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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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    Most modern light fittings are designed for a ceiling with just one cable. Rarely is a terminal strip incorporated in order to replicate the terminals in a ceiling rose. Therefore the installer ends up having to use a chocolate block to make the connections. More often than not there is insufficient space in the light fitting to contain the chocolate block so it ends up being shoved into the ceiling cavity with exposed live parts. A very shoddy and potentially dangerous arrangement.


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



     


     




     

    I once got round this problem by retaining the ceiling rose and mounting the fitting underneath it. However this is not going to work for all types of fitting.
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  • 0
    . . .

    Most modern light fittings are designed for a ceiling with just one cable. Rarely is a terminal strip incorporated in order to replicate the terminals in a ceiling rose. Therefore the installer ends up having to use a chocolate block to make the connections. More often than not there is insufficient space in the light fitting to contain the chocolate block so it ends up being shoved into the ceiling cavity with exposed live parts. A very shoddy and potentially dangerous arrangement.


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



     


     




     

    I once got round this problem by retaining the ceiling rose and mounting the fitting underneath it. However this is not going to work for all types of fitting.
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