Correct way to terminate Earth for Class 2 light fixture and manage loop out

[woodside86]

Hi All

Apologies if this question has been asked numerous times, but after trawling the web, I have not found a clear answer. I am not an electrician, but like to do straightforward DIY jobs myself. 1st time posting here…

I have 2 wall light fixtures (previous owner) controlled via a single switch, which apart from being ugly, seem risky: light fixtures are metal and although they are earthed, the fixtures themselves are simply hanging from a screw and all wires are kept loose behind without any junction boxes - this means I can freely (without needing to unscrew mount etc) lift the fixture outwards and see all of the wiring - which even with my basic understanding seems like a big no no.

I have purchased 2x replacement wall light fixtures. These are Class 2, whilst the current ones would I assume at best be Class 1 (given that they are Earthed). The new light fixtures both contain a small junction box that would just fit the live and neutral connections.

My questions:
1. One of the existing light’s wiring just has a loop in with live, neutral, earth. What is the correct way to terminate the earth? My impression is that I could insert the Earth into a wago lever connector (for example). But if that wago is kept inside the new light fixture, it will not be able to squeeze into the small junction box. Therefore won’t the new fixture lose its class 2 rating? Or is a properly terminated earth (via a wago) OK to be kept inside the fixture, even if it is not in any casing within the fixture.

2. The other existing light’s wiring has a loop in and loop out (which goes to the next light discussed above). I have the same question about the correct way to Earth. But I also am unsure how to manage the loop out wiring. There is no space for it in the tiny junction box within the light fixture. I’ve looked online and cannot see a 3-way junction box that can fit inside the fixture (even the smallest wago box). I have seen lots of posts for ceiling roses where the suggestion is to go into the ceiling and add an appropriate junction box… but that doesn’t help with a wall light? Is the expectation really that I need to do some channeling in the wall and add MF junction boxes to manage the loop out outside of the new light fixture? If so, then I’ll likely go down the electrician route, but I thought this scenario must be quite common.

It seems to me that it would have actually been much simpler if the light fixtures I bought were designed to be earthed and then I could just use wago lever connectors within the fixture to wire this all up!

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions. Please feel free to point out any obvious gaps in my thinking.

Best,

 

[EFLImpudence]

Do the new lights have exposed (touchable) metal parts?

 

[woodside86]

Yes, the light material is metal (“Dar Nikita Single Light Wall Fitting In Polished Chrome Finish”) x2

 

[EFLImpudence]

Then what you write is correct.


As the two earth wires in each lamp have to be connected together, I would say the best thing to do is, in fact, to earth the fixture.

Is there a bracket to which the lamp fixes which could be earthed?

 

[Risteard]

If they are metallic and Class II then extreme caution is needed in how these are connected. Essentially the sheath of the cable should not be removed anywhere within the luminaire, and it is likely supplied with a God-awful connection box which MUST be utilised.

 

[FrodoOne]

It is "claimed" that these are "Class II, Double Insulated"

Nakita Wall Light Polished Chrome With Dimpled Glass

SWB POL CHR CW DIMPLED OPEN GLS

www.darlighting.co.uk

 

[plugwash]

There are a lot of lights that claim class 2, afaict these fall into a few categories.

1. Lights where either the whole light, or at least the part the installer messes with is made of, or lined with insulating material.
2. Lights that rely on a "terminal box" to maintain their class 2 status. The problem with these lights is that it's usually very difficult to install them into an existing installation in a way that maintains their class 2 status. The terminal box is nearly always too small to accomodate "loop-in" wiring and even if the light is fed from a single cable it is often stripped back too far to take the sheath into the terminal box.
3. Lights where the "class 2" claim is simply a lie

It sounds like you are dealing with a light in the second category. This leaves you with two options for a safe installatoin.

1. Find a way to rework the wiring so the light can be fed from a single cable with the sheath taken into the fitting's terminal box. Fitting a conduit box in the wall behind the light with a small hole in the lid for the cable to the light to come out of may be an option.
2. Find a way to attatch an earth wire to convert the fitting to class 1.