Wiring a new positioned light

[Mike P]

I have a landing approx 6m with a light at one end and the switch close by at top of the stairs. There is also a switch at the bottom of the stairs which controls the light as well. I need another light at the other end of the landing. I am happy if both lights come on together. The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.

How would an electrician inform me how he would do the job that I require. Thanks

Mike P

[Lobster]

If you don't need any changes to the switching, that's dead straightforward - all he'll need to do is run a new cable above the ceiling, between the position of the two lights. No need to disturb the switches or wiring in the walls at all.

David

[Mike P]

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:17:05 GMT, Lobster head down on the keyboard, banged out this message:

So .... if I drill the hole in the ceiling and attach the fitting to a joist .... all he will have to do is break into the lighting wire with a junction box and feed it along to the new light? A bit like a plug spur then ?

Mike P

[Lobster]

Yep, or more likely he'd just wire the new cable directly from the existing ceiling rose (or junction box above the light).

David

[Colin Wilson]

The "toothpaste cap" arrangement is something they tend to use a lot of in the US instead of proper screwed or crimped terminals - not sure whether they're permitted in the UK though...

IIRC the "inside" is threaded, and you simply put the cores you need to connect in there and twist it on to make the "connection"

[Andy Burns]

"wirenuts"

Outlawed since 50's?

[Colin Wilson]

Ta - couldn't think what the hell they were called :-}

Dunno - know they weren't acceptable or in use when I served my time in the mid 80's though

[Martin Crossley]

Made obsolete by the introduction of metric solid core cable instead of stranded imperial (3/.029)?

[Appin]

The message from Colin Wilson contains these words:

Wire nuts. But you twist the wires together with pliers first. They're a whole lot better than the porcelain "Scruits" which were in use here. Properly done, they make a good joint.

[Bob Eager]

ISTR my dad calling by a trade name - Scruits..or Screwits..

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:46:31 GMT someone who may be Lobster wrote this:-

The latter involves less materials and less time than either a new junction box (or indeed running cable from the switch). It is the obvious approach to take.

[dennis]

"Colin Wilson" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

If you mean wire nuts then they are not permitted.. crimps are better and cheaper. I have found wire nuts inside appliances and they may be permitted.

[Appin]

The message from "Bob Eager" contains these words:

Scruits. I can remember using them.

But really, it's hardly fair to mention them in the same breath as decent American wire nuts.

Scruits were porcelain and they were really little more than an effective insulating cap to a twisted wire joint. There was a sort of moulded thread inside them but it couldn't even be relied on to hold the cap in place and it was usual to wind on some of the old tarry insulating tape to finish the joint.

Their relevance largely disappeared anyway with the introduction of loop-in wiring practices and consequent virtual disappearance of junction boxes.

Wire nuts are plastic device with a metal innner which actually locks the wires together mechanically and electrically in a way no Scruit ever did.

[meow2222]

Its such a simple job why not DIY it. Scruits beg the q what age or condition the installation is in.

NT