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What is the best way to wire ceiling lights?

Arran Cameron
The ceiling rose junction box with its loop-in wiring is now really showing its age and is no longer a practical (or even safe) installation for most residents who wish to install fancy light fittings. It is still, however, the most common arrangement for new build houses and rewires, probably as the result of the electrician's training and how they consider it to be the norm or they cannot think of (potentially better) alternatives.


So, what is the best way to wire ceiling lights? Should neutral wires be taken to the switches or not?
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    Arran Cameron:




    ebee:

    "There is also the controversy of a permanent live terminal in a ceiling rose."

    What controversy is that then?




    It's not obvious to installers of light fittings, in the same way that a permanent live terminal at a switch is, unless they have knowledge of how loop-in wiring is connected. There have been cases of installers of light fittings receiving electric shocks because the lighting circuit was not switched off at the consumer unit even though it was switched off at the wall switch.




    I don't think that we can expect an ordinary householder to practice safe isolation, but surely sensible people know to switch off at the CU. Or is Darwinian selection in progress once again?

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    Arran Cameron:




    ebee:

    "There is also the controversy of a permanent live terminal in a ceiling rose."

    What controversy is that then?




    It's not obvious to installers of light fittings, in the same way that a permanent live terminal at a switch is, unless they have knowledge of how loop-in wiring is connected. There have been cases of installers of light fittings receiving electric shocks because the lighting circuit was not switched off at the consumer unit even though it was switched off at the wall switch.




    I don't think that we can expect an ordinary householder to practice safe isolation, but surely sensible people know to switch off at the CU. Or is Darwinian selection in progress once again?

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