Adding electric lights in my attic

[steve_b_wales]

I asked this question a long time ago, but didn't get around to sorting it out. If I remember correctly, power for the lighting  can be taken from the rose on my bedroom ceiling light (?) and (I think) there's a permanent live on it (?) I just want to run a strip light up there with an on/off switch.

[millrace]

The answer is yes,,, but your going to get an awful lots of people telling you no......lol

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Is there no lighting up there already?

I added two strip lights to the existing set up when I wanted to see what i was doing.

[steve_b_wales]

41 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Is there no lighting up there already?

I added two strip lights to the existing set up when I wanted to see what i was doing.

 There is no power up there at all. There's a strip light up there that I fixed to a beam and it's connected to a length of cable with a plug on the end. I don't use the attic much, but when I do, I just plug the lead into a point on my landing. I would prefer to have a permanent light up there though.

Edited December 7, 2020 by steve_b_wales

[Dave at kelton]

I would have expected there to be junction boxes in the loft that you can run your supply off.

[Westward]

Ceiling roses are wired on a daisy chain arrangement. Google will explain the wiring but you need to identify the last one of the chain. It will have one less pair of wires than the others and that's that's where you tap in for lighting power to the attic. It's not rocket science, but I don't know the legal position or the insurance implications of a DIY job versus a qualified sparky.

A reminder that lighting circuits are just for lighting and absolutely mustn't be used to supply sockets.

[steve_b_wales]

12 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said:

I would have expected there to be junction boxes in the loft that you can run your supply off.

There probably is, but I've had raised flooring installed and all beams/joists are hidden.

[Jega]

Yep as Dave said ,look for the fitting with a junction box nearby and the most cables coming out of it . This is the first fitting and the point where you tap in to the supply .

 

[steve_b_wales]

Just now, Westward said:

Ceiling roses are wired on a daisy chain arrangement. Google will explain the wiring but you need to identify the last one of the chain. It will have one less pair of wires than the others and that's that's where you tap in for lighting power to the attic. It's not rocket science, but I don't know the legal position or the insurance implications of a DIY job versus a qualified sparky.

A reminder that lighting circuits are just for lighting and absolutely mustn't be used to supply sockets.

Yes, lights only.

[Jega]

Just now, steve_b_wales said:

Yes, lights only.

+1

[Stonepark]

On a normal lighting circuit, each rose in the chain has a link in and link out and this daisy chain can be expanded to your striplight and back by adding in a connector box to one side of your existing rose and thereby extending the daisy chain taking the incoming cable to connector box, new cable from connector bos to striplight and new cable from striplight to exiting rose.

I would recommend against taking a single cable spur to you striplight from the existing rose.

I would also recommend changing your striplight to the LED equivalent rather than the old fluro tubes.

[Yellow Bear]

Or simply adding an extra rose in the loft between two others.  Need only to be say 200mm from the existing.

locate a rose and "break" the loop  - place disconnected side in new rose in loft and add link wires between the 2.   Wire from new rose as normal.

[Wilts#Dave]

I’ll have to say it, I dread to think of the hash you’ll make of it with little to no clue on lighting circuits etc.....I’ve yet to see a decent diy electrical job 😂

Very easy job for an electrician, would be a minimum charge job for me plus materials so for what it’s worth just get someone in and get it done properly! 

 

[Westward]

19 hours ago, Wilts#Dave said:

I’ll have to say it, I dread to think of the hash you’ll make of it with little to no clue on lighting circuits etc.....I’ve yet to see a decent diy electrical job 😂

Very easy job for an electrician, would be a minimum charge job for me plus materials so for what it’s worth just get someone in and get it done properly! 

 

You're probably right.

There's an old saying that if you need to ask someone how to do the job then you shouldn't attempt it. I do my own wiring because as an electronic engineer I understand how it all works, but I'm not up to speed on regs and rules, so I check with one of the several sparkys I know from shooting.