What is the best way to wire ceiling lights?

Junction boxes with spring clamp terminals are permitted for installation under floorboards as they are deemed to be self tightening and maintenance free.

There's a little more to the MF requirement than that unfortunately - as well using spring terminals the cables need to be secured (clamped) and usually the terminals de-rated to increase reliability - and to comply with the letter of the regs the whole assembly has to have been marked "MF" by the manufacturer. Just chucking a few Wagos into a Wiska box won't quite cut it.

 

unless they can easily be removed for inspection

I'm not sure the regs specify "easily" - just "accessible". I'm still of the opinion that if you get access the position to install the JB and nothing really changes subsequently (like someone tiling it over), then it must still be accessible. Pushed back up through a downlighter hole I think counts as being OK (if not there are lot of Click connectors (e.g. CT101C) that are in trouble).

 

Light fittings are now designed and manufactured for the global market rather than for the peculiarities of British wiring (which also explains why most recent models are Edison screw rather than bayonet cap) so often only have terminals for one cable rather than three.

Seemingly, if what I've read elsewhere, the French wiring regs specifically prohibit any sort of looping in at lights (and I suspect sockets too) - and I suspect few other countries have similar. The French seem to prefer chock blocks in round flush boxes high up on walls and branch everything from there - which is all a bit odd really as they tend to use singles in conduit for domestics so could have managed nicely looping N at the light and L at the switch without any extra terminals at all.


  - Andy.

Junction boxes with spring clamp terminals are permitted for installation under floorboards as they are deemed to be self tightening and maintenance free.

There's a little more to the MF requirement than that unfortunately - as well using spring terminals the cables need to be secured (clamped) and usually the terminals de-rated to increase reliability - and to comply with the letter of the regs the whole assembly has to have been marked "MF" by the manufacturer. Just chucking a few Wagos into a Wiska box won't quite cut it.

 

unless they can easily be removed for inspection

I'm not sure the regs specify "easily" - just "accessible". I'm still of the opinion that if you get access the position to install the JB and nothing really changes subsequently (like someone tiling it over), then it must still be accessible. Pushed back up through a downlighter hole I think counts as being OK (if not there are lot of Click connectors (e.g. CT101C) that are in trouble).

 

Light fittings are now designed and manufactured for the global market rather than for the peculiarities of British wiring (which also explains why most recent models are Edison screw rather than bayonet cap) so often only have terminals for one cable rather than three.

Seemingly, if what I've read elsewhere, the French wiring regs specifically prohibit any sort of looping in at lights (and I suspect sockets too) - and I suspect few other countries have similar. The French seem to prefer chock blocks in round flush boxes high up on walls and branch everything from there - which is all a bit odd really as they tend to use singles in conduit for domestics so could have managed nicely looping N at the light and L at the switch without any extra terminals at all.


  - Andy.