interesting lighting wiring - can I fix?

[cantaloupes]

we moved house recently. I pretty much re-wired the last house, but was avoiding touching the electrics on this place for fear of part P. At the weekend I was looking at wiring in some reading lights. I thought i'd be OK to connect to the existing circuit under part P, spuring from the nearest ceiling rose. (would that be allowed?).

Anyway, i found the rose only had a switched supply, and when I traced that i found that wires to all the switches and pendants for the floor were connected in 1 junction box, with about a dozen wires entering. So i've abandoned the job for now.

So:

- has anyone seen this style of wiring before?

- can i do anything with this circuit myself under part P? It wouldn't be too much work to convert to conventional topology, and this would improve some features of the existing circuit (such as earth conductors connected by twisting together outside the JB), but am i allowed to do this?

- if i identify the feed, can I insert a JB for my reading lights and leave the rest alone?

cheers,

rob.

[ARWadsworth]

Yes unless the reading light were in the bathroom or kitchen.

Unfortunately yes, many times.

Tell know one and DIY if you feel competent to do it.

Yes but I wouldn't leave it alone. I would want one JB per light with the earths correctly terminated in the JB. And then I would do the other frloor lighting.

Cheers

Adam

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes. If you're not using standard pendant lighting with a rose which includes the terminals to do the switch connections etc then one or more junction boxes are the usual alternative. Using one central one - rather than one near each light - can mean less need to rip up floorboards.

[TheScullster]

wrote

There seems to be a common misconception about the fundamental intention of Part P. AIUI, this is to ensure that all wiring is installed "and tested" in accordance with the latest wiring regs. For the major and more potentially hazardous installation work, this must be done by certified installer, or approved by similar bloke appointed by building control.

But, if the work is outside the designated "special locations" ie kitchen, bathroom, detached outbuilding and does not involve additional new circuits/replacement of CU etc, then a competent person with the knowledge and ability to install and test can do so.

If your house burns down as a result of your lack of understanding or poor workmanship/test procedures, I suspect that your insurance company would use your lack of electrical qualification and experience to avoid paying out! (providing of course they could prove you did the work).

Phil

[Owain]

Weren't those reading lights installed by the last owner? :-)

Yes. Often with lots of wall lights in a lounge.

You don't have to convert it, it is the same topology electrically

That's *bad*. How old is this wiring?

You'd have to check for earth continuity back to the consumer unit, so that your reading lights are compliant.

Owain

[Owain]

I think that *is* the misconception.

Owain

[David Hansen]

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:59:00 -0700 someone who may be [e-mail] wrote this:-

Yes. It is common when the wiring is installed in conduit and it also has some advantages when it is not.

Was the junction box made of metal or plastic and how are the connections made inside?

They should be made inside the junction box so that mechanical protection is provided the these conductors.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It used to be common practice many years ago. Wonder if the then wiring regs allowed it? Could be it dated from the time earths started appearing in lighting TW&E.

[cantaloupes]

Thanks for your replies.

The JB is brown plastic/bakelite, about as big as a current round 20A

4-terminal type. I haven't looked inside in case I couldn't get the lid back on - I'm amazed the've managed to get so many connections in one box.

I'll probably have a go at sorting this out some time.

cheers,

rob.