2gang light switch. One from lighting ring, one from socket

[ross.scotland]

Are you allowed to, under regs, use a 2gang light switch where one light is powered from the lighting ring and one from a 13amp socket? Essentially one of the switch's replaces the in cable switch..

Looking to install some lights on a bookcase where there will be a void between wall and case, and light switch is on the bookcase, cables for the switch (etc) will be hidden in the void.

The lighting circuit is looped live at switch - although now I am saying this I am having doubts. The junction box (old galv round unit) is in a tricky place to feed an extra neutral from so was hoping the above could be a solution.

 

[Fleeting]

There is nothing wrong with separate circuits through a multi-gang switch but it is not really clear what you are intending to do.

 

[Sensai]

Are you allowed to, under regs, use a 2gang light switch where one light is powered from the lighting ring and one from a 13amp socket? Essentially one of the switch's replaces the in cable switch..

Looking to install some lights on a bookcase where there will be a void between wall and case, and light switch is on the bookcase, cables for the switch (etc) will be hidden in the void.

The lighting circuit is looped live at switch - although now I am saying this I am having doubts. The junction box (old galv round unit) is in a tricky place to feed an extra neutral from so was hoping the above could be a solution.

What are you planning to do to get your bookcase lights powered up? Add some pictures. Get a qualified electrician in to look at it. You could end up joining seperated circuits by 'borrowing' one from the ring final into the lighting or may even find someone has actually powered the 13A socket you mention from the switch amd it's not what it seems on first look. Get someone qualified in is my advice but add pictures if you want some ideas from people

 

[BorisJ]

Also lights are not on rings.

 

[binky]

If you are taking a spur off a socket you need to fuse down to suit the lighting cable via a fused spur.

 

[Mike.J]

At least someone read the first post.

 

[ross.scotland]

There is nothing wrong with separate circuits through a multi-gang switch but it is not really clear what you are intending to do.

In short that...

Also lights are not on rings.

My mistake probably not helping discriptions.

I want to use a multi gang light switch on two seperate lights. One is part of the lighting circuit in the ceiling.
One is powered from a 13amp socket (that is part of the GF ring mains). To simplify terms and the process, I want to cut out the switch that's on the cable of the light and use the multigang light switch instead.

Regarding the bookcase side of my story. It won't be sitting flat to the wall. A void is created (and sectioned off with timber) between the wall of light switch and the bookcase, which is in the corner of the room - if that makes sense.
New light switch placed on bookcase with drywall box and grommets and cable extended from the back box of the old light switch to reach the new (c40mm if that).

 

[Fleeting]

How are you joining this cable because it will be rendered inaccessible.

 

[ross.scotland]

How are you joining this cable because it will be rendered inaccessible.

First thought is wagos. If not inline crimps.
If the joints needs to be covered while in "the void" then thinking if a blanking plate over the front with a M20 hole and grommet to feed the cables through would be ok.

 

[Fleeting]

I would seriously consider getting an electrician involved.

 

[ross.scotland]

May I ask why that is your opinion?

Wagos are usually ok for inaccessible joins, unless there's anything small than a wagobox light I can't fit it in the existing back box or attach it next to wall due to cable length. Suggestion of blanking plate and grommet entrance is really no different to a grommet on a backbox or cable entrance size to a wago box.
The bookcase scenario is the same as a stud wall over a solid wall.
So let me ask this differently.
If a solid wall had to be battened and plasterboarded over, and which means the existing switch also had to move. How would the cable be extended if it did not reach and junction points are not accessible?

Edit: a quick Google brought up this Screwfix thread. Again suggesting wagos, I am perhaps over engineering some extra safety precautions.

https://community.screwfix.com/threads/moving-sockets-and-switches-forward.199793/

 

[Fleeting]

An inaccessible joint needs to meet a certain criteria and you do not have the knowledge to execute this plus an experienced electrician may well know an alternative solution. The alteration will also require additional 30ma rcd protection which also needs confirming.

 

[ross.scotland]

An inaccessible joint needs to meet a certain criteria and you do not have the knowledge to execute this plus an experienced electrician may well know an alternative solution. The alteration will also require additional 30ma rcd protection which also needs confirming.

Thanks for taking time to explain, I just have a dislike when forums blankly put "get the professional in" I'm posting to learn the regs/correct way/technique etc.
I'm an event/production technician, I'm much more comfortable wiring up 63/3, pulling genies through fields and plonking down lights, I just don't know bs7671 regs.
Other option would be to try and pull through fresh single core through the conduit. In this room the lighting circuit comes up from the floor and I know where a junction is in the crawl space, wether or not it's easily accessible to work on is something else as it points up to the floor boards.
Other benefit of fresh cable is we're changing position of ceiling light so could run cable to new position without having another joint. But then I've got in mind while t+e is fine to run in ceiling void single core should not be?

 

[Geoff1946]

t+e is fine to run in ceiling void single core should not be?

Sheathed single core is fine. Unsheathed, (conduit wire) must be in conduit or trunking.

 

[ross.scotland]

Sheathed single core is fine. Unsheathed, (conduit wire) must be in conduit or trunking.

Now you've said it makes sense.

In doing today, lighting circuit wasn't fed from crawl up like how I somehow presumed but was the standard way of first floor down.
In removing everything for a wall light that I've taken out has allowed slack on the cables at switch to make the void across to bookcase. But in hindsight I should have left neutral from wall light and reused it for book case lights - d'oh!
It's easy to forget options when you have one idea in your mind, ie the bookcase lights powered from socket. Looks like I will be re-installing that neutral as it'll be a cleaner install, I think.


Wall light was other side of room with switch below and wouldn't have been an option to power bookcase lights if anyone queries that.