Would this pass inspection? - Part II

[skellem]

Right you lot, after a couple of hours and severly sore arms from working overhead , I have revised the junction box in my ceiling space and sorted out all the earth issues. Please take a peek:


The wires are all trimmed back, every single wire is now connected to earth and is sleeved. The cables going to wall switches are marked with red tape.

I have also connected all earth cables at the downlighter side with a choc block all the way around the circuit. Cable tie is to prevent the wires being pulled out of the choc block by accident.

I did a continuity test from the last lamp to the junction box and all seems fine

This is now hopefully 100% safe and legal

 

[andy]

its a major improvement from the last picture.

altho i have a question about some of the earthing. to the middle-right there are 2 choc blocks with earth wires. these dont appear to be connected to each other, or the main earth (as in the two earths in the bottom half are connected together, but not to a reliable earth) and the same for the top half

EDIT: there are some blacks from the T+E going into a terminal block with a red wire on the other side. are these black wires live or neutral? if live they should have red sleeving over to identify they are live

 

[skellem]

Andrew, I have done a bit of scribbling over the pic again!

The choc block with the earth is linked, it's looped on the left hand side, but the loop is hidden by the red/black wires above it. They are also linked all the way through to the earth that is present in the ceiling. (I've put some green arrows that start where the original earth comes out of the ceiling)

The black wires going into the block that join up with red wires are from the light switch. (Red goes to the switch and black returns)

 

[andy]

you need to put red sleeving or red tape round the black cables returning from the switches to indicate they are live. red tape round the grey flex doesnt indicate that the blacks are live

 

[skellem]

you need to put red sleeving or red tape round the black cables returning from the switches to indicate they are live. red tape round the grey flex doesnt indicate that the blacks are live

Just been downstairs and did it Thanks!

 

[securespark]

Aren't the light fitting terminals intended for flex, not cable?

Strictly speaking the earths are not sleeved at the fitting - I know it's a very short length, but an inspector might get on his lofty charge.

Is this a commercial install?

 

[Damocles]

Strictly speaking, the connections to the ceiling lights are not all enclosed. The white sheathing is cut off before the cable enters the clamp on the downlighter. yes, i know there is no room for it to go inside, but I seem to recall that this is strictly speaking a fault.

 

[skellem]

Securespark - I suppose it would be a lot easier to wire the lights with flex, but at the time I only had cable. I used that to save time and money, but next time I'll use flex...it's a lot easier to wire up! Also, it's not commercial, it's in my living room.

Damocles - As you said, it wouldn't all fit in at the fitting end. I'm mainly concered that the wiring is totally safe - I'm sure it will be okay like that!

 

[Damocles]

I'm quite interested to know tthe point of view of others on this one.

 

[securespark]

Well, like I said, it should be flex, really, then that flex is terminated in a jb along with the feed in and feed out cables.

Fittings are generally designed with flex in mind, not cable.

With flex, if the fitting is DI, then you only need two core to the fitting, doing away with having to make off the cpc's outside the fitting block. You make them off in the jb instead: much more room.

 

[dingbat]

Blimey, what a kerfuffle... I just installed four sets of six downlighters. I used a 20A 4-terminal junction box to take a neutral plus switched-live, then simply looped each light in parallel. That is, at each luminaire except the last, there were two twin-and-earth cables in and one flat twin flex out, the connection being enclosed by a 'choc box'. (Actually, a cheaper version of the choc box, from Denmans)

 

[dw3101]

damocles (sp)

you are correct non of the conductors insulation should be visible (cant remember the proper terminology)

You can Get two 1.5mm Cables into them style fittings with a little planning and pursuasion.. I will never try again though... was just loathed to use Junction boxes..

David