Light Switch Location

[iandandav]

Starting the lighting circuits soon. Afew questions.
Dont know which type to method to use, main going to junction box or ceiling rose. They both seem to have their advantsges and disadvantages. I think I would go for ceiling rose however, I havent bought any lighs lately so unsure what the standard connections are on the back. Do lights that hang from the ceiling have all the connections in their base to take the mains cable to them or just a neutral and live? When I look online at lights they never seem to mention this. I will be mounting some wall lights and also an external light above the door. I understand that a junction box is needed in thiscase, is this correct. Also is a 6A ok or would it be better to go for a bigger one for the extra space.

My second query is in the location of switches. In houses I have lived in in the past bedrooms have their light switches in the room, whereas, usually lounges and kitchens and bathrooms (understandably) generally have the switches on the wall outside the room. Is this a generally accepted practice or is it just a coicidence that in my experience they are located in these positions. Is there anything else that needs to be considered about the practicality of switch location.

Thank you
Ian

 

[ericmark]

Switch is normally mounted at 1200mm from floor and visible from lights so normally just inside room.

The ceiling rose is the standard method but where this is not practical then often connections are made in the switch box.

The junction box must be accessible unless special maintenance free type so not normally used.

Since the ceiling rose is only rated at 6A this is normally the max size of fuse/MCB used.

There are wireless switches and remote switches but some will not work with discharge lamps.

Where more than one switch is used it normally needs three core and earth between switches and the intermittent switches are not available in all designs so if you want them all to match select a style that has intermediate switches.

Dimming switches do not work well as two way so dimming bulbs are better option where two way switching is used.

1/3 and 2/3 split is also common to give three stage lighting with discharge lamps.

There are also rules as to how many lights need to be energy saving so kitchen and landing often fluorescents the latter often emergency type so egress is no problem with power failure.

 

[1john]

Firstly, dont put junction boxes in on a new installation, except for perhaps the loft where the junction box can be high up above the insulation and easilly accessable.

Various light have various degrees of room for terminals, some are quite spacious and a luxury to work with, others (the ones I end up installing ) are tiny and have minimal room.

On the ground floor you could loop in and out of switches instead of the ceiling rose. The only fundamental flaw with this is that it leaves you without a permanent 'live' at the rose but if I were you I would install 3 core and earth to the lighting point, tie it down to earth at present but in the future, if someone wants an extra light there will be a permanant neutral at the rose and also a useful 'extra' wire that goes back to a switch which could be made to be permanent 'live' or with a change of switch plate could be switched from that position. It's a simple way of making things slightly more future proof to an extent without over thinking things and for minimal additional cost to what you would be doing anyway.

Switches should be in locations suitable to you, if you lived in houses where all the switches for the ground floor were in the hall it was more than likey an old install, it is done alot around my way in old terraces, presumed to be for time and cost saving you end up with a 4 gang in the hall doing the front two rooms, hall and landing, nothing like watching top gear and the misses making a disco effect trying to go upstairs! I think switches should be in their own designated rooms, not in halls, except for hall and landing switches obviously.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ian - this was only 11 weeks ago.

Many years ago I rewired a house I purchased. I have recently bought another and started to brush up on things I had forgotten ready to start the rewiring. After doing a bit of research I have found that things have changed alot and I am now confused about what can and cannot be done. The phrase 'Wiring Regulations' are cropping up alot. After reading some posts on various forums I think I will still go ahead with this project myself and have been looking for some guides to thes regulations. I will be doing a bog standard rewire of a 3 bed terraced house, with kitchen, bathroom, dining and living room. No otside electrics for the time being.
I found tewo publications that appear to be the bees knees for such things.

IEE Wiring Regulations 17th Edition
and
IEE On-site Guide; BS 7671 : 2008 IEE Wiring Regulations 17th Edition

One is the full regulations and the other an onsite version.
My question is, (eventually), has anyone used these publications and would the onsite version be adequate for my bog standard rewire or would the full regs publication be better?
Finally is there a free online copy of these regs or a good guide for a complete rewire taking into account thr regulations?

Thanks for your help

At that point you had only just heard that the Wiring Regulations existed.

Your posts since then have not shown that you have learned enough to be competent to do a complete rewire, and this latest question of yours confirms that.

If you don't know and genuinely understand the alternative designs for lighting circuits, and don't know and genuinely understand their relative advantages and disadvantages then you should not be starting the lighting circuits soon.

If you are so unsure of and unfamiliar with how/where to use junction boxes and what type then you should not be starting the lighting circuits soon.

You say "a few questions", but the problem there is that you'll only ask about things you realise you don't know - what about topics you know nothing of but don't even realise they exist?

What have you done about notification of this work?

PLEASE put your rewire on hold until you've spent a lot more time acquiring knowledge and familiarity with basic techniques.

 

[iandandav]

Ian - this was only 11 weeks ago.


At that point you had only just heard that the Wiring Regulations existed.

Your posts since then have not shown that you have learned enough to be competent to do a complete rewire, and this latest question of yours confirms that.

If you don't know and genuinely understand the alternative designs for lighting circuits, and don't know and genuinely understand their relative advantages and disadvantages then you should not be starting the lighting circuits soon.

If you are so unsure of and unfamiliar with how/where to use junction boxes and what type then you should not be starting the lighting circuits soon.

You say "a few questions", but the problem there is that you'll only ask about things you realise you don't know - what about topics you know nothing of but don't even realise they exist?

What have you done about notification of this work?

PLEASE put your rewire on hold until you've spent a lot more time acquiring knowledge and familiarity with basic techniques.

Perhaps I didnt explain properly my questions are related to the actual light itself not the lighting circuit. I understand the types of circuit, (my posts mention them). I know how to select the right cable and the requirements for laying it to conform to regs. I have also seen mainainance free junction boxes that dont require access. I just wanted others peoples views on the advantages and disadvantages. In the past I have fitted cheap pendant light fittings which have terminals for the mains cable to go to the ceiling rose. What Im trying to ask is now that I want some fancy lights and not gone into a light shop since, is it standard to design all lights with the required terminals to wire by the ceiling rose method.
My second point was just a practicality question of switch position. I know I can put them in the room or out (bathroom requirements aware) I just wanted to know what most people do.

Glad your taking an interest in my rewire. I have not yet contacted the local authority but will be doing soon as they explained that they need to check the layout before I permenantly render over it etc. I have been a bit slow with it as I have had to shift a banking that was against the back of the house and making the bathroom damp. (a major job by hand thats still ongoing). The rewire is at the stage where I have designed the circuits, checking that it conforms to regs and I have put in place socket boxes and laid the cable between them in oval tubing but its not yet fixed in place just incase I have to change it. I have also positioned an appropriate consumer unit, Wylex duel RCD (all circuits will be RCD protected). Western power has been around and taken a cable to the house from the post opposite (PME system) and british gas has come and fitted a digital meter.