want the lights to function, if just from the same existing switch you can link all the lights up together via the light fitting

Thanks a lot for that - yes, just want them all on the same switch. Presumably a couple of double strips would be nowhere near 1380w so could just wire them to the existing switch?

 

[yorkshirelad500]

depends how you want the lights to function, if just from the same existing switch you can link all the lights up together via the light fitting.
like this
View media item 41403

Great - thank you

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Thanks a lot for that - yes, just want them all on the same switch. Presumably a couple of double strips would be nowhere near 1380w so could just wire them to the existing switch?

A couple of extras should not be a problem,
The best method would be as shown above, by linking the supply to your existing light Live, neutral and earth across the fittings.
Remember that the new cable colours are now, Live=brown (was red), neutral=blue (was black), earth= green/yellow (still the same)

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

for example you have a B6 type breaker that can carry a maximum load of MCB rating X voltage = Watts (6Amps X 230V) so 1380W

Or maybe half that, if the units are not power-factor corrected.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What's that cable joined with a bit of choc-block?

If you do anything involving rotating machinery (saws/grinders/routers/engines etc) you should get high frequency fittings.

 

[yorkshirelad500]

What's that cable joined with a bit of choc-block?

Just some old coax - now redundant

 

[ricicle]

As an aside, is there any 30mA RCD protection for your sockets ?

 

[yorkshirelad500]

As an aside, is there any 30mA RCD protection for your sockets ?

Not entirely sure I use the plugin RCD adaptors in the sockets - is that sufficient?

 

[riveralt]

As an aside, is there any 30mA RCD protection for your sockets ?

Not entirely sure I use the plugin RCD adaptors in the sockets - is that sufficient?

If the garage circuit is not protected by an RCD at the main consumer unit then you could always replace the garage unit main switch with one of these rather than a plug in device.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Consumer_Units_Index/MK_Sentry_RCDs/index.html