Installing downlighters - any cheats?

[CAPP0]

Are there any cheats or tips for installing downlighters in a ground-floor room without taking the floor up above? As in, how do you run the power out to the various locations?

I suspect the answer is no! But I was thinking, in a property which is a house converted to flats, how do, or how could, a resident in a lower floor install these (other than having the ceiling down )

I can get the floor up upstairs, but it means clearing that bedroom out and then getting a carpet fitter in to re-fit the carpet (stretching etc).

Thanks.

[TigerS6]

CAPP0 said:

Are there any cheats or tips for installing downlighters in a ground-floor room without taking the floor up above? As in, how do you run the power out to the various locations?

I suspect the answer is no! But I was thinking, in a property which is a house converted to flats, how do, or how could, a resident in a lower floor install these (other than having the ceiling down )

I can get the floor up upstairs, but it means clearing that bedroom out and then getting a carpet fitter in to re-fit the carpet (stretching etc).

Thanks.

Haven't got an answer (so apologies for making you look in here thinking you had )
But I have exactly the same question, where we wish to install these downstairs, where the upstairs spans 3 rooms, an airing cupboard and a landing

Only other solution I could see was to bring the ceiling down!

[essayer]

If you don't need to go through joists then you can probably just cut the holes and fish the cables through. It all depends where the existing lights are fed from and how easy it will be to connect.

Our electrician installed 5 downlighters in a flat roofed extension without complaint. (Make sure you have enough clearance between roof and ceiling!)

Getting the floor up and down won't be as much hassle as you think it will.

[Muncher]

You can punch smaller holes in the ceiling to feed the cable across it and then re-plaster which is less messy than taking the entire ceiling down.

[Piersman2]

I'd use one of the wireless versions, much less mess and dicking around and only cost a little bit more.

[anonymous-user]

Piersman2 said:

I'd use one of the wireless versions, much less mess and dicking around and only cost a little bit more.

[GreenDog]

Piersman2 said:

I'd use one of the wireless versions, much less mess and dicking around and only cost a little bit more.

That's what I did

[megaphone]

It can be done quite easily but you'll need to make good. As already said, you can fish between the holes you cut inbetween two joists, that's the easy bit. To get under the joists you have to cut/chisel out a channel in the plaster and preferably into the joists, then clip your cable to the underside of the joist and make good.

You'll need some rods to fish between the holes or use some plastic trunking lid, you'll need to locate the joists, use a stud finder and a small drill.

[CAPP0]

Wireless spotlights? Someone's going to be VERY rich!

[CAPP0]

megaphone said:

It can be done quite easily but you'll need to make good. As already said, you can fish between the holes you cut inbetween two joists, that's the easy bit. To get under the joists you have to cut/chisel out a channel in the plaster and preferably into the joists, then clip your cable to the underside of the joist and make good.

You'll need some rods to fish between the holes or use some plastic trunking lid, you'll need to locate the joists, use a stud finder and a small drill.

Ah yes, I see where you're coming from, I was thinking about how the hell I'd get a drill up into the cavity and drill holes through the joists!

[GreenDog]

CAPP0 said:

megaphone said:

It can be done quite easily but you'll need to make good. As already said, you can fish between the holes you cut inbetween two joists, that's the easy bit. To get under the joists you have to cut/chisel out a channel in the plaster and preferably into the joists, then clip your cable to the underside of the joist and make good.

You'll need some rods to fish between the holes or use some plastic trunking lid, you'll need to locate the joists, use a stud finder and a small drill.

Ah yes, I see where you're coming from, I was thinking about how the hell I'd get a drill up into the cavity and drill holes through the joists!

If all of your spots were placed close to a joist you probably could drill a hole through the timber using a long drill which would be big enough for the cable. You'd have to drill the joist via the hole for the spot which might be a bit awkward, but do-able. As mentioned above the trunking lid can be used to pass the cable from hole to hole. Would save you having to make good the ceiling after cutting a channel into it.

[Chrisgr31]

But dont place the downlighters so close to the joist that they char it, which is what the fool who had my house before me did.

[Magic919]

Using a flat bit on an extension bar, it can be done. You can only get through one joist, but cut a further hole between (which you replace and make good) and you'll manage another span. Use a saw type hole cutter and keep the middle in other words.

Like this

Light Joist Temp hole Joist Light

[AtticusFinch]

Piersman2 said:

I'd use one of the wireless versions, much less mess and dicking around and only cost a little bit more.

Here you go

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-LED-nightlight-He...

[VEX]

If it is not trad floor boards up stairs use this.

http://www.super-rod.co.uk/shownews.asp?id=107

Cut down from the room above and it rebates the hole for you to fit a metal disk into, strong enough to walk on afterwards.

V.

[R1 Indy]

I took the ceiling down, worked out which joists I wanted the lights, did the wiring. Then put up a new ceiling. Cut the holes, and pull the cable down.


Just be carefull you don't trap a cable when putting the new ceiling up

[vdp1]

To comply with regs the holes through the joists for the cables should be 50mm up. So you should cut a hole to the side of the joist big enough top fit an angle drill through.

However if it was my own house then I would probably just clip to the underside of it to avoid as much mess as possible if there was absolutely no other way of doing it.

I don't recommend drilling through a joist without knowing what is on the other side of it either, if you go through a CH or gas pipe or even wiring then it will be a big bit of ceiling down to repair.

Whats the problem with moving beds and getting the carpet up anyway, some pepole do it for a living every day.

[Globs]

What about lights in an upstairs ceiling where there is loads of insulation sitting about?

I know you can get fireproof fittings but what does part P say about clearing the insulation out of the way?

[eliot]

VEX said:

If it is not trad floor boards up stairs use this.

http://www.super-rod.co.uk/shownews.asp?id=107

Cut down from the room above and it rebates the hole for you to fit a metal disk into, strong enough to walk on afterwards.

V.

Or:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-solid-board-cutter...

I have one - works ok but was dissappointed that the hole and supplied caps aren't an exact fit.

[vdp1]

Globs said:

What about lights in an upstairs ceiling where there is loads of insulation sitting about?

I know you can get fireproof fittings but what does part P say about clearing the insulation out of the way?

You can get a metal box that spans the ceiling spars and allows the insulation to lay over the top of it.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/JC94020.html?...