Can I install recessed ceiling spot lighting myself?

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by T100, Sep 3, 2014.

  1. T100

    T100 Member

    Hello pros!

    I'm wondering if tackling the installation of recessed ceiling spot lighting myself is realistic considering I'm not an electrician and have no experience dealing with electrics?

    I've watched a few videos on youtube and it appears to be a relatively simple job of daisy chaining them on to the existing lightings wiring.

    However, where I feel like I'm getting out of my depth is trying to know what voltage lights to use, how many lights to install and knowing whether or not I will be overloading the circuit and potentially causing a hazard?

    So... Is this something that can be tackled myself? Or should I invest in a pro?

    If I should hire a pro, how much should I expect to pay for labour alone? My living room is approximately 16ft x 15ft (square, no funny alcoves or nooks and cranny's) and I estimate that I'd want 20 - 22 lights in total.

    Would this be too many lights?

    Thanks in advanced!
     
  2. flateric

    flateric Well-Known Member

    If you install yourself without full knowledge its put your coin in the slot pull the handle, it may be fine or maybe not. If something goes wrong at a later date even elsewhere............... Your insurance company will take great delight in informing you that claim is void for some unrelated event to your claim :)
     
  3. Hayemaker

    Hayemaker New Member

    20 - 22 recessed ceiilng lights is very ecsessive for a room of that size .. more like 9 - 14 is sufficient ... screwfix have many different varieties of "downlights" ... if you go for halogen (Gu10) be carefull as you'll be forever buying lamps .... led are energy saving and last upto 15 years on one bulb ... a lot of factors need to be met here, access to void above ceiling, if you want them dimmable, BUT i would advise in getting a pro in , get 2 or 3 quotes in, decent sparks should give free quotes and advise you further.
     
  4. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    It is unlikely you will overload the lighting circuit but tbh if you have no knowledge at all of electrical installation work I would advise you not to attempt it. GU10 lamps are on a limited life now that EU law has banned tungsten filament so look at LED.
     
  5. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    If he is adding 22 x 50 watt lights, the circuit would be close to capacity, so it would depend on what else is on the same circuit.

    Extra Low Voltage lighting used to be covered by Part P, unless it was a CE marked kit with plugs/connectors on the ELV side. Was this lifted? This would mean it's LED or GU10. GU10s suck.

    A lounge doesn't lend itself to downlights really IMO. A row of them against a feature wall perhaps, but the whole room? Smaller diameter downlights 200-300mm off the wall casts a nice effect. If you go for the whole room, I wouldn't be "tagging of the existing", I would be looking to switch them in a couple groups, or more. You will soon find having them all on or none on annoying.
     
  6. pigeon_brain

    pigeon_brain New Member

    One can surel continue to install standard GU10 fittings and then just add LED bulbs. I have recently used the screwfix own Gu10 fittings, fitted with LED GU10 bulbs also bought from screwfix to great advantage. This will also result in a greatly lower current pull on the circuit.
     
  7. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    LED retrofit GU10s are fine, but look at the "duty cycle" of them. Most will not provide a warranty, nor recommend their use in commercial installs (I appreciate this a domestic job).

    In a house, they are on for a few hours a day. In commercial, they can be on for 20 odd hours or even more.

    I have seen pubs and restaurants flood their existing fittings with LED retrofit lamps recently, usually the cheapest they can find. I then get calls "MCB keeps tripping with a pop when we turn it back on". You then have to go around every light fitting and find the dodgy LED lamp.
     
    pigeon_brain likes this.
  8. pigeon_brain

    pigeon_brain New Member

    Thanks lectrician - useful information for the future. Thankfully though I went with Philips commercial ones for my larger room, also will make a good comparison for me.
     
  9. CraigMcK

    CraigMcK Screwfix Select

    I've just finished my home office, it's just about half the size of your room, at 4m x 2.4m but 4 x 7w led down lights is more than enough to bring the levels up to probably higher than you would need for a living room.

    So I would agree on the 9-14 depending on wattage etc.
    also if you fit LEDs watch out for the beam angle, don't end up with some stupid 30deg thing or you will just end up with bright dots on the carpet!
     
    pigeon_brain likes this.
  10. T100

    T100 Member

    Hi All,

    Thanks for all your advice.

    I would like to add that I'm living in a ground floor maisonette, therefore access from the floor above will not be possible. Does this add further problems to their installation?

    The ultimate goal is to install a tray ceiling, with some recessed downlights embedded in that, running around the perimeter of the room. See the image I've attached for a visual illustration. That's what I'm aiming for.

    I'm assuming this might solve the problem that may be caused by not having access from the floor above as the wiring could be run around the perimeter of the room as opposed to in the void above the ceiling?

    Any experiences/advice any of you can share would be greatly apprecaited...

    Ta!
     

    Attached Files:

  11. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    There are techniques we use to fish cables through awkward access areas. We use small diameter fibreglass rods that screw together. You push them in to the void and tie the cable on to pull it through to where you want it. Without knowing where the joists are in your ceiling you won't know where to drill the holes for the lights so it will be a little hit and miss. If you have your heart set on nice lighting then the best option would be take the ceiling down to run all the cables in, record the joist positions and work out the lighting pattern then draw a plan where they will go. You can drill holes through the joists to run the wires easily. Board the ceiling and drill the holes and fetch the wiring down. Skim, paint and fit the lights.
     
    FatHands likes this.
  12. T100

    T100 Member

    Thanks Unphased,

    That does sound like a lot of unneccessary work. I can't imagine a scenario that would dictate the necessity to remove the whole ceiling especially considering that I would like lights installed in a tray ceiling as per the image in my previous post.

    Thanks all the same for your input though.
     
  13. metrokitchens

    metrokitchens Screwfix Select

    Having searched out your previous photo you refer to :rolleyes: It does seem a nice DIY job. As long as you are confident with basic electrics you should not go far wrong. There will be more skill required to build the ceiling style.
    Personally I find that style a bit too North American. But then that's just me.
     

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