adding a switch

[anderson silva]

hey guys

im not an electrician, just lloking for some advice.

hiring a unit in a big barn. which has 3 rooms side b side, with 1 light in one and 2 in another. they are all controlled by one switch, i was hoping to put the 2 in the other room on there own switch. they are 4 foot twins it seems they have just took a t+e from the first light and gone to other 2 looping in and out of the fitting. the switch is under the consumer unit and in singles, with just one t+e to first light.

just wondering if it was possible to have the 2 in the other room on there own switch

thanks guys

any help would be apperciated

 

[Doc Hudson]

Welcome to the forum anderson silva. Any thing is possible, its all down to costs. Few quick questions, you said you are 'hiring a unit in a big barn', how long are you using it for and do you have permission to alter the electrical wiring? Do you have to return it to its original condition when you leave?

Doc H.

 

[anderson silva]

yeah he says its ok to put the switch in

 

[Doc Hudson]

Few more questions, is this a prefabricated type structure inside a larger barn? are existing cables clipped or fixed to the surface of the walls / ceilings in conduit or trunking? or do they disappear into the wall structure, behind plaster board?

Doc H

 

[anderson silva]

twin and earth cables clipped to wood beams, surface

 

[paul b b]

hi anderson,

do you know if its looped in the switch or light?

a photo would be good.

paul

 

[anderson silva]

in the light, theres only 2 cables in the first light, one of them is going to the next light. the other goes into the consumer unit, with the brown going to the switch. the feed is straight to the switch in a single brown

 

[ProDave]

Are you planning on doing this yourself and looking for instruction how to do it, or just wanting an opinion on how to do it so you know roughly what to expect an electrician would charge.

If I were doing it, I would bypass the existing single switch which would leave a permanent live feed to all lights, then drop a new cable from each light to it's own switch. A simple job for any electrician, particularly if it's all surface wired in t&e, or possibly with sections (the final drop to the switch) in trunking or conduit.

Keeping it all surface means there's no need to fit an RCD anywhere.

Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours unless there's difficult access, or it's hard to find a cable route. I know rates vary, but I'm sure I would charge less than

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Are you planning on doing this yourself and looking for instruction how to do it, or just wanting an opinion on how to do it so you know roughly what to expect an electrician would charge.If I were doing it, I would bypass the existing single switch which would leave a permanent live feed to all lights, then drop a new cable from each light to it's own switch. A simple job for any electrician, particularly if it's all surface wired in t&e, or possibly with sections (the final drop to the switch) in trunking or conduit.

Keeping it all surface means there's no need to fit an RCD anywhere.

Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours unless there's difficult access, or it's hard to find a cable route. I know rates vary, but I'm sure I would charge less than

 

[anderson silva]

was looking for instruction fellas

 

[anderson silva]

so just a twin and earth from each fitting? and leave the existing as it is? thanks guys