Wall-lights

[Styx]

Looking to fit a couple of wall-mounted uplighters for a friend. They're lights that he bought with him from a previous property (I believe they were originally a gift, so he wanted to keep them).

Unfortunately, when he disconnected them he didn't really take a detailed note of how they were attached or mounted ("I think there was a white thing that the wires were screwed into"). What he now has is a metal plate (about 6" or 7" long, with screw-holes in it), a perpendicular bracket welded to that and the lamp-holder attached to the end of the bracket (a decorative, glass, semi-circular uplighter slots onto the bracket once it's all connected and mounted). The plate is designed to be horizontally attached to the wall.

However, the mains wires just dangle down from the lamp-holder with no kind of junction box, connectors or any way to conceal them other than the decorative uplighter.

Every light I've ever fitted (not many, but certainly a couple of dozen) has always had some kind of concealed junction box area (usually with terminal blocks in it).

I'm assuming that he's actually left a critical component at his old house. Any ideas as to how to get it sorted?

Cheers,

Styx

[David Hansen]

On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:29:12 +0100 someone who may be Styx wrote this:-

So far so good.

I don't follow. Plates are normally screwed to something, if this something is a wall then the plate will generally be vertical.

There should be a box in the wall to terminate the fixed wiring and provide somewhere to attach the wiring from the luminaire.

shows some. Would the plate screw onto one of these?

With a metal plate make sure the earthing is up to scratch.

[Styx]

Well, the plate is *definitely* designed to be horizontally mounted (as the glass doohickey attaches to it and could only go one way, and the lamp holder also determines the orientation).

As to whether the plate is actually designed to be screwed directly to the wall or some (now missing) part of the fixture -- well, that's a good question. It certainly looks like it *could* be screwed to the wall (there are appropriate screw-holes for that), but perhaps it is actually supposed to be screwed to a missing part. The plate is about 6-7" long by around 1.5" high.

There's no box in the wall -- just a hole with the T&E sticking out, ready for a fixture.

I'm wondering if I can get away with wall-mounting it and using something like this

to the wall to make the connection -- it might even be possible to hide it within the glass uplighter area...

Any further thoughts?

Styx

[David Hansen]

On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:36:17 +0100 someone who may be Styx wrote this:-

I'm not sure how a (flat) plate could be screwed to a wall horizontally. There is presumably some sort of bracket to which it fastens, or the plate is L-shaped and that screws to the wall.

I can't envisage a (flat) plate of those dimensions.

There should be a box in the wall, to provide an enclosure (with the fitting itself) for the connections.

For wall lights an architrave box

can be useful. Note that the photograph shows the back.

[Styx]

Here are some (rough) sketches of what they look like:

?action=view&current=sketch_of_wall_light_front.pngMost (all?) lights I've ever fitted just simply have a (usually) circular junction-box-type part that attaches to the surface it's being mounted on (ceiling or wall). Within that, there's normally a terminator block for attaching the T&E, with the wires for the fitting itself already in place. Same kind of arrangement as with a simple white-plastic ceiling pendant, but more decorative. The only times I've seen arrangements where there's any kind of box /in/ the wall or ceiling is with flush-mounted fittings.

As previously stated, though, I've done maybe a couple of dozen over the years -- it's certainly not something I'm doing every day.

Styx

[Chris J Dixon]

A line through the two fixing holes is horizontal, but the plate is vertical when attached to the wall.

Chris

[David Hansen]

On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:26:12 +0100 someone who may be Styx wrote this:-

lamp holder to the plate then it looks like an architrave box in the wall is the way to do it. Fit a cable clamp to prevent strain being put on the flex if it is pulled out.

If the cable cannot be put through the tube then fit a cord outlet below the fitting and connect to that.

There nay be more fancy metal versions for those who want a fancy appearance.

I am assuming switching is not to be done at the luminaire.

[Styx]

>>>

Cord outlet looks like the solution. Bugger, wish they'd shown me the lights and I'd known a back box was needed /prior/ to the plastering/decorating being finished. Pretty sure the wall they want it on is block -- I so hate chiselling out holes for boxes...

Correct. The switch is on the other side of the room near to the door.

Thanks for all of your input -- I can see what needs to be done now, just wondering if it might actually be easier (less messy) to get them to ditch these lights and buy something that doesn't need big holes being dug into their new plaster.

Styx