What is the best way to wire ceiling lights?

Arran Cameron:

What are the commonest faults found on lighting circuits?

Specifically for lighting they tend to be at luminaire positions (often heat related or poor terminations due to space constraints), followed by switch positions (removal/twisting about for decoration etc) and then more common to the rest of the installation to the wiring generally where buried in walls, under floors etc (over ambitious SDS or nail gun activity)


Is a loop-in topology with ceiling rose junction boxes more or less reliable than a radial topology with ceiling rose junction boxes? Which of the two topologies is easier to fault find?

If you know where the JB is, and have easy access - for me the latter. I often used a double socket box strategically positioned as a joint box for a group of luminaires and switches (what was often known as RB4 method after the catalogue number of the JB)


Are installations where just one cable emerges from the ceiling for each ceiling rose or light fitting generally more reliable than installations where 3 cables emerge from a hole in the ceiling for each ceiling rose or light fitting?

In my opinion yes (but that very much depends on the luminaire that's being installed) - a ceiling rose with loop in is pretty bomb proof - cramming all the connections into an IKEA chandelier less so)

 

Arran Cameron:

What are the commonest faults found on lighting circuits?

Specifically for lighting they tend to be at luminaire positions (often heat related or poor terminations due to space constraints), followed by switch positions (removal/twisting about for decoration etc) and then more common to the rest of the installation to the wiring generally where buried in walls, under floors etc (over ambitious SDS or nail gun activity)


Is a loop-in topology with ceiling rose junction boxes more or less reliable than a radial topology with ceiling rose junction boxes? Which of the two topologies is easier to fault find?

If you know where the JB is, and have easy access - for me the latter. I often used a double socket box strategically positioned as a joint box for a group of luminaires and switches (what was often known as RB4 method after the catalogue number of the JB)


Are installations where just one cable emerges from the ceiling for each ceiling rose or light fitting generally more reliable than installations where 3 cables emerge from a hole in the ceiling for each ceiling rose or light fitting?

In my opinion yes (but that very much depends on the luminaire that's being installed) - a ceiling rose with loop in is pretty bomb proof - cramming all the connections into an IKEA chandelier less so)