How to replace 4 downlight with ceiling rose?

[hellboy]

Hey, I'm wanting to replace my bedroom downlight with a single ceiling rose (pendant). I've 4 downlight that are not close to the centre of the ceiling where the pendant will go.

Any advice is much appreciated!

Best,

G

 

[EFLImpudence]

Very sensible.

What do you want to know?

You take out the downlights and find the supply cable and connect it to the ceiling rose.

 

[ericmark]

It is likely the room did have a pendent when home built, and there will either be a junction box, or a transformer where the old pendent was, or

so step one is likely look in the loft and see what is there. I would use a ceiling rose like this,

so all wiring can be done on the ground, not having to hold a weight up while wiring, I used these but now discontinued. Theory says ceiling rose should support 5 kg so would need to screw into the beam, but seen many hanging off plaster board.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Hey, I'm wanting to replace my bedroom downlight with a single ceiling rose (pendant). I've 4 downlight that are not close to the centre of the ceiling where the pendant will go.

Do you have access to the space above the ceiling?. EG loft if the room is on first floor, by lifting floor coverings and flooring if the room is on the ground floor/?

 

[hellboy]

Thanks mate.

I don't have access to the loft (its converted, so would have to take carpets up for access to under floor/ceiling).
There are definitely both the black and blue from the top row. The black/brown circular ones are clearly old and the blue for the dimmers. I've been trying to 'hook' one of the grey wires that connect each of the dimmers, but no luck. Its made much harder with there being insulation in the ceiling space (loft floor).

 

[ericmark]

If done before the loft was floored, then possible no way to access, the

means likely extra low voltage, so no option, you need access somewhere somehow, any items with screw terminals should have access, only permissible to cover maintenance free junction boxes, so someone has broken the rules, but that does not help to cure the problem.

 

[hellboy]

This is how the down lights are wired. It would have been fine but the down lights run through separate joist spaces to where the pendant needs to go

 

[hellboy]

Thinking it may be necessary to chase the wire into the adjacent joist space?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thinking it may be necessary to chase the wire into the adjacent joist space?

Yes. You’ll need to get wire(s) to wherever you want the new pendant to be. Which way do the joists run. ?

Find the easiest route to thd most convenient downlight and then decide how you get a cable there. If the joist run is across where the cable run is then you have two choices:
1. Lift the floor above or
2. Chop more holes in the ceiling so you can drill holes in the joists to run the cable.
You are going to have to make the ceiling good to hide thd downlight holes in any case. Hope you know a good plasterer!

Now. There will be 4 downlight junction boxes and you cannot keep the existing ones. You must swop them for what is known as “maintenance free” junction boxes as thd junctions will be hidden away and not accessible.
You’ll need 4 of these: https://gosparky.co.uk/product/hager-j804-20a-4-terminal-maintenance-free-junction-box-white/

 

[hellboy]

So I’ve terminated 3 of the downlights ina Wago box. I’ve got the pendant wire ready to go. However, I’m not sure what do with these remaining wires. In the picture.
Green tape- wire which goes to the pendant (via junction box)
Middle - this is the mains wire from the light switch.
Remaining 2- not a clue. All upstairs lights or on same circuit, could it be one live feed goes in with the pendent and the other live feed goes into a second junction for other upstairs lights?

Getting dark and the kids are coming home, I really do need the power back in!!

Thanks again fellas