Need some advice with Garage lighting.

[WMason20]

removed.

 

[Leesparkykent]

No neutral at the fittings as you have the neutrals separated at the switch.

 

[chrisclose]

Connect your neutrals together.

 

[chrisclose]

No neutral at the fittings as you have the neutrals separated at the switch.

Got there before me...

 

[Octopus]

Why does he think he wants 8 lights in domestic garage?

How are you going to test the installation?

 

[Engineer54]

Hells Bells, at what stage are you at on your level 3 course??

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Hi all, brand new to the forum so not sure if im posting in the right space but anyway i need some advice. Im still at college doing my City and Guilds level 3 and have very minimal site experience so im still very much in the learning process however i am currently doing some work for a family friend.
He wanted 8 fluorescent light fittings (not sure of make) put in to his recent garage extension. I put all the 8 fittings up no problem and began to wire.

Gyazo - 3d4e3aa5b5585b830b4165da03deb972.png ive drawn this out to show how i wired it (The brown lines are representing 1.5mm T&E Cable. As for the wiring i opted not to use the junction boxes but just wiring straight into the connections inside the fitting, is that ok?

Now from the last fitting (Top Left) i took the cable to the switch and wired it:
Live (Brown) into L1
Neutral (blue) into a connector block
CPC i connected to the switch box itself.

I then ran another 1.5mm cable from a 6A MCB within the C/U to the switch and wired it:
Live (brown) into the Common
Neutral (Blue) into a connector block *seperate to the first one mentioned above.
CPC i connected to the earth terminal on the actual switch rather than the Switch Box.

Ive done another drawing for this just incase it makes it easier for you to follow: Gyazo - 5270144569dd8d51980cf800d80274fe.png

So after id done all that i then put the tubes into the fitting and tested it but nothing? i tried 3 different tubes on all of the fittings just incase it was a dud tube but that doesnt seem to be the case? I then double checked every fitting to check my connections and they all seemed fine, were not lose and none of the insulation was caught.

I contacted one of my collage tutors and he told me to use a voltage indicator to test at all the lights and at the MCB although at the time i didnt have one! since bought a Fluke T90 (£34 but went through the till at £8!) so i now have that to try when i go back to the job on Monday, so with this tester im to test between Live and Neutral at every fitting and then test between the top of the MCB to the neutral bar for a voltage correct?

Now im not sure what im to do as to why theyre not working? if there was a low voltage at a fitting would that be because of wiring or because of the MCB? and if there is a bad reading of voltage at the MCB would i just need to buy a new one and change it?

a few side notes that might be worth noting:
*Cable run is approx 40metres
*The tubes are 70W Each which gives a total current of 2.4A
*Cable is clipped direct to Wooden Joists.

Sorry that its been a very long post but thought i should try get all the info in! I appreciate any advice/help that is given in advanced, but be nice, im still learning!

Thanks all

Will.

Did you show your college tutor the drawings?

 

[chrisclose]

Did you show your college tutor the drawings?

I'm worried about the answer to this question...

 

[telectrix]

a word of advice. that N at the switch, the one coming back from the lights, will be "live", so kill the supply before connecting. secondly, without sounding harsh, you should have been able to suss this out. why not join the forum trainee sesction, where you will get advice without getting any stick.

 

[walsh builders]

Shouldn't you have tested for continuity of line and CPC before powering the circuit up for the first time?

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Hells Bells, at what stage are you at on your level 3 course??

Level 3 is not was it used to be! 'C' course was level 3, now we've got 2382 and the likes classed as level 3, dumbed down or what!

 

[WMason20]

Expected to get stick but oh well, if it solves the problem then so be it. As for the comments about my course, the standard of teaching was terrible and some of the tutors were "disciplined" my level 2 course I near enough taught myself it's only due to a new tutor coming in and some more self study that's getting me through level 3, passed my Principles exam a few weeks ago, just have design & testing/ fault finding left to do. I know myself that I'm behind other people who are at the same stage as me hence why I'm trying to do more stuff indecently but with advice to get me up to pace with other students with tutors that know how to teach, oh well nevermind, you've all told me the problem so thank you.

just quickly, if I was to connect the Neutrals yet it still didn't work, what else could it be down too?

 

[Engineer54]

Level 3 is not was it used to be! 'C' course was level 3, now we've got 2382 and the likes classed as level 3, dumbed down or what!

I bet this Family friend is well impressed!! lol!!

What worries me is that the OP thinks he is at a stage that he is competent to undertake this work, even though he has no test equipment to his name apart from a volt meter....

 

[WMason20]

Expected to get stick but oh well, if it solves the problem then so be it. As for the comments about my course, the standard of teaching was terrible and some of the tutors were "disciplined" my level 2 course I near enough taught myself it's only due to a new tutor coming in and some more self study that's getting me through level 3, passed my Principles exam a few weeks ago, just have design & testing/ fault finding left to do. I know myself that I'm behind other people who are at the same stage as me hence why I'm trying to do more stuff indecently but with advice to get me up to pace with other students with tutors that know how to teach, oh well nevermind, you've all told me the problem so thank you.

just quickly, if I was to connect the Neutrals yet it still didn't work, what else could it be down too?

 

[Leesparkykent]

Expected to get stick but oh well, if it solves the problem then so be it. As for the comments about my course, the standard of teaching was terrible and some of the tutors were "disciplined" my level 2 course I near enough taught myself it's only due to a new tutor coming in and some more self study that's getting me through level 3, passed my Principles exam a few weeks ago, just have design & testing/ fault finding left to do. I know myself that I'm behind other people who are at the same stage as me hence why I'm trying to do more stuff indecently but with advice to get me up to pace with other students with tutors that know how to teach, oh well nevermind, you've all told me the problem so thank you.

just quickly, if I was to connect the Neutrals yet it still didn't work, what else could it be down too?

As you are a trainee you can apply to gain access to the trainee section on here where you will be helped with your questions/studies with out getting any stick.

http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/apply-gain-access-trainee-only-forum/