How to wire this up? (Home lighting)

[Benengo]

SWMBO ordered this that arrived today:



Obviously I only have one live, neutral and earth from the existing light fitting and don’t think stripping and splicing 10 to one is a good idea!! Any advice on What connector I should use ?

[Mr Pointy]

Given that they look like flex & not soild core cables then I think you're stuck with choc block. You could double or triple up the cables into each connector so you can probably get away with 2-3 connector sections for each of the Live & Neutral.

[Teddy Lop]

That's pretty shonky any decent manufacturer would crimp them alltogether with some tails for you to connect. I'd twist them together and pop whatever choc bloc fits over that, prob 15 or 30amp, with tails so your job when on the step ladder is easier.

[TooLateForAName]

Something like this?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/surewire-sw7m-mf-16a-7-...


Otherwise I'd use lever connectors https://www.screwfix.com/search?search=lever+conne...

[Tyre Tread]

Tin the ends of the wires and use something like this;
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/push-wire-terminals...

I'm sure I've seen 7 way but can't find them.

[finlo]

Screwits!

[Belle427]

Screwfix have these but not singularly.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/8-way-push-wire-connect...

[Mr Pointy]

Belle427 said:

Screwfix have these but not singularly.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/8-way-push-wire-connect...

The cable needs to be at least 1.5mm if it's stranded & you couldn't push that thin stuff in. Choc blocs are the way to go; sometimes the old ways are the best.

[Teddy Lop]

TooLateForAName said:

Something like this?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/surewire-sw7m-mf-16a-7-...

completely the wrong item

Tyre Tread said:

Tin the ends of the wires and use something like this;
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/push-wire-terminals...

I'm sure I've seen 7 way but can't find them.

Belle427 said:

Screwfix have these but not singularly.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/8-way-push-wire-connect...

both unsuitable for flex, should be used with hard type conductors only. Why are you people "advising" on electrical advise?

TooLateForAName said:

Otherwise I'd use lever connectors https://www.screwfix.com/search?search=lever+conne...

lever connectors are suitable for flex

[netherfield]

Offer to hold the ladder whilst SWMBO sorts it out.

[poo at Paul's]

I'd chocky box it and tape it up. Presuming space to hide it.

[MJNewton]

I'd use two 5-way Wago connectors for each live and neutral. Dead easy to use and dead cheap.

CPC sell them individually and do free delivery over £8 if you can add on a few other bits from their millions of items they stock.

[Busterbulldog]

Soldering iron some flex and some heatshrink and 3 block connectors.

[VEX]

Wago’s for sure.

Maybe tin the ends with solder.

[TooLateForAName]

Teddy Lop said:

TooLateForAName said:

Something like this?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/surewire-sw7m-mf-16a-7-...

completely the wrong item

Could you elaborate?

I've never used them, but I understood that they were designed for multiple lights to be controlled from a single switch - effectively a local radial configuration rather than a ring for rooms with loads of downlighters and similar.

The op in effect has a stack of individual lights

[Mr Pointy]

TooLateForAName said:

Teddy Lop said:

TooLateForAName said:

Something like this?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/surewire-sw7m-mf-16a-7-...

completely the wrong item

Could you elaborate?

I've never used them, but I understood that they were designed for multiple lights to be controlled from a single switch - effectively a local radial configuration rather than a ring for rooms with loads of downlighters and similar.

The op in effect has a stack of individual lights

You couldn't physically connect those flexes up to the Surewire box as they are way too short & the box is physically quite large. You'd end up having to extend each flex which is just putting another 20 connectors in the way. You'd also have to find the loop in & switch cables to connect to the box.

I've used the Surewire box & while it seems to be a good idea it's not so good in practice. The push connectors are difficult/fiddly to wire even using 1mm & 1.5mm would be a real pain. I tore it out & used the Quickwire system:
https://www.quickwire.co.uk/

It's a brilliant design, very quick to install & better than Wagos for lighting circuits.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Several people have suggested tinning the ends of the stranded wire, which has led me to ponder...

Correct practice is not to tin the ends when fitting into screw terminals, because over a long period of time the solder will “creep” away from the source of pressure, resulting in a loose connection.

Does the same thing apply to lever connectors like Wago? (I would assume yes, but I don’t know if the pressure those connectors apply would be enough to make the solder creep in practice.)

[miniman]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

HTH

[TooLateForAName]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

Several people have suggested tinning the ends of the stranded wire, which has led me to ponder...

Correct practice is not to tin the ends when fitting into screw terminals, because over a long period of time the solder will “creep” away from the source of pressure, resulting in a loose connection.

Does the same thing apply to lever connectors like Wago? (I would assume yes, but I don’t know if the pressure those connectors apply would be enough to make the solder creep in practice.)

The wagos apply continual sprung pressure so should be fine. Its not like a screw where the positions of the clamps are fixed.

I agree on not tinning wires. I thought best practise was to use ferules for screw connections with stranded cable.

[TooLateForAName]

Mr Pointy said:

You couldn't physically connect those flexes up to the Surewire box as they are way too short & the box is physically quite large. You'd end up having to extend each flex which is just putting another 20 connectors in the way. You'd also have to find the loop in & switch cables to connect to the box.

I've used the Surewire box & while it seems to be a good idea it's not so good in practice. The push connectors are difficult/fiddly to wire even using 1mm & 1.5mm would be a real pain. I tore it out & used the Quickwire system:
https://www.quickwire.co.uk/

It's a brilliant design, very quick to install & better than Wagos for lighting circuits.

Thanks. I've never seen them irl so dont know how big they are. I assumed fairly small, obviously not.