Ceiling light to spotlight install

[mozzam]

Planning to replace existing single ceiling pendant light with 9x GU10 bulbs and a 3 gang light switch for 3 separate zones.

This off the top of my head plans involves a lot of daisy chaining so please let me know if it's unsafe, stupid etc.

Remove existing pendant light, original Live, Earth & Neutral is then terminated into an inline junction box.

Replace 1gang switch with 3gang switch. Oringal Live to COM can be put in a splitter (4 way wago?) which will lead to COM1,2&3.

Switch 1 L1 leads to a 3 way wago connector into Position1 of the wago. Live copper wire from GU10 socket terminates at Pos2 in wago. A separate Live wire secures into Pos3 which leads to another wago at Pos1 - the 2nd wago connects the 2nd spotlight.
Process repeats for 2nd & 3rd spotlight. 1 Live row complete, repeat for 2 more rows on Light Switch 2 and 3.

From the inline junction box, Earth & Neutral go into separate 3 way wago connectors basically the same process as the Live wire daisy chain but for all 9 spotlights.

This is for a ground floor dining room. I will not be able to access the ceiling from the floor above but from seeing a few YT videos it looks "doable" to install spotlights with little to no above floor access.

The GU10 socket I'm looking at takes 220-240V as input so need for transformers right?

I'm sure I've overlooked something or probably caused a fire risk somewhere, so many daisychains surely cannot be correct - please let me know - thanks!

 

[EFLImpudence]

The GU10 socket I'm looking at takes 220-240V as input so need for transformers right?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Live to COM can be put in a splitter (4 way wago?) which will lead to COM1,2&3.

No - run the wire to the COM terminals.

 

[SFK]

You are changing from a single ceiling light to multiple (9) downlights distributed across your ceiling.

Does your ceiling contain joists, and if yes how do you plan to get cables through them when you have no access from above?

SFK

 

[mozzam]

No - run the wire to the COM terminals.

Thanks for the reply - won't I have to split the wire somewhere along the route though? At present there's 1 wire from the light that goes to the single COM terminal on my 1 gang switch, but my 3 gang switch will have 3x COM terminals

 

[mozzam]

You are changing from a single ceiling light to multiple (9) downlights distributed across your ceiling.

Does your ceiling contain joists, and if yes how do you plan to get cables through them when you have no access from above?

SFK

Thanks for the reply - haven't ran a stud finder across the ceiling just yet but I'm going to assume it contains joists.

Plan: drill 9x holes for the spotlights avoiding joists > pop a snake camera up through each hole to search for any pipes/cables near the joists > if route is clear then use a spade drill bit with a flexy extension rod to drill through the joists and fish wire/rod to pull any cables through my 9x holes and through joists if necessary.

 

[Murdochcat]

How are you going to run the 3 x switched lives from the new switch ?

 

[mozzam]

How are you going to run the 3 x switched lives from the new switch ?

Hopes and prayers mostly. Honestly no clue yet. I have a rectangular patch on the ceiling that was badly patched last time and needs redoing. Since this patch is closer to the light switch wall, I may cut this ceiling patch out and should have a better/clearer view to run 3x switches lives from the 3gang back to the spotlights and then get a repatch done up properly afterwards.

If I have a long fish wire rod above the ceiling and push towards the light switch wall, will it bend downwards through the wall? If so, I could just pull wire along this but I doubt it'll be as easy as I've just written it.

 

[AndyPRK]

With LEDs being cheap to run, is it really worth the additional effort to chase down the wall to switch? (To have seperate switches)

Maybe leave until end. You will probably of had enough by then!

 

[ericmark]

I have been looking at lighting track, that way wiring is surface, no need to worry about drilling beams, the 1/3 rule for drilling beams is a bit of a pain.

As to switches, how about some smart bulbs, I have at moment 4 x GU10 smart bulbs from Poundland, cost £5 each, I simply leave the switch on, and use names like fridge, island, sink, and freezer to select which bulb, or kitchen to turn all on/off. That way also turns the counter lights on/off.

With 6 x smart and 3 times simple on/off, switch would turn all on, but turn off kitchen command would turn off the 6 smart leaving just 3 lit.

Yes smart lights are more expensive, but does away with having to run wires down to switch.

Light bars

can allow you to light different areas, without need to thread wires, and lighting track

even more area without drilling holes in the ceiling.

 

[EFLImpudence]

won't I have to split the wire somewhere along the route though? At present there's 1 wire from the light that goes to the single COM terminal on my 1 gang switch, but my 3 gang switch will have 3x COM terminals

 

[mozzam]

View attachment 367812View attachment 367813

Fgs, looks so obvious now - thank you!

 

[opps]

Thanks for the reply - haven't ran a stud finder across the ceiling just yet but I'm going to assume it contains joists.

Plan: drill 9x holes for the spotlights avoiding joists > pop a snake camera up through each hole to search for any pipes/cables near the joists > if route is clear then use a spade drill bit with a flexy extension rod to drill through the joists and fish wire/rod to pull any cables through my 9x holes and through joists if necessary.

I am not an electrician...

I use an oscillating saw to cut out a section of plasterboard where the joist is. I then cut out a notch in jost and tack the cable up. Once done, I screw the section of plasterboard back up.

I don't use stud finders, I just push cable rods from one joist to the next to determine where the joists are. Drilling through joists from below the ceiling is easier said than done. Unless you are using a freakishly long spade bit, you will be drilling at a sharp angle.

 

[SUNRAY]

I am not an electrician...

I use an oscillating saw to cut out a section of plasterboard where the joist is. I then cut out a notch in jost and tack the cable up. Once done, I screw the section of plasterboard back up.

I don't use stud finders, I just push cable rods from one joist to the next to determine where the joists are. Drilling through joists from below the ceiling is easier said than done. Unless you are using a freakishly long spade bit, you will be drilling at a sharp angle.

I have had 400mm and 1m extensions and drilled horizontally through enough joist to get to the centre of a room before now, however that wasn't starting from below ceiling level.

Generally a 1m extension will achieve 2 joists and 1.4 to 3 joists but both take a reasonable skill level to achieve a shallow enough angle...

and resisting the temptapion to pull it out before a string is attatched to the bit, oh and a hell of a lot of vibration while drilling as a 6mm rod spnning at 1000RPM will flap around a lot.

Expect to use an endoscope camera a lot to look for obstructions and positioning the bit before starting the drill.

 

[pete01]

This might be handy....