Loft Light

[chason]

hi everyone

just boarding out my loft and would like to put a permanant light up there would really appreciate it if anyone has aq diagram of a safe way of doing it, ideally the on/off switch will sit just inside the loft hatch with a florescent tube mounted to the rafters


thanks very much


lee

 

[Chri5]

Look at the diagrams in the Wiki section (tabs at top of page)- UK Electrics- Lighting !

In a loft you would normally find access to a live, neutral and earth from the 1st floor rooms.

You will need to run a cable from such a position to the light or switch position and then a cable from the new light (or switch) to the switch (or light).

The diagrams are very clear, but shout if you need more info once you've checked them out.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you can manage to supply the light from a different circuit that would be better.

Then if you need to work on the 1st floor lighting circuit you'll have light up there....

 

[Chri5]

If you can manage to supply the light from a different circuit that would be better.

Then if you need to work on the 1st floor lighting circuit you'll have light up there....

Very true, but I suspect the OP will be happy to feed from the 1st floor lighting that should appear in multiple positions (ceiling roses) at loft floor level.

It's that thing called ease, which (as we know) should overide prudent design. At DIY level, ease is king

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

just another point, before you put your boarding down, you'd do well to make sure the're not going to crush any of the wires that may be lying across the top of the roof timbers.

 

[OwainDIYer]

If you can manage to supply the light from a different circuit that would be better.

Then if you need to work on the 1st floor lighting circuit you'll have light up there....

Very true, but I suspect the OP will be happy to feed from the 1st floor lighting that should appear in multiple positions (ceiling roses) at loft floor level.

It's that thing called ease, which (as we know) should overide prudent design. At DIY level, ease is king

But taking it from a different circuit would make things easier in the long term.

 

[Chri5]

Of course it would, but ease ?

Solution: f/spur of ring main 1st floor and cable up.

Solution: via ground floor lights, run cable up 1st floor and in to loft

Solution: New circuit via CU, run cable up from CU location


Answer: Run cable from 1st floor lighting circuit accessable in loft.

Use lead lamp or extension lead and table lamp when power down on 1st floor lighting circuit to make the connection. DIY will always take the ease route.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

DIY will always take the ease route.

Don't judge everyone by your standards.

 

[chason]

hi again


thanks for all the info,

i have found the cable that runs to the front bedroom ceiling rose, its a very tight space to get into as the roof runs down toward it, would be ok to cut the wire further down and use a junction box to reconnect then take the wire from that to the switch and from the switch to the tube

if there is a better or safer way i would be happy to hear unless the above way is ok


thanks

lee

 

[sparkwright]

The usual method is to find a nearby ceiling rose that has loop in wiring, ie two or three or more cables inside, with some live (red or brown) wires going to the centre terminal, often known as the loop. The new neutral goes to neutral, the new live goes to this 'loop' terminal.

If the roses only have one cable going to them, and the the loop terminal is empty, then you can't get your feed from here, unless you are prepared to the switch the room light on first in order for the loft light to come on.

You need a permanent live and neutral to supply the loft light wiring, so if a rose is no good you may find a suitable junction box on the lighting circuit.

Once you have your feed run the cable to the new switch, from here run a cable to the new light.

At the switch join the earths together in a connector block or in an earth block which may be provided. Join the two neutrals together in a connector block. Connect one live to one side of the swittch, the other live to the other side.

Connect light as normal - live, neutral earth.

If it is easier you can get the supply from a socket circuit, if you do it correctly. You would use 2.5 mm cable to supply a switched fused spur, fit 5 amp fuse, and use 1.0 or 1.5 mm cable to the light.

Make sure you isolate the power correctly before you start work, and use earth sleeving on bare earth wires. Connect all earth wires, do not cut any out.

 

[cumbriahandyman]

Gents,

Sorry to disagree with just about everyone here, but this is, in my view, the simplest way to wire a loft light - I always try to avoid using junction boxes - it's another weak link in the system:

SWITCH THE JUICE OFF FIRST.

DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND AND FEEL CONFIDENT TO DO IT.

1) Check that your ceiling roses are wired with the 3-plate method - Have a look in them, you should see three sets of terminals (plus an earth terminal) - Each ceiling rose will have two or three cables going to it - if you only have one, this method will not work. The middle terminals should have red wires, the two outer ones (which feed the light itself) should have a black in each, one of which should have red sleeving on, (but this is often missing). These two outer terminals sets should also have the pendant connected to them.

2) Take a 1mm T+E cable from a ceiling rose to a switch box fixed to a joist in the loft. You will find that most or all of the roses will have three wires in, but the last light on the circuit should only have two - you will find it easier to wire it from this one if you can find it.

3) From this switch box, wire another 1mm T+E cable to the light fitting in the loft, and connect the light fitting to this.

4) In the switch box, connect the incoming and outgoing earths together to the earth terminal in the switch box, or if there is not one, into a 5 or 15A insulated connector block (don't forget to put green/yellow sleeving on the earth wires).

5) Connect both of the Neutrals together in the switch box into a 5A or 15A connector block.

6) Connect the incoming live (from cieling rose) to the 'C' connection on the switch.

7) Connect the outgoing live to the L1 connection on the switch (you may need to swaop this to the L2 if switch appears upside down when you have finished).

8) MAKE SURE THE SUPPLY IS ISOLATED. In the cieling rose, connect the earth to the earth terminal with the others. The live goes into the live terminal block - these are usually the centre terminals, with either two or three reds in. Th Neutral goes into the Neutral terminal block - it should be one of the side terminal blocks, marked N and have a black wire in, and the blue pendant flex. Do not connect it into the one with the black wire that is sleeved red, and also has the brown pendant flex in. This is switched live.

The only thing to be wary of is that sometimes, sparks don't put red sleeving on the switched live in the rose, so it's not always clear which is switched live and which is neutral. If you want to check, get a neon screwdriver, switch the light on, and the switched live will light the neon, the neutral won't. If you get this wrong, the loft light won't work properly unless the light you have fed it from is on! You may also find when you turn the loft light on, the light you fed it from will come on dimly. If this happens, swap the neutral you put into the rose to the other side, with the other black wire.

Hope this helps, please be careful..

Paul

 

[ban-all-sheds]

cumbriahandyman, that's just repeating the original answer given by Chri5 and then later given again by sparkwright.

Plus, did you not notice

If you want to check, get a neon screwdriver

?

 

[chason]

hi all

well i think i have done it right it all works anyway

added the images

 

[Chri5]

hi all

well i think i have done it right it all works anyway

added the images

Did you do it the easy way or the hard way

BAS Quoted

Don't judge everyone by your standards.

Or by your own. I'm not debating the sense in running loft lighting from a different circuit to the floor underneath the loft.

I'm simply stating that the natural characteristics of "Homo sapien DIY enthusiast" is ease.

My loft has 2 final rings, a lighting circuit a separate smoke detection circuit. Since the OP didn't say he was doing a complete rewire surely a simple tap in to the floor below is the easiest way ?

 

[chason]

took a spur from a ceiling rose in the back bedroom to the switch then to the light, to be honest i wouldnt know were to start getting the cable downstairs

lee