How would you wire 6 mains spot lights together? I am setting them out such that I have a set (consisting of 2 lights) between a pair of joist. 3 sets in total spread across the room, making the 6No lights.

Simple enough, but as there are a few options what is the preferred:

1. All in series using 6 junction boxes plus 1 to connect to the old light supply. (7No 6A JB's in total)
2. Split the lighting supply like a star so they are essentially in parallel. This in theory will not work with a typical 6A JB as it only allows a max of 4 wires to connect at once. Could I use a 32A and fire all the 6 'tails' plus 1 supply in to this? (1No 32A JB only)
3. Have them wired in 3 sets of two i.e. 2 lights going in to 1 JB then all connecting to a further JB in to which the supply comes (4 6A JB's in total)

I is thinking of doing the third option. What do you lot reckon?

Cordless Crazy wrote:
How would you wire 6 mains spot lights together? I am setting them out
such that I have a set (consisting of 2 lights) between a pair of
joist. 3 sets in total spread across the room, making the 6No lights.

Simple enough, but as there are a few options what is the preferred:

1. All in series using 6 junction boxes plus 1 to connect to the old
light supply. (7No 6A JB's in total)
2. Split the lighting supply like a star so they are essentially in
parallel. This in theory will not work with a typical 6A JB as it only
allows a max of 4 wires to connect at once. Could I use a 32A and fire
all the 6 'tails' plus 1 supply in to this? (1No 32A JB only)
3. Have them wired in 3 sets of two i.e. 2 lights going in to 1 JB then
all connecting to a further JB in to which the supply comes (4 6A JB's
in total)

I is thinking of doing the third option. What do you lot reckon?

Can you not get two wires into the terminals of each spot so you can go
from one to the next without any JBs?

In article
Cordless Crazy wrote:

How would you wire 6 mains spot lights together? I am setting them out
such that I have a set (consisting of 2 lights) between a pair of
joist. 3 sets in total spread across the room, making the 6No lights.

Simple enough, but as there are a few options what is the preferred:

1. All in series using 6 junction boxes plus 1 to connect to the old
light supply. (7No 6A JB's in total)

You don't mean series-wired (each lamp would only get 40v), you mean
daisy-chained. Why do you need a junction box to do this?

2. Split the lighting supply like a star so they are essentially in
parallel. This in theory will not work with a typical 6A JB as it only
allows a max of 4 wires to connect at once. Could I use a 32A and fire
all the 6 'tails' plus 1 supply in to this? (1No 32A JB only)

They have to be in parallel anyway. This is a great way of using lots
of cable.

3. Have them wired in 3 sets of two i.e. 2 lights going in to 1 JB then
all connecting to a further JB in to which the supply comes (4 6A JB's
in total)

I is thinking of doing the third option. What do you lot reckon?

I reckon that it would be illegal for you to install any fixed wiring in
your house.

You reckon correct, but that will not stop me doing it!

Yes, I can, but as Rob said do the lights not end up with only 40v each and very dim?

Cordless Crazy wrote:
Richard Conway Wrote:
Cordless Crazy wrote:
How would you wire 6 mains spot lights together? I am setting them
out
such that I have a set (consisting of 2 lights) between a pair of
joist. 3 sets in total spread across the room, making the 6No lights.

Simple enough, but as there are a few options what is the preferred:

1. All in series using 6 junction boxes plus 1 to connect to the old
light supply. (7No 6A JB's in total)
2. Split the lighting supply like a star so they are essentially in
parallel. This in theory will not work with a typical 6A JB as it
only
allows a max of 4 wires to connect at once. Could I use a 32A and
fire
all the 6 'tails' plus 1 supply in to this? (1No 32A JB only)
3. Have them wired in 3 sets of two i.e. 2 lights going in to 1 JB
then
all connecting to a further JB in to which the supply comes (4 6A
JB's
in total)

I is thinking of doing the third option. What do you lot reckon?

Can you not get two wires into the terminals of each spot so you can
go
from one to the next without any JBs?

Yes, I can, but as Rob said do the lights not end up with only 40v each
and very dim?

Only if you wire them in series which isn't what I suggested

In article
Cordless Crazy wrote:

Richard Conway Wrote:
Cordless Crazy wrote:
How would you wire 6 mains spot lights together? I am setting them
out
such that I have a set (consisting of 2 lights) between a pair of
joist. 3 sets in total spread across the room, making the 6No lights.

Simple enough, but as there are a few options what is the preferred:

1. All in series using 6 junction boxes plus 1 to connect to the old
light supply. (7No 6A JB's in total)
2. Split the lighting supply like a star so they are essentially in
parallel. This in theory will not work with a typical 6A JB as it
only
allows a max of 4 wires to connect at once. Could I use a 32A and
fire
all the 6 'tails' plus 1 supply in to this? (1No 32A JB only)
3. Have them wired in 3 sets of two i.e. 2 lights going in to 1 JB
then
all connecting to a further JB in to which the supply comes (4 6A
JB's
in total)

I is thinking of doing the third option. What do you lot reckon?

Can you not get two wires into the terminals of each spot so you can
go
from one to the next without any JBs?

Yes, I can, but as Rob said do the lights not end up with only 40v each
and very dim?


They're not in series, they're in parallel. Each fitting except the end
one has a live in and a live out in one terminal, a neutral in and a
neutral out in the other terminal.

+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+---------- LIVE
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
0 0 0 0 0 0
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------- NEUTRAL

I'd do it in two sets of three fittings each, so you have one cable run
down each side of the room. Only one junction box is needed:


________ _____________NEUTRAL
\ /
NEUTRAL TO LIGHTS X
________/

________ _____________EARTH
\ /
EARTH TO LIGHTS X
________/ \
\
________ \
\ \_______________
LIVE TO LIGHTS X |
________/ \_____________. |
\ SWITCH
_____________. \
/
X
\_____________LIVE

On Mon, 6 Mar 2006 11:20:14 +0000 someone who may be Cordless Crazy
wrote this:-

I is thinking of doing the third option. What do you lot reckon?

I would look at wiring them up in groups that illuminate different
parts of the room and provide switches for each group. Then only
those lights that are needed could be turned on, saving electricity.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
On Mon, 6 Mar 2006 11:20:14 +0000 someone who may be Cordless Crazy
wrote this:-

I is thinking of doing the third option. What do you lot reckon?

I would look at wiring them up in groups that illuminate different
parts of the room and provide switches for each group. Then only
those lights that are needed could be turned on, saving electricity.

My God, don't confuse the man further

So to clarify, if I daisy chained them from one to the other would I have a problem with dim lights?

i.e the supply cable that run to my old existing strip light is re-routed to connect to the first downlighter, then both the live and neutral run out of the terminal block on the first downlighter and in to the second. Then thrid, fourth etc.

In article
Cordless Crazy wrote:
snip

So to clarify, if I daisy chained them from one to the other would I
have a problem with dim lights?

No - the voltage across each fitting will be about 240v, just as if they
each had a separate connection to the fusebox.

Looks OK. You always have to consider the rating of the cable, but since you are only using a diddyAmp for this, it should not be a problem. Do not forget to do the same with the Earth!

AJK