Electrician help needed!

[chrisjpainter]

Evening all. I'm wanting to move a light. It's in a conservatory and would like to move the fixing to above the sliding door, rather than on the wall. I think the easiest way would be to run it externally from the original position, as in the photo. I'd like to leave the light switch where it is, But do I need to get a qualified electrician in to do it, or is this something that can be done by me with a bit of reading up first? 

Any advice will be gratefully consumed...

[JTaylor91]

Im not an electrician but have done something similar recently to wire up a second outside light. You could put a connection box in where the light is now and then run your wire externally. Depends if you’re bothered about a box and wire being on show. I’m sure somebody will have a better solution. 

[amateur]

Why would you need to run an external wire?

Surely the conduit contains the wiring for the lamp. If that is all it contains, then switch off the power at the mains, disconnect the lamp, noting which wire goes where, shorten the conduit and wire to where you wish to fit the lamp, refit and reconnect.

[Dave-G]

I'm not a sparky but image the supply for the light starts from a downstairs ceiling lighting junction box. It's likely not what you want to hear Chris but I'd be doing that internally - under the upstairs floorboards.

Edited February 14, 2022 by Dave-G

[Tonka54]

easy way to do it is to mount a plastic pattress box where the light is now , run the wires through the "knock out" in the back of this box and into a 5amp connection block.

Then through the knock out in the top of the box run fresh 1.5mm twin and earth cable into the box and into the connection block, link earth to earth, neutral to neutral and live to live, then fit pattress blanking plate.

Now run cable round to new light position inside white trunking, fix light and wire it up, job done.  PS isolate electric first😁

15 minutes ago, amateur said:

Why would you need to run an external wire?

Surely the conduit contains the wiring for the lamp. If that is all it contains, then switch off the power at the mains, disconnect the lamp, noting which wire goes where, shorten the conduit and wire to where you wish to fit the lamp, refit and reconnect.

The white line on his pic is the intended route not trunking.

Edited February 14, 2022 by Tonka54

[Walker570]

As above but run the cover across to the edge of the door up that edge and along the top to below where you need the new light positioned, then up to the light. Less intrusive than running it up and across the wall as you suggest.

[Tonka54]

9 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

As above but run the cover across to the edge of the door up that edge and along the top to below where you need the new light positioned, then up to the light. Less intrusive than running it up and across the wall as you suggest.

Yep good point like this

[amateur]

26 minutes ago, Tonka54 said:

The white line on his pic is the intended route not trunking.

Silly me 😁

[chrisjpainter]

Thanks chaps. That's been very useful. Now to convince the other half it's either genius, or her idea all along - and if I'm lucky, both...

 

[Tonka54]

16 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said:

Thanks chaps. That's been very useful. Now to convince the other half it's either genius, or her idea all along - and if I'm lucky, both...

 

No,  the wife would say this is what genius is 😁

[Wilts#Dave]

Won’t look great in reality running surface trunking to the new lighting position, but if you must I’d use round 20mm conduit with an end box to make the joint over trunking and create more of an ‘industrial’ look. 
Depending on the sort of light you’re looking to put up will also determine how tidy the end result is! 
More involved but as mentioned above, rerouting the cable internally in the floor if that’s where it comes from and drilling back out would be much neater. 

[discobob]

Use WAGO connectors to joint the cable as these meet the new standards - not terminal strips - and see if there is a corresponding Wago Box for it.

Best way would be as said above though - lift the floor upstairs and move the cable internally

[udderlyoffroad]

9 hours ago, Wilts#Dave said:

Won’t look great in reality running surface trunking to the new lighting position, but if you must I’d use round 20mm conduit with an end box to make the joint over trunking and create more of an ‘industrial’ look. 
Depending on the sort of light you’re looking to put up will also determine how tidy the end result is! 
More involved but as mentioned above, rerouting the cable internally in the floor if that’s where it comes from and drilling back out would be much neater. 

This

And yes 'chocolate' blocks/terminal strips belong in the past, use Wago or generic branded

The self-adhesive trunking linked above won't stick to the brickwork, so you're into screwing it.   And....as it's run above an egress point, you should secure it and the cable inside with metal fastenings, so that, in the event of a fire, it doesn't melt, sag and impede your exit, or the fire brigade's entry. Standard in industrial installations, now required by the regs in domestic situations too.

Also, surely the light fitting shown will just...illuminate the conservatory roof, but I guess the fitting is the easiest to change if you're going to all this effort anyway.

[Jonty]

2 hours ago, discobob said:

Use WAGO connectors to joint the cable as these meet the new standards - not terminal strips - and see if there is a corresponding Wago Box for it.

Best way would be as said above though - lift the floor upstairs and move the cable internally

100% with Bob on the Wago connectors - when I started using them it was a revelation how easy, convenient and quick they were.

My own personal choice would be to see where the feed for the light fitting comes from and look if I could joint/reroute it discretely (as previously said possibly lifting the floorboards upstairs.  If you can't, I'd suggest a run of galv conduit rather than plastic for exactly the reason udderleyoffroad mentioned - I'm only familiar with industrial wiring regs rather than domestic, but with your house containing your nearest and dearest - it makes sense to err on the side of caution.

 

If you've not done any electrical work before, what you are wanting to do is quite straightforward, but do take the time to read up a little first and note what wires go where, understanding how a lighting circuit works before you start will save a lot of confusion when you're staring at a bundle of loose wires.

RE the missus - I'd say it would take about as long as it does to boil a deer's head, I would only be attempting either when I knew she was out for at least a full afternoon when I could get done and dusted and cleaned up without her knowing- maybe you could use a similar approach 😀