we moved house recently. I pretty much re-wired the last house, but
was avoiding touching the electrics on this place for fear of part P.
At the weekend I was looking at wiring in some reading lights. I
thought i'd be OK to connect to the existing circuit under part P,
spuring from the nearest ceiling rose. (would that be allowed?).

Anyway, i found the rose only had a switched supply, and when I traced
that i found that wires to all the switches and pendants for the floor
were connected in 1 junction box, with about a dozen wires entering.
So i've abandoned the job for now.

So:
- has anyone seen this style of wiring before?
- can i do anything with this circuit myself under part P? It wouldn't
be too much work to convert to conventional topology, and this would
improve some features of the existing circuit (such as earth
conductors connected by twisting together outside the JB), but am i
allowed to do this?
- if i identify the feed, can I insert a JB for my reading lights and
leave the rest alone?

cheers,

rob.

wrote in message
oups.com...

we moved house recently. I pretty much re-wired the last house, but
was avoiding touching the electrics on this place for fear of part P.
At the weekend I was looking at wiring in some reading lights. I
thought i'd be OK to connect to the existing circuit under part P,
spuring from the nearest ceiling rose. (would that be allowed?).

Yes unless the reading light were in the bathroom or kitchen.

Anyway, i found the rose only had a switched supply, and when I traced
that i found that wires to all the switches and pendants for the floor
were connected in 1 junction box, with about a dozen wires entering.
So i've abandoned the job for now.

So:
- has anyone seen this style of wiring before?

Unfortunately yes, many times.

- can i do anything with this circuit myself under part P? It wouldn't
be too much work to convert to conventional topology, and this would
improve some features of the existing circuit (such as earth
conductors connected by twisting together outside the JB), but am i
allowed to do this?

Tell know one and DIY if you feel competent to do it.

- if i identify the feed, can I insert a JB for my reading lights and
leave the rest alone?

Yes but I wouldn't leave it alone. I would want one JB per light with the
earths correctly terminated in the JB. And then I would do the other frloor
lighting.

Cheers

Adam

In article .com,
wrote:
we moved house recently. I pretty much re-wired the last house, but
was avoiding touching the electrics on this place for fear of part P.
At the weekend I was looking at wiring in some reading lights. I
thought i'd be OK to connect to the existing circuit under part P,
spuring from the nearest ceiling rose. (would that be allowed?).

Anyway, i found the rose only had a switched supply, and when I traced
that i found that wires to all the switches and pendants for the floor
were connected in 1 junction box, with about a dozen wires entering.
So i've abandoned the job for now.

So:
- has anyone seen this style of wiring before?

Yes. If you're not using standard pendant lighting with a rose which
includes the terminals to do the switch connections etc then one or more
junction boxes are the usual alternative. Using one central one - rather
than one near each light - can mean less need to rip up floorboards.

--
*If at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

wrote


I thought i'd be OK to connect to the existing circuit under part P,
spuring from the nearest ceiling rose. (would that be allowed?).


There seems to be a common misconception about the fundamental intention of
Part P.
AIUI, this is to ensure that all wiring is installed "and tested" in
accordance with the latest wiring regs.
For the major and more potentially hazardous installation work, this must be
done by certified installer, or approved by similar bloke appointed by
building control.

But, if the work is outside the designated "special locations" ie kitchen,
bathroom, detached outbuilding and does not involve additional new
circuits/replacement of CU etc, then a competent person with the knowledge
and ability to install and test can do so.

If your house burns down as a result of your lack of understanding or poor
workmanship/test procedures, I suspect that your insurance company would use
your lack of electrical qualification and experience to avoid paying out!
(providing of course they could prove you did the work).

Phil

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:59:00 -0700 someone who may be
wrote this:-

Anyway, i found the rose only had a switched supply, and when I traced
that i found that wires to all the switches and pendants for the floor
were connected in 1 junction box, with about a dozen wires entering.
So i've abandoned the job for now.

So:
- has anyone seen this style of wiring before?

Yes. It is common when the wiring is installed in conduit and it
also has some advantages when it is not.

Was the junction box made of metal or plastic and how are the
connections made inside?

(such as earth conductors connected by twisting together outside the JB)

They should be made inside the junction box so that mechanical
protection is provided the these conductors.


--
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

In article ,
David Hansen wrote:
(such as earth conductors connected by twisting together outside the JB)

They should be made inside the junction box so that mechanical
protection is provided the these conductors.

It used to be common practice many years ago. Wonder if the then wiring
regs allowed it? Could be it dated from the time earths started appearing
in lighting TW&E.

--
*Confession is good for the soul, but bad for your career.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks for your replies.

The JB is brown plastic/bakelite, about as big as a current round 20A
4-terminal type. I haven't looked inside in case I couldn't get the
lid back on - I'm amazed the've managed to get so many connections in
one box.

I'll probably have a go at sorting this out some time.

cheers,

rob.