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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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    Like Andy Sparking Chip I have always held a view that junction boxes are a no no from new. Exception being a ceiling rose is just a decorative junction box. So from new no junction boxes except a rose or just in a lofthatch if you want to use one of those fire wire whatsit thingys. Under floorboards generally a no.

    Now for additions you might need to put a junction in. If you are using a back box to an accessory as a junction box you might well need to cause disturbance for say a switchwire. If you are using a rose as a junction you might avoid disturbance around the rose itself to get a cable in for running an extra light say and only have to consider maybe the extra light itself and more probably its switching arrangement which might be in another room that is having work done anyway.
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    Like Andy Sparking Chip I have always held a view that junction boxes are a no no from new. Exception being a ceiling rose is just a decorative junction box. So from new no junction boxes except a rose or just in a lofthatch if you want to use one of those fire wire whatsit thingys. Under floorboards generally a no.

    Now for additions you might need to put a junction in. If you are using a back box to an accessory as a junction box you might well need to cause disturbance for say a switchwire. If you are using a rose as a junction you might avoid disturbance around the rose itself to get a cable in for running an extra light say and only have to consider maybe the extra light itself and more probably its switching arrangement which might be in another room that is having work done anyway.
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