Any bright sparks?

[another_richard]

Hello.

Can you help with a problem I have please. I need reassurance that what I am about to do will not result in a blue flash.

I have a Victorian house and I am about to put in Zone 3 lighting into the upstairs extension bathroom.

The ceiling was dropped years ago and plasterboarded. I have removed the plasterboard to expose the battons and slates much higher up.

We used to have old Economy 7 heaters (x3) each with their own switch on the fuse board so I borrowed one of these 'breakers' and have run a wire through the floorboards to the bathroom.
<aside> amazing what you find under floor boards these days, tons of lead pipes and old newspapers</aside>
I have 5 spotlights.

As the wire reaches the bathroom I have attached a fuse (not sure of technical term looks like a blind lightswitch) and now the job of wiring up the lights.

Each light has 20a terminal (look like ceiling roses) above it and each terminal is attached to the roof joist and the lights will connect each in (is it in series?) like Christmas tree lights ensuring adequate gap between the insulation.

Electricity source ------> --------O---------------------------O----------------------O---------------------------O---------------------------O
| | | | | |
| | |
Switch Light1 Light 2 Light 3 Light 4 Light5

1 The light switch a dimmer (she who must be obeyed wanted a dimmer switch) must be connected to the first light 20a terminal? (of course And outside of the bathroom).

Has anyone else tried to use a ridiculous image above to try to visualise their plight, no sorry what do you think of the setup?


It goes without saying that I will have to ensure it passes the relevant regs so I will have to call in an Electrician before I puts up the plasterboard and cover it all up.

Many thanks,

Rich

 

[MdB]

Your diagram hasn't come out. Try putting it in a CODE section as this should improve matters.

A few comments:

1) Your old heater fuse needs to be downgraded to a 6A fuse to run lights from it.

2) Most CFL lights will not run off a dimmer switch correctly so you won't be able to use energy saving bulbs if you fit the dimmer.

3) From what I can make out, you have one switch and 5 lights. The lights should be connected in parallel as long as the combined current rating for the lights is less than that for the switch. This is very likely to be the case but it is always worth checking.

4) The wires to the switch should both be brown as they are both live. (+ earth of course)

5) Earth wires should be sleeved in yellow/green sleeving.

6) If you don't understand the difference between parallel and series, or any of the above which is deliberately vague then you shouldn't be doing your own wiring. (*)


(*) I've just discovered a 40A cooker connection which wasn't done up at all and hence had overheated and partially burnt in my house. This could have easily started a fire. I also had a connection in the loft which was made by twisting bare ends together. There wasn't even any tape around it, thought it was covered in loft insulation so that you couldn't see it. Muck up lime plaster and you just do it again. Muck up electrics and you (or someone else) might not be so lucky.

 

[Pford75]

I can only second MDB's advice.....if you need to ask the question, you probably shouldn't be doing this (even with your caveat on building regs). Electricity (in bathrooms) is far too dangerous to be taking risks.....I speak as the father of children electrocuted by a previous householders botched electrics.

 

[Lime]

It never ceases to amaze me how so many people think wiring up electrical items safely is easy.
It isn't, particularly in a bathroom where special rules apply.

It goes without saying that I will have to ensure it passes the relevant regs so I will have to call in an Electrician before I puts up the plasterboard and cover it all up.

If you put the wiring in, an electrician is not able to sign off the work because they did not do it.
The correct method for doing electrical work yourself to comply with the law (part P of building regulations and IEEE 17th regulations) is to contact your local building control inspector BEFORE you start and they should inspect your work as you go along.
They will charge for this.
Only then can you be issued with the proper paperwork.
I am aware that many BCOs do not follow this procedure but expect you to get an electrician to inspect the work as and after you do it.
(More cost for you.)
It usually works out less expensive if you get it done properly in the first place.

While the extra cost of doing it properly may put you off, when you sell the property, the wiring will require paperwork (together with an up to date PIR test) and if you don't have it it will be much more expensive to put it all right.



. Just as an extra comment to the advice given to you by other posters, as you are using the economy 7 wiring I would expect that to be connected through a time switch so the electricity will not be connected all the time.
Economy 7 is usually a separate system from the rest of the house and altering any of it is also a notifiable requirement of building regulations and the electricity supplier also needs to be informed as it is usually their time clock.

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

From the information supplied I strongly recommend that you get a qualified electrician to carry out this installation for you. Amongst other things the 17th Edition wiring regs require RCD protection to all circuits in bathrooms, which you have not provided.

As others have pointed out there is a great deal more to electrical work than simply connecting up wires and making the lights come on. Installations need to be designed to behave correctly under fault conditions, especially so in areas of increased hazard such as bathrooms. There are some things where a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and you should not hesitate to seek professional input if you are not fully competent. Electricty can kill you or burn your house down. There are very good reasons why things like gas and electrical work have been brought under stiff regulation.

 

[Penners]

Sorry, but I'm adding my voice to those above. Your question and your description of your planned circuit betray your lack of knowledge and experience with electrics, therefore you should not be planning a DIY installation - particularly in a bathroom.

Don't risk it. Call in a properly qualified professional.