Discussion
I failed miserably putting an outside PIr doorlamp up by assuming I could wire it into the interior light switch through the wall. Drilled the hole etc only to find that there is no neutral wire in a light switchover circuit. So now I've got no option but to chase out the plaster to a nearby socket to pickup a neutral, anyone know the best way to dig the damn plaster out?
Hammer and chisel?The fastest (but very messy way) would be an angle grinder with a stone grinding wheel - Make sure you check VERY carefully that there are no other pipes / wires already buried before starting!!
A slower, but much less messy method would be the old hammer and chisel method mixed with a lot of elbow grease.
A slower, but much less messy method would be the old hammer and chisel method mixed with a lot of elbow grease.
apache said:
knackers, I just knew you'd say that. Surely there is a sexy tool I can use to cut a neat furrow accross the wall?
yes there is - I'm sure someone will give you a link to one soon. I actually saw a budget one in Aldi for about £45.
Go on then I'll do it myself (any excuse to look through the screwfix website)
[url]www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=98956&ts=04259[/url]
this one is probably slightly more than you want to pay though!
>> Edited by Ali_d on Friday 4th November 11:40
The budget option
www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=11900&ts=04317
The mid range option
www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=67037&ts=04317
The professional option
www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=98956&ts=04317
www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=11900&ts=04317
The mid range option
www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=67037&ts=04317
The professional option
www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=98956&ts=04317
apache said:Yep, go to a hire centre (because they're about £700 to buy)
knackers, I just knew you'd say that. Surely there is a sexy tool I can use to cut a neat furrow accross the wall?
But your light, you should wire it into the lighting circuit, you should be able to spur off the ring main from the nearest ceiling rose
Incorrigible said:
knackers, I just knew you'd say that. Surely there is a sexy tool I can use to cut a neat furrow accross the wall?
But your light, you should wire it into the lighting circuit, you should be able to spur off the ring main from the nearest ceiling rose
I know, but I'd sooner not have to rip my carpets and floorboards up
I assume, from that, that the joists are running the wrong way ??
Anyway, you shouldn't need to do anything upstairs just pull the rose down and connect it from there
There'd be less making good (even if you have make a couple holes in the ceiling to get to the joists) than chasing out a wall
Anyway, you shouldn't need to do anything upstairs just pull the rose down and connect it from there
There'd be less making good (even if you have make a couple holes in the ceiling to get to the joists) than chasing out a wall
apache said:Got to be better than chasing and then redecorating your hall walls
knackers, I just knew you'd say that. Surely there is a sexy tool I can use to cut a neat furrow accross the wall?
But your light, you should wire it into the lighting circuit, you should be able to spur off the ring main from the nearest ceiling rose
I know, but I'd sooner not have to rip my carpets and floorboards up
I assume, from that, that the joists are running the wrong way ??
Anyway, you shouldn't need to do anything upstairs just pull the rose down and connect it from there
There'd be less making good (even if you have make a couple of holes in the ceiling to get to the joists) than chasing out a wall
Anyway, you shouldn't need to do anything upstairs just pull the rose down and connect it from there
There'd be less making good (even if you have make a couple of holes in the ceiling to get to the joists) than chasing out a wall
You will have to take the feed from the lighting circuit, not the ring main.
If you use new cable, be sure that you get the old colour scheme (black + red) and not the new stuff (brown, blue).
If you use the new colours you will have to get the work independently inspected as it will prove that the work was performed after the introduction of the new legislation (effective Jan this year).
If you use the new cable and fail to provide a certificate when a survey is performed on selling the property, you could find yourself in all sorts of trouble.
If you use new cable, be sure that you get the old colour scheme (black + red) and not the new stuff (brown, blue).
If you use the new colours you will have to get the work independently inspected as it will prove that the work was performed after the introduction of the new legislation (effective Jan this year).
If you use the new cable and fail to provide a certificate when a survey is performed on selling the property, you could find yourself in all sorts of trouble.
Incorrigible said:
I assume, from that, that the joists are running the wrong way ??
Anyway, you shouldn't need to do anything upstairs just pull the rose down and connect it from there
There'd be less making good (even if you have make a couple of holes in the ceiling to get to the joists) than chasing out a wall
Mmmn, maybe I'm being a bit thick but, I still need to come up the wall on the outside, drill through at floor/roof level make a hole to find the wire before I even get to the part where I pull it through to the rose. And that's just the neutral cos I'll need a live from the switch because the live at the rose will be switched.
Maybe I'll just look for a solar powered one
apache said:You need to drill a hole somewhere in the wall just do that at the same level or just below ceiling height
Mmmn, maybe I'm being a bit thick but, I still need to come up the wall on the outside, drill through at floor/roof level make a hole to find the wire before I even get to the part where I pull it through to the rose. And that's just the neutral cos I'll need a live from the switch because the live at the rose will be switched.
Maybe I'll just look for a solar powered one
The ceiling rose will have a live, neutral and switch live on it, the ring main goes through the rose, the light is connected to the neutral, the live (from the ring) is connected to one side of the wire that goes to the switch, the switch live comes back to the other side of the bulb
Or are you saying that you need another switch
apache said:So you'd have it on all the time, gotcha
Don't need a switch, it's a PIR, I'll try and see which way the joists run tonight, it may be a better option
Personally I'd have it so I could leave it on all the time (when I'm having friends over) PIR most of the time or off
You should be able to look into the ceiling space when you drop the ceiling rose, you'll see what I'm on about with the main then too
HTH
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