Workshop Lights.

[Gary]

I need a little advice on electrics.

I want to add two new lights, one over the lathe and the second over the work bench. I want then to have a two way switch and separate to the other lights.

Am I ok to spur off the lighting circuit as it comes from the consumer unit before it gets to the first light already installed?

 

[porker]

Yes, you could do this. It is normal in domestic lighting to take the power from a lighting junction box or from the pendant if not using separate junction box but AFAIK it is OK to take the supply from an existing circuit on the CU.

 

[Racers]

You will need to get inspected by a qualified electrician to remain on the correct side of the law, just like the rest of us do.

:-"

Pete

 

[lurker]

You will need to get inspected by a qualified electrician to remain on the correct side of the law, just like the rest of us do.

:-"

Pete

That's taking the "P"

 

[porker]

You will need to get inspected by a qualified electrician to remain on the correct side of the law, just like the rest of us do.

:-"

Pete

Adding lighting points on a circuit is exempt from Part P

 

[n0legs]

I'll inspect it for you.

All done?
You're good to go, carry on.

 

[owsnap]

I can also inspect it for you.

All done?
You're good to go, carry on.

 

[Gary]

I can also inspect it for you.

All done?
You're good to go, carry on.

I'd stay off the sherry if I were you.

 

[n0legs]

Okay a little sensible advice.

Go back to the CU/fusebox for the new lighting supply.
Why?
On established wiring sometimes pulling up enough slack to install a junction box effectively can be a problem, especially if the spark was a super neat clip everything kind of guy.

Identify the correct lighting circuit (there may be more than one) and take the new supplying cable back to this fuse/MCB/RCBO. If it's a split load CU/fusebox make sure you connect the neutral to the same neutral bar as the original circuit.
Not truly knowing your personal capability (no insult intended) with electrics, lighting circuits can often catch out many people.
If you go back to the CU/fusebox, and you haven't got the following wiring quite right on the new circuit, you have the option just to disconnect the live/phase conductor from the fuse/MCB/RCBO and "ditch" it temporarily until the fault has been rectified in the new/added wiring.
This in my view is preferential to going back into the junction box, which may already be compromised with regard to what I've already mentioned, to make the disconnection and still allowing the original lighting circuit to operate.
Hope this helps.

 

[Gary]

Okay a little sensible advice.

Go back to the CU/fusebox for the new lighting supply.
Why?
On established wiring sometimes pulling up enough slack to install a junction box effectively can be a problem, especially if the spark was a super neat clip everything kind of guy.

Identify the correct lighting circuit (there may be more than one) and take the new supplying cable back to this fuse/MCB/RCBO. If it's a split load CU/fusebox make sure you connect the neutral to the same neutral bar as the original circuit.
Not truly knowing your personal capability (no insult intended) with electrics, lighting circuits can often catch out many people.
If you go back to the CU/fusebox, and you haven't got the following wiring quite right on the new circuit, you have the option just to disconnect the live/phase conductor from the fuse/MCB/RCBO and "ditch" it temporarily until the fault has been rectified in the new/added wiring.
This in my view is preferential to going back into the junction box, which may already be compromised with regard to what I've already mentioned, to make the disconnection and still allowing the original lighting circuit to operate.
Hope this helps.

I sorted the additional sockets no problem but the two way switching from scratch is a little confusing. I did add the second switch to the existing lighting.

It's s garage consumer unit so there's only a lighting circuit and one ringmain.

I can get to the light feed no problems and planned the junction box to be near to the consumer unit before the cable reaches the junction box for the existing lights. I planned to spit the power in the new box and simply copy the existing wiring for the new lights. My logic tells me they should therefore work.

So my question is really, can I split the lighting circuit as I have described and are there any issues in doing it that way?

 

[Gary]

Or can I run a second supply cable from the mcb?

 

[No skills]

That's what he said. And make sure the neutral goes to the same location as the original.

 

[n0legs]

Or can I run a second supply cable from the mcb?

You can go with the 2nd cable from the MCB or you can go with junction box, the choice is yours.
Just make sure with the new lights added the total circuit load is still within the original circuits design,
ie,
Lighting circuit protected by 6 amp MCB, wired in 1mmT&E = max load of 1200 watts*.

*This is the old rating that I still prefer to use. When we were an official 240v supply and lighting was protected by a 5 amp fuse.