Lighting advice

[theodotcom]

Hi all

Im after a bit of advice re lighting.

I want to run some wires for lighting in a garage. Basically I want to run everything so it can all get plastered in the walls and then get someone out to fit everything.

Can anyone offer any advice, the garage is going to have its own fuse for lighting, I ideally need 3 different switches each controlling a different set of downlights. The switches will be on different gangs totally.

Do I run a wire from the fuse box to a junction box and on to a second junction box and then a third? If so does this get wired with 2.5mm.

From the junction box do I then run a wire to the switch (1.5mm) and then onto the lights (1.5mm again).

Do I need to add earthing anywhere? If so where?

Is this the sort of junction box I need:
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?ac...earch=true


Thanks for any advice...

[northan]

(05-03-2010 12:34 PM)theodotcom Wrote:  Hi all

Im after a bit of advice re lighting.

I want to run some wires for lighting in a garage. Basically I want to run everything so it can all get plastered in the walls and then get someone out to fit everything.

Can anyone offer any advice, the garage is going to have its own fuse for lighting, I ideally need 3 different switches each controlling a different set of downlights. The switches will be on different gangs totally.

Do I run a wire from the fuse box to a junction box and on to a second junction box and then a third? If so does this get wired with 2.5mm.

From the junction box do I then run a wire to the switch (1.5mm) and then onto the lights (1.5mm again).

Do I need to add earthing anywhere? If so where?

Is this the sort of junction box I need:
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?ac...earch=true


Thanks for any advice...

Hi

I cannot give any advice unfortunatley. All I know is a little proffesional help on such matters goes along way.
The goverment has some resonable information regarding this.
Sorry I can't help, I leave it to the clever bods now since I've had a few scary moments

[theodotcom]

Thanks anyway mate. Hopefully someone else can offer some advice :)

[hydrants]

Hi Theo

I’ll happily try and help you, but from the questions you’ve asked, I would encourage you to pay an electrician to do the work. Sometimes, trying to save some money in the short-term can cost you more long-term.

But let’s give it a go!!!

Saying you have a ‘fuse’ for the lighting – I would first of all work out how much current your lighting circuit will draw – For example the total Wattage of the lighting circuit (all three added together), and then we can begin to select the correct rating of MCB or equivalent .
As a rule of thumb, you’ll hear most lighting circuits run in 1.5mm, but the basis upon its selection is much greater. Have a think about the distance of the circuit and your method of installation (be it conduit etc)

Maybe have a quick look here http://www.diyhowto.co.uk/projects/one-way-lighting.htm

Ignore the first one (two-plate method) and go with the three plate diagram, where you can pick up your phase at the ceiling rose and break it per switch.

Hope that helps in some way?

[theodotcom]

Hi Hydrants

The 3 circuits will have in total 10 GU10 lights. (500W) total. (it is basically going to become 2 small rooms each with 4 GU10's and I have a large gap (which runs under the stairs) where I am going to put all av equipment (will put either 1 or most likely 2 GU10's under here) as there is no lighting there at the moment (I want them on their own switch as I will rarely be going there so dont need them on all the time.)

When everything is run I am going to get an electrician to come and connect it to the fuse box. I may even get the junction boxes and lights connected by the electrician, im not sure yet.
I mainly want to get all the wires run in the walls so I can get it all plastered.

There is currently a ceiling rose in there however that is connected to the entire ground floor of the house so I would rather have the garage on its own ring for lighting and a seperate ring for the garage electrics.