Loop in/out or junction box

[MDJ]

well you could wire the feed and neutrals into the switches and then loop around the lights from the switch, a maximum of two T&Es then at each light and one at the last, depending on the type of light you may not need any choc boxes at all if you wire that way.

 

[Sintra]

I can't believe that the specification for a college would allow those horrendous things to be used at all.

 

[shanky887614]

? Normally feed in switch then loop in and out through the downlighter terminals themselfs.

Why do you need another jb?

I guess we are lucky that we make our spec up on the day and alter to those around us

 

[elektrisien]

? Normally feed in switch then loop in and out through the downlighter terminals themselfs.

Why do you need another jb?

The problem being the terminals on the downlighters are so small, they will not take two cables, that is why you have to use a choc box to do the connections that you have only one cable connecting to the downlighter ...... maybe if I explained this, it would have been easier to understand.
We even used these choc boxes on all the light fixtures at a hotel in Park Lane, if you would think anybody could afford a proper job , it would be them. Everybody is just doing it as cheap as possible ..... greediness.

 

[Octopus]

So chuck it all in with the insulation and in a couple of years it will look like this:

Well I would upload a picky if this stupid forum would let me!

 

[sparks1234]

Its saturday night, I'm on the wine and I don't care.

 

[Badged01]

You've probably done the job by now and gone home to bed! But if you havent then yes you can do what you suggest, my speckled hen told me .....

 

[NickD]

Maybe you know it by a different name ?

Oh, them. You mean mouse coffins.

 

[NickD]

I know they are time consuming and very fiddly to use. But that is the way they want it done,it is probably the cheapest method. That is why I want to use as few of them as possible. So, can I connect all the lights into one ? They all work from the same switch. Or is it loop in, loop out ?

Wouldn't that involve putting three cables into a strain relief that's designed for one? Running from one box I mean.

 

[Sintra]

View attachment 24156It is called a choc box or chock box whatever your choice.

Looking at this thing I can't see any fixing points to secure it to to anything. Are these things just designed to swing about loosely in ceiling spaces etc.

 

[NickD]

Yup. They're alright for wiring low voltage lighting transformers into the supply then tucking into the ceiling void because they have the strain relief on. No good for anything other than one cable in and one cable out though. Which is a problem in the OP's intended application. Lots of swearing trying to get two cables under one strain relief.

 

[Silly Sausage]

They originated via Dragons Den...
Welcome to Chocbox

 

[Richard Burns]

Hi ,

A quick question about wiring downlighters. I am wiring college rooms, it is on price, so its kind of a rush job. There are 3 downlighters all about a meter from each other in the ceiling. The way the contractor wants it done, is loop in, loop out, meaning 3 choc boxes and connector blocks. Another way a spark showed me on site that is much quicker. is just taking all 3 downlighters to one choc box with a connector block. Can it be done this way ? Is it up to standard or a bodge job ?

This method of wiring is within the design specs of a choc box, so long as you are using 1mm² T&E. Since you would need four cables and they are designed to be able to take two cables at each end.
It would also meet the requirements of the regulations so long as the choc box was placed on a surface.
However as you may have seen above it is not a nice method of wiring, that said since all the connections for this job are in choc boxes there is no difference with what you are proposing. It will make later maintenance more difficult but not impossible.
As said in other posts there are a lot of much better ways of doing this, to which you unfortunately do not have access.

 

[elektrisien]

Thanks for all the input. The job is not done yet though, there are 700 rooms to do, and part of the college opens in July. I would say once testing starts or switches are being flicked it will be a nightmare. Some other guys have done the wiring, they are not on site anymore, no cable is labelled, coils of cables everywhere, you get the picture. I am going to do it the quick way and bugger the rest, as you say it is legal .... You cannot expect the man on the tools to make up for what management lacks.

 

[jamie-spark]

These are far superior to those horrible choc box things

http://www.fastlec.co.uk/ashley-hag...=feedmanager&gclid=CIO27aDc4L0CFdShtAod9T8AYQ