New house - Question about the wall light fixings

[BeelzebubUK]

Hello. Hopefully someone can help me with this.

Its a new house and the builder has left 3 wall light fixings in the lounge.

I've taken off the fixings and there are 2x Twin & Earth cables in each fixing.

The lights I have only have one bulb and one choc block for the wiring.

What I want to know is do I have to terminate both sets of T&E into the choc block on each light or is it Ok just to terminate one of them and leave the other in the wall ? Reason I ask is that the light fitting is quite slim and doesn't look like I can get both cables behind it without it protruding from the wall.

I also only want to use 2 of the wall lights so is it Ok just to leave the 3rd one as it is or should I connect the cables into a terminating block ?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Steve]

You probably need to connect all the wires up - they sound like they loop from fitting to fitting. If you cant terminate all the wires into the lights, you may need to install a small round conduit box or similar into the wall to make more space.

At the fitting you dont need, connect the 2 wires together using terminal block and enclose in a metal box with a blank plate on the wall - all connections must be accessible. If you dont want the metal box and plate on the wall, you can crimp the wires together with insulated butts - but you need a proper ratchet crimper. The crimped joints can be buried in plaster.

Dont forget, safety is everything. From your post, your experience with electrics sounds limited. If in any doubt, do post back here, we will try to help.

 

[BeelzebubUK]

Thanks. I thought that might be the case but you're right about the limited experience....I'm always a bit wary of doing anything electrical in the house although the builder of this house has put plenty of sockets and light fittings all over so hopefully this is as much as I'll have to tackle

I'll connect everything up tomorrow and post back with the results.

Thanks.

 

[BeelzebubUK]

Ok - Been a long time but only got round to trying his today.

After a lot of swearing managed to get both sets of T&E fitted to each wall light fixture. But then I got to the 3rd one (which I'm not going to use) and theres only one cable coming out of the wall. I was expecting 2x T&E like the other 2 and was just going to terminate together to complete the loop.

Anybody have any suggestions what I should do now there is only one cable ? Is it likely the builders managed to bury the other cable behind the wall or do I just need to get some sort of single terminating block as this is the end of the loop ?

Edit - I guess what I have is the same as the wall light diagram 2/3 way down on first page of the FAQ but instead of the wall light on the right hand side I need something to replace the wall light and complete the circuit.

 

[johnny_t]

Yes - This is the last fitting in the circuit, hence only one cable. You have two choices now, depending on if you think you will ever want a fitting in this position ever again.

First is to terminate the wire in a terminal block and then cover with a blanking plate. You can't just plaster up the hole as it has to be kind of obvious that there are wires going to that point to prevent someone not realising and drilling into the (live) wire in future.

Second, and probably preferable, is to disconnect the wire from the next light along in the circuit, hope that the wire is in some sort of conduit, and pull it out.

 

[BeelzebubUK]

Thanks.

Will try to do the second option which will be much tidier.

Unfortunately I connected with a terminating block and tested it and it keeps tripping the RCD so something is not connected right somewhere so looks like I've got more work to do. These wall lights are driving me nuts

 

[securespark]

sounds like you've shorted N & E....