HELP! Down light installation??

[Taylortwocities]

I know that I need IP65 rated down lights in the wet areas as well as making sure all down lights are fire rated. I plan to wire each light in a radial circuit within each room and take the feed

Unless your house is very unusual, you do not need either of those attributes in the downlight.

 

[Oliver9]

Thank you for all the responses everyone.

I do agree that it would definitely be easier to get the building company to install the down lights however I have done research on the installation of them and it is definitely within my capabilities.

I work with electrics on a day to day basis so I am fully aware of the safety around them, I just don't have the capability to sign my own work off etc.

I know a lot of the responses have been to just pay the building company to install but all I am mainly looking for is, if I wanted to do the work myself, can I in theory? If it goes wrong, I will hire an electrician to come in and resolve it, which I think will still work out cheaper than the £65 per light quoted.

 

[Midwest]

Unless your house is very unusual, you do not need either of those attributes in the downlight.

The first perhaps not, but the later I think you'll be hard pushed when chopping holes in plasterboard, and not fire rating them, regardless of a single fire zone.

 

[davesparks]

I work with electrics on a day to day basis so I am fully aware of the safety around them, I just don't have the capability to sign my own work off etc.

If you work with electrics on a day to day basis and are competent to do this then why can’t you inspect, test and certify the work?

 

[MFS Electrical]

Thank you for the response.

I admit it will be easier to get the builder to do it but my logic is to save a fair amount money (around £35/£40 per down light) if possible.

I also won't have any carpets or flooring initially so there won't be any issues in lifting floor boards.

Good luck chances are it won’t be floorboards it will be sheets of osb or chipboard and they were probably put down before the partitions went in

 

[Oliver9]

I've emailed the sales executive to get an answer from the builder about whether it will be possible to lift the floor up. Sales Exec seems to think it is just screwed in and is a case of unscrewing them but I'd rather have a professional stance on it.

Worst case scenario, I'll saw along the edge of the joist and install new batons when re-fitting the board.

 

[Midwest]

I've emailed the sales executive to get an answer from the builder about whether it will be possible to lift the floor up. Sales Exec seems to think it is just screwed in and is a case of unscrewing them but I'd rather have a professional stance on it.

Worst case scenario, I'll saw along the edge of the joist and install new batons when re-fitting the board.

Think you'll find, they are not only screwed down, the joints are also glued and they form part of the integrity of the composite joist system, which most new builds have. I would suggest lifting a complete section almost impossible, sections or holes more appropriate, as already suggested.

As a sparks & new home owner, I would really suggest you re think your strategy, and pay for the cabling etc installed as the place is built.

 

[bailes1992]

Also a spark in a 4 year old home. I would choose cutting holes in the ceilings than taking up the chipboard floors.

Also, if I was buying a brand new house I'd pay to get everything done. Don't buy a brand new house and rip it to pieces.

 

[delano]

taking the feed from an existing central light position, using wagos in a wagobox , then daisy chaining the downlights is fine. forget 1.5mm use 1.0mm. do the usual tests and complete a MWC for each circuit. as long as you are competent to do the work, then no need to get anyone else involved.

Why forget about 1.5mm?

 

['mr2'gd4u]

Why forget about 1.5mm?

1.5mm isn't required if its protected by 6a (?). 1.0mm is good for 12a-14a

 

[Taylortwocities]

Why forget about 1.5mm?

When you come to connect up your downlights, you’ll find that it’s impossible to cram two times 1.5mm conductors into the weedy terminal blocks on the lights.

 

['mr2'gd4u]

When you come to connect up your downlights, you’ll find that it’s impossible to cram two times 1.5mm conductors into the weedy terminal blocks on the lights.

Not impossible and in fact a single 1.5mm provides easy connection than 1.0mm (less fiddly) as there is more surface area to clamp down

 

[123]

When you come to connect up your downlights, you’ll find that it’s impossible to cram two times 1.5mm conductors into the weedy terminal blocks on the lights.

In Northern Ireland all you are likely to get is 1.5mm T&E. I don't know of a wholesaler that stocks 1.0mm. Have never found it a problem to get 2 1.5mm conductors into a a downlight connection - if it's a standard none fire rated downlight I'd use the Ansell Twistlocks.