I have a landing approx 6m with a light at one end and the switch
close by at top of the stairs. There is also a switch at the bottom of
the stairs which controls the light as well.
I need another light at the other end of the landing.
I am happy if both lights come on together.
The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and
neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and
red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to
each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.

How would an electrician inform me how he would do the job that I
require.
Thanks

Mike P

Mike P wrote:
I have a landing approx 6m with a light at one end and the switch
close by at top of the stairs. There is also a switch at the bottom of
the stairs which controls the light as well.
I need another light at the other end of the landing.
I am happy if both lights come on together.
The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and
neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and
red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to
each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.

If you don't need any changes to the switching, that's dead
straightforward - all he'll need to do is run a new cable above the
ceiling, between the position of the two lights. No need to disturb the
switches or wiring in the walls at all.

David

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:17:05 GMT, Lobster
head down on the keyboard, banged out
this message:

Mike P wrote:
I have a landing approx 6m with a light at one end and the switch
close by at top of the stairs. There is also a switch at the bottom of
the stairs which controls the light as well.
I need another light at the other end of the landing.
I am happy if both lights come on together.
The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and
neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and
red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to
each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.

If you don't need any changes to the switching, that's dead
straightforward - all he'll need to do is run a new cable above the
ceiling, between the position of the two lights. No need to disturb the
switches or wiring in the walls at all.

David

So .... if I drill the hole in the ceiling and attach the fitting to
a joist .... all he will have to do is break into the lighting wire
with a junction box and feed it along to the new light?
A bit like a plug spur then ?

Mike P

Mike P wrote:
On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:17:05 GMT, Lobster
head down on the keyboard, banged out
this message:

Mike P wrote:
I have a landing approx 6m with a light at one end and the switch
close by at top of the stairs. There is also a switch at the bottom of
the stairs which controls the light as well.
I need another light at the other end of the landing.
I am happy if both lights come on together.
The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and
neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and
red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to
each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.
If you don't need any changes to the switching, that's dead
straightforward - all he'll need to do is run a new cable above the
ceiling, between the position of the two lights. No need to disturb the
switches or wiring in the walls at all.

So .... if I drill the hole in the ceiling and attach the fitting to
a joist .... all he will have to do is break into the lighting wire
with a junction box and feed it along to the new light?

Yep, or more likely he'd just wire the new cable directly from the
existing ceiling rose (or junction box above the light).

David

The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and
neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and
red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to
each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.

The "toothpaste cap" arrangement is something they tend to use a lot
of in the US instead of proper screwed or crimped terminals - not sure
whether they're permitted in the UK though...

IIRC the "inside" is threaded, and you simply put the cores you need
to connect in there and twist it on to make the "connection"

On 26/02/2008 23:14, Colin Wilson wrote:

The "toothpaste cap" arrangement

"wirenuts"

not sure whether they're permitted in the UK though...

Outlawed since 50's?

The "toothpaste cap" arrangement
"wirenuts"

Ta - couldn't think what the hell they were called :-}

not sure whether they're permitted in the UK though...
Outlawed since 50's?

Dunno - know they weren't acceptable or in use when I served my time
in the mid 80's though

Colin Wilson wrote:
The "toothpaste cap" arrangement
"wirenuts"

Ta - couldn't think what the hell they were called :-}

not sure whether they're permitted in the UK though...
Outlawed since 50's?

Dunno - know they weren't acceptable or in use when I served my time
in the mid 80's though

Made obsolete by the introduction of metric solid core cable instead of
stranded imperial (3/.029)?

The message
from Colin Wilson
o.uk contains these
words:

The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and
neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and
red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to
each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.

The "toothpaste cap" arrangement is something they tend to use a lot
of in the US instead of proper screwed or crimped terminals - not sure
whether they're permitted in the UK though...

IIRC the "inside" is threaded, and you simply put the cores you need
to connect in there and twist it on to make the "connection"

Wire nuts. But you twist the wires together with pliers first. They're
a whole lot better than the porcelain "Scruits" which were in use here.
Properly done, they make a good joint.

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:50:36 UTC, Colin Wilson
o.uk wrote:

The "toothpaste cap" arrangement
"wirenuts"

Ta - couldn't think what the hell they were called :-}

ISTR my dad calling by a trade name - Scruits..or Screwits..

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
http://www.diybanter.com

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:46:31 GMT someone who may be Lobster
wrote this:-

So .... if I drill the hole in the ceiling and attach the fitting to
a joist .... all he will have to do is break into the lighting wire
with a junction box and feed it along to the new light?

Yep, or more likely he'd just wire the new cable directly from the
existing ceiling rose (or junction box above the light).

The latter involves less materials and less time than either a new
junction box (or indeed running cable from the switch). It is the
obvious approach to take.


--
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

"Colin Wilson" o.uk wrote
in message t...
The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and
neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and
red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to
each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.

The "toothpaste cap" arrangement is something they tend to use a lot
of in the US instead of proper screwed or crimped terminals - not sure
whether they're permitted in the UK though...

IIRC the "inside" is threaded, and you simply put the cores you need
to connect in there and twist it on to make the "connection"

If you mean wire nuts then they are not permitted.. crimps are better and
cheaper.
I have found wire nuts inside appliances and they may be permitted.

The message
from "Bob Eager" contains these words:

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:50:36 UTC, Colin Wilson
o.uk wrote:

The "toothpaste cap" arrangement
"wirenuts"

Ta - couldn't think what the hell they were called :-}

ISTR my dad calling by a trade name - Scruits..or Screwits..

Scruits. I can remember using them.

But really, it's hardly fair to mention them in the same breath as
decent American wire nuts.

Scruits were porcelain and they were really little more than an
effective insulating cap to a twisted wire joint. There was a sort of
moulded thread inside them but it couldn't even be relied on to hold the
cap in place and it was usual to wind on some of the old tarry
insulating tape to finish the joint.

Their relevance largely disappeared anyway with the introduction of
loop-in wiring practices and consequent virtual disappearance of
junction boxes.

Wire nuts are plastic device with a metal innner which actually locks
the wires together mechanically and electrically in a way no Scruit ever
did.

Mike P wrote:

I have a landing approx 6m with a light at one end and the switch
close by at top of the stairs. There is also a switch at the bottom of
the stairs which controls the light as well.
I need another light at the other end of the landing.
I am happy if both lights come on together.
The wiring at the top of the stairs switch has the live, earth and
neutral connected to the switch ... but in addition there is black and
red (live?) wire running through the back of the switch connected to
each other in something that looks like a toothpaste cap .. lol.

How would an electrician inform me how he would do the job that I
require.
Thanks

Mike P

Its such a simple job why not DIY it. Scruits beg the q what age or
condition the installation is in.


NT