Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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Good Evening,
Sorry for a n00b question, but I have only just bought my own house so never had the chance to do DIY before!
I want to upgrade the light fitting over the kitchen table to something that is a bit brighter; currently it is just an energy saving bulb in a single pendant fitting. Damn new builds.
What would I have to do to upgrade this light fitting to something like this:
http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-jorgen-led-hoop-ceiling-pendant/p1159533
Would I need to do anything? How do they fit into the ceiling? Does moving from a normal lightbulb to LED require any changes?
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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Isolate power to downstairs lights at the RCD.
remove bulb and lamp shade then unscrew the cover on the ceiling rose.
disconnect the wires from the block in the rose and then unscrew the rose from the ceiling.
They are mostly screwed to a joist so feel inside the hole for it if it's not obvious.
the new one will attach in a similar way but will explain on its fitting instructions.
will have it's own transformer as leds are dc and your mains is ac.
should be done in half an hour and be pretty easy for a first time DIYer
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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As you are in a newbuild as well you won't have wonky coloured wires to deal with either!
I've done a few in our place, I'm terrible at anything practical and managed it without killing myself or setting fire to anything
[Edited on 19-08-2014 by dannymccann]
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oceansoul
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Registered: 19th Jun 06
Location: Sunbury, Surrey
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If fitting a metal light fitting (like the one in the link) then make sure that you have an earth in your existing ceiling rose. Being a new build it should do, but some dont.
I cant have metal light fittings here as no earths on the lighting circuits.
Unless of course the new fitting is double insulated and doesn't require an earth.
[Edited on 19-08-2014 by oceansoul]
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Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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That's really helpful guys!
Thank you for the detailed replies. I will get out and have a look at the item in store to see what the light output and colour is like before committing.
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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don't do what ste said and just whip the cables out. take note of how its.wired. you may have some permanent lives in the 'loop' section in the middle. these will need putting on a connector as.i doubt.your new fitting will
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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... have a loop connection.
damn phone!
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Cavey
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Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: Derby
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Literally did our Kitchen light yesterday, it was a piece of piss tbh
As said, you've got a new build, so you'll only have three wires in there, Blue, Brown, Green and Yellow.
Turn off downstairs lights (I did all lights just to be sure) on the fusebox thing (RCA) Unscrew everything that's there, and disconnect it all, unscrew the fitting, put the new one on, match the colours of the wires, screw it all back in. Power on, Bingo.
Really easy mate
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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As above. I'm shocking at electrical stuff and managed to do all mine with no problems. Just match the wires up from existing circuit and new light fitting.
Mines a 1985 or so build and had all the correctly coloured wires.
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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I've just bought a 5 arm chandelier type jobby which needs all the wires twisting together then screwing into the connection block. This is proving rather tricky and everytime I manage to get them to all stay in correctly by the time I've managed to get the bloody thing reattached to the ceiling some of the wires have come out so it's tripping the fuse box as soon as I turn it back on.
Am I better off trying to put the 5 individual cables together into a bullet connector thing then screwing that into the connector block?!
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by dannymccann
Am I better off trying to put the 5 individual cables together into a bullet connector thing then screwing that into the connector block?!
Is it not a choc-block arrangement at the ceiling rose end?
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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5 cables? Jesus. get a photo up Danny
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VegasPhil
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Registered: 16th Jan 05
Location: Fareham, Hants Drives: Octavia VRS
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Choc block would be easiest by the sounds of it. Use a decent screwdriver too. Otherwise you'll never get the bastard thing tight enough to keep hold of the wires. I wrap mine in insulation tape before it all goes into the ceiling usually to stop movement.
Corsa 2.0 16v Vegas - Sold
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Did try using tape, didn't seem to work brilliantly, just seems to be to many wires to fit safely and securely in the block.
House supply is dead easy, 1 of each blue brown and green
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Don't know if its the proper way to do that but I'd probably use a higher rated (physically bigger) block first and as ansecomd resort if i disnt have any, be splitting those up into more blocks and a jumper wire between them.
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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What John said, either split them up or use higher rated/bigger choc-blocks. Saying that, when i've had similar light fittings, the supplied block is usually decent enough for the multiple connections - seems to be a bit of a bad design on yours though.
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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I'd be twisting them all together and dabbing a blob of solder on them, in the choc block jobs a goodun
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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6 way wago connector. important on my phone so cba getting a link but Google will throw them up. much better than using a block connector
Edit:
These things http://www.wago.ltd.uk/series222.html
Seems they don't do a 6 way so a 5 and a 3 would sort it if you use one ways out of the 5 to link across to the 3 way
[Edited on 21-08-2014 by Gary]
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Welly Wanger
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Registered: 5th Jan 12
Location: Cambodia stroke Yorkshire
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Either use a larger connector block, or use both entrances on the connector supplied and split the cables 3 in each side including your supply cable. Try not twisting the cables together as this isnt good practice and cables could pop out.
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Those Wago connectors look a bit fancy  Not sure they would fit inside the fitting base, it's pretty snug up to the ceiling with that tiny block...
Welly, is that OK then? If I put 3 blue in one side, then 2 more blue + the blue from the house in the same connector, that wont cause any issues? I wasn't sure what the impact was of mixing the cables (same colour obviously!) in the different sides of the connector as the diagram that came with the fitting specifically said all in one side keeping the mains supply separate
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Will be fine, the connector blocks are just a metal tube with 2 screws in it.
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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Strip the cable back a bit more too, will make it miles easier
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Tried that the other morning, managed to twat myself on the nose with the wire stripper, still got a bruise 5 days on  
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Might be worth getting someone to sort it for you
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