Installing ceiling spotlights

[Stirton]

I'm looking to install 4 or 5 ceiling spot lights in my hallway and am looking for some advice. I stay in a 4 in a block flat, where i'm the bottom flat.

Reading other posts on this forum folk in the know don't seem to like ceiling spotlights in regards to their performance and replacement cost, they really that bad??

I currently have one ceiling light so will need to wire the 4 or 5 lights to this by daisy chaining???! Do i need a junction box at all or can i wire the mains into the first light then feed wire all along to daisy chain them together??

Do i need special fire reglated lights given that i have naighbours above?

Which spot lights would you recommend?? The links in most other topics on this are dead as the posts are so old. Any advice and links to products would be great especially if anybody knows a forum etc which has a step by step video guide....cheers all!!

 

[Steve]

All the spots are the same really. Yes you will need fire rated. All connections must be accessible. The easiest way is small junction boxes or choc boxes, which you can pull down through the light hole after removing the fitting. Also consider that the existing joints in the centre light will need to be accessible afterwards too - solve this by relocating it (usually impossible) or having a light there. Also, how will you cross joists?

Downlights throw small pools of light straight down. They arent good at providing a good spread of light. Think about sitting down reading a paper, with the paper vertical - you wouldnt be able to read it because theres very little light being shone of reflected from walls in the horizontal.

Also they give off tremendous amounts of heat. Sealing them inside a fire insulating capsule adds to this effect and does reduce bulb life.

If you really want downlights, I recommend PL downlights. They are a little bigger but give a much better spread of light, cleaner light, and are 5 times more efficient. Still need fire rated, but much cooler running.

The same size as halogen are CFL GU10s. These have an energy saving light in a similar size to halogen, they are a little deeper. These have the benefits of PLs but take about 2 minutes to warm up.

LEDs are a developing technology, but worth a punt. Choose the expensive ones (£15+ per lamp) with 1 or 3 LEDs in them. The ones with 20+ LEDs in each arent any good - the LEDs are poor quality.

 

[Stirton]

Cheers for super quick response!!

I forgot to say that i've pulled my current ceiling down so when i'm putting up new ceiling fixing wiring to the joists won't be an issue.

I might give the led one's a go, i've led lights on my bike and they're bloody good.

Is this the choc box you referred to in your last email?

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...tton.x=7&searchbutton.y=9&searchbutton=submit

Is this the GU10 light that you mentioned??

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/14736...-GU10-Polished-Chrome-Mains-Voltage-Downlight

What kind of cable between the lights would i be after?? The wiring in my flat is pre-hostoric, two wires, one red and the other black.

Cheers for help

 

[1john]

Ideally you need to get your lighting re-wired, whats the rest of the installation like?

 

[Stirton]

Ideally you need to get your lighting re-wired, whats the rest of the installation like?

Excuse stupidity, but what do you mean by the rest of the installation?? If you mean the whole flat, the wiring is all the same.....old and ****!! You shoud see my fuse box.......belongs in a museum!!!

 

[Steve]

As 1john said, if the wiring is very old, get a PIR done at the very least - this is an inspection, and will cost about £150. It should be a good half days work.

As it sounds like your flat is being renovated, now is the time to be doing this, not when you have finished it all.

 

[wingcoax]

If you are installing that kind of lighting you MUST run new cable. 1.00mm or 1.5mm Twin and earth. Your existing cable almost certainly dosn't have an earth conductor. While you are at it why not install a new 17th edition CU. This will also bring the job under "PART P" of the building regs too.

 

[Stirton]

As 1john said, if the wiring is very old, get a PIR done at the very least - this is an inspection, and will cost about £150. It should be a good half days work.

As it sounds like your flat is being renovated, now is the time to be doing this, not when you have finished it all.

I'm just doing the hallway, have already done rest of the flat, but my burd wants a line of spotlights in the hallway cause her mate has them so now it's my job to install them or electrocute myself trying!!!

Cheers for advice

 

[1john]

Ideally you need to get your lighting re-wired, whats the rest of the installation like?

Excuse stupidity, but what do you mean by the rest of the installation?? If you mean the whole flat, the wiring is all the same.....old and s**t!! You shoud see my fuse box.......belongs in a museum!!!

Well the lighting may not be earthed but other circuits may be servicable and if you are happy with the locations then this wiring may be utilised, as suggester the best thing to do is to get a periodic inspection report carried out, cannot agree with the pricing quoted about as around my way there is little change of anyone paying that, the going rate seems to be just over half that price, phone about get some quotes, the cheapest isnt always the best btw, get a contractor you feel comfortable with and feel you can trust and have working in your property, good contractor/customer relations make the whole experience pleasant.

 

[riveralt]

I'm looking to install 4 or 5 ceiling spot lights in my hallway and am looking for some advice. I stay in a 4 in a block flat, where i'm the bottom flat.

Reading other posts on this forum folk in the know don't seem to like ceiling spotlights in regards to their performance and replacement cost, they really that bad??

I currently have one ceiling light so will need to wire the 4 or 5 lights to this by daisy chaining???! Do i need a junction box at all or can i wire the mains into the first light then feed wire all along to daisy chain them together??

Do i need special fire reglated lights given that i have naighbours above?

Which spot lights would you recommend?? The links in most other topics on this are dead as the posts are so old. Any advice and links to products would be great especially if anybody knows a forum etc which has a step by step video guide....cheers all!!

You might want to read this before you start.


http://www.esc.org.uk/business-and-community/research/luminaires.html

 

[Stirton]

I'm looking to install 4 or 5 ceiling spot lights in my hallway and am looking for some advice. I stay in a 4 in a block flat, where i'm the bottom flat.

Reading other posts on this forum folk in the know don't seem to like ceiling spotlights in regards to their performance and replacement cost, they really that bad??

I currently have one ceiling light so will need to wire the 4 or 5 lights to this by daisy chaining???! Do i need a junction box at all or can i wire the mains into the first light then feed wire all along to daisy chain them together??

Do i need special fire reglated lights given that i have naighbours above?

Which spot lights would you recommend?? The links in most other topics on this are dead as the posts are so old. Any advice and links to products would be great especially if anybody knows a forum etc which has a step by step video guide....cheers all!!

You might want to read this before you start.


http://www.esc.org.uk/business-and-community/research/luminaires.html[/QUOTE]

That article is quite interesting.......might just show that to the burd to put her off and just put in a normal light!!!! Try and convince her she'll be burning down the flat and killing the neighbours

 

[skenk]

Job is in Glasgow, part p does not apply however for new artificial lighting in a flat a building warrant should be sought.

 

[skenk]

£75 for a PIR? Does that include, for example, IR testing the lighting circuits?? And opening 10%+ of accessories?

 

[1john]

£75 for a PIR? Does that include, for example, IR testing the lighting circuits?? And opening 10%+ of accessories?

a bit more than £75 but yep.... iirc the council price for it was £80