Garage sockets and lighting - how to run 3 core & earth

[jmeader43]

I have a garage with 1x twin socket and would like to add a fused spur with 1mm sq 3 core & earth

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To control 2x LED lights which will come on at the same time from either light switch at each end of the garage

I know how to run a fused spur but would like to help on how to correctly run the lighting cable

I haven’t done this before but I am familiar with the terms permanent live and switch live and neutral and the terminals common L1 & L2

I have attached a rather basic diagram to explain the easier, if someone could assist I would be very grateful

 

[terryplumb]

Are the light fittings batten type, do they come with a pre wired flex ,ready to connect to supply cable ?
Is the donor socket a spur ?
What type of circuit is the socket part of ?
Is it protected by an RCD ?

 

[Deryck Tintagel]

Do you intend to buy twin and earth or just 3C&E?

What is the distance between switches and location of the FCU relative to the switches? I can think of a couple of ways to do it just depends on how much cable you have and want to run - one could need a junction box or terminal within a fitting if possible

 

[jmeader43]

Are the light fittings batten type, do they come with a pre wired flex ,ready to connect to supply cable ?
Is the donor socket a spur ?
What type of circuit is the socket part of ?
Is it protected by an RCD ?

They are currently batten type with pre wired flex in a terminal block to run the live neutral and earth

I am unsure if the twin socket that I will take the fused spur off is part of a ring or radial circuit at present

I would need to check if the circuit is protected by an RCD

 

[terryplumb]

What terminal block ? Usually the flex is just pre wired into the batten ,and you have to provide something suitable to wire it into ,like a junction box.
Unless the flex lengths are long enough to reach to each other,you would need 2 junction boxes ,and supply cable between them to link them together.
If unsure of RCD and what type of circuit the donor socket is part of ,show us a pic of your consumer unit ( or fuse box),and indicate which circuit the socket is connected to.

 

[jmeader43]

Are the light fittings batten type, do they come with a pre wired flex ,ready to connect to supply cable ?
Is the donor socket a spur ?
What type of circuit is the socket part of ?
Is it protected by an RCD ?

They are currently batten type with pre wired flex in a terminal block to run the live neutral and earth
I am unsure if the twin socket that I will take the fused spur off is part of a ring or radial circuit

What terminal block ? Usually the flex is just pre wired into the batten ,and you have to provide something suitable to wire it into ,like a junction box.
Unless the flex lengths are long enough to reach to each other,you would need 2 junction boxes ,and supply cable between them to link them together.
If unsure of RCD and what type of circuit the donor socket is part of ,show us a pic of your consumer unit ( or fuse box),and indicate which circuit the socket is connected to.

I will take some photos, I will be using a 5 amp fused connection unit rather than 3 amp now. I am unsure if the batten lights are LED having realised they could be fluorescent tubes so I will take photos and confirm to be sure

 

[terryplumb]

Are the light fittings already wired up ,and in use ,or are you installing from scratch ? Sorry ,but I am not following your description of the lights/ terminal block ,pics would be very helpful.

 

[jmeader43]

I’ve made this simpler as I found the original light switch hidden behind some tiles so I won’t need to take a fused spur from the double socket on the 32 amp ring main

I’ve continuity tested the 3 core & earth cable at both ends of each light switch successfully

I’ve attached some photos for reference to show what I’m looking at in the garage

 

[jmeader43]

Latest diagram, the light switches have a cable in place but I am unable to work out what type of light switches I need and where to connect all the 3 core & earth plus the live neutral and earth from the lighting circuit

 

[jmeader43]

Are the light fittings already wired up ,and in use ,or are you installing from scratch ? Sorry ,but I am not following your description of the lights/ terminal block ,pics would be very helpful.

Batten lights have been working but all wiring removed as it was very old 2.5mm T&E to be replaced with 1mm sq cable

3 core & earth existing in place between both light switches, back boxes and front plates to be replaced once I know what type of light switches I need

Unsure if I need to wire both lights to each other or to both or just one light switch

 

[terryplumb]

Have you established which of the circuit breakers the existing lights/ switches in the garage are fed from ?
If you want both light fittings to come on/ off simultaneously ,by either switch ,you will need to connect a length of cable between them.
Are you using the 2 existing light fittings ?
You will need two way switches ( 2 of them).

 

[terryplumb]

There appears to be a lot of dodgy looking wires and connectors hanging around,are you in the process of tidying all this up ?

 

[jmeader43]

Have you established which of the circuit breakers the existing lights/ switches in the garage are fed from ?

The breaker is the 6 amp one 2nd from the left on the consumer unit labelled downstairs lighting

If you want both light fittings to come on/ off simultaneously ,by either switch ,you will need to connect a length of cable between them.

Would that be for example 2 core & earth cable between both lights or would it be the 3 core & earth between the light sockets?

Are you using the 2 existing light fittings ?

Would prefer to replace with new LED lights but maybe connect these battens to start with

You will need two way switches ( 2 of them).

Would it be a 1 gang, 2 way light switch, one at each end?

 

[terryplumb]

Yes ,both one gang ,two way switches.
The cable joining both lights would need to carry neutral,switched line,and earth. So yes ,twin and earth cable.

 

[jmeader43]

There appears to be a lot of dodgy looking wires and connectors hanging around,are you in the process of tidying all this up ?

Yes the guy I’m helping has been adding all sorts of cables and connectors over several decades without realising he has made lots of spurs all daisy chaining from the ring main so I am disconnecting all of them and starting a fresh