How many lighting circuits?

message from David on 21 May 2004

Hi

I am planning to rewire the lighting circuit of my 1960's bungalow.

Being a bungalow access is simple.

The house currently has 13 lights in total:

3 in bedrooms
1 in bathroom
1 in livingroom
1 in kitchen
2 in dining room
2 in hall
3 outside lights

In a 2 story house it would be simple - a circuit for upstairs and one
for down. - What would be the normal way of grouping this number of
lights in a bungalow?

I know it depends on the exact layout but what factors should I take
into account?

Also - is it best to use the junction box method or the loop-in
method?

If using the junctionbox method where should the junction boxes be
located (near the ceiling rose, near the switch or elsewhere?)

Any help appreciated

Thanks
David

Lurch replied to David on 21 May 2004

However you like.

Where they are. Split them down the middle, either front to back or
side to side, it makes no odds really.

Depends on what you want to achieve. I generally use the loop in
method for a standard no frills lighting circuit.

Wherever you want, as long as there not buried in the plaster!

Bob replied to Lurch on 21 May 2004

I'd try to arrange them so that if one circuit trips, you still get some
lighting from lights on another circuit - ie bedrooms on a different circuit
to the hall that connects them.

Bob

Hugh replied to David on 21 May 2004

might be worth bearing in mind that when a bulb fails it's inclined to trip
an mcb, so, you would then rely on the circuit that's still live - plan
accordingly so that you've got at least 'borrowed light' to find your way to
the fuse-board.
Hugh

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