Fitting a light in loft

[Alan1986]

Hi all,

Thought I would ask for some advice,
I am fitting a light in a loft,
As embarrassing as it is I am a qualified electrician

I am building controls engineer by trade and was a controls wireman for years, so control panels and software was always my thing and I have never done domestic install,

I certainly know how it works,
I'll be picking a feed off from an upstairs ceiling rose which is accessible from the loft,

What I really want though is a ceiling rose which I can bring the cable in from the side as I'll mount the light to a joist so can not bring the cable into the back of the box,
Been thinking about maybe using some brackets to bring the light out abit,

But surely there is a ceiling rose back box that can be surface fixed somewhere? I obviously just have no idea what it is called,

Also I am unsure on how many lumens to aim for, it's basically just storage up there and the space isn't too big as its a two bed house, so thinking 2 ceiling roses or possibly 1 will do

Any advice on the name of that bloody backbox or a link would be great
Or if someone has done a similar job and recommends a different type of light I am happy to listen/read
(it is just storage and not a living space, Looks don't really matter, even considered a garden spot light up there but may be too bright)

Cheers
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Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[Mark_F]

You could use a plastic stop end box, and mount the rose to that.

[Alan1986]

I wouldn't mind a backbox like this bodgy looking pic I found on Google, it doesn't say what it's called, checked screwfix online, went to b and q and homebase and can't find them,
Would be nice to bring the light down
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[bamt]

Have you considered a bulkhead light? Something like this (or the oval variants)

https://s7g3.scene7.com/is/image//ae235?src=ae235/18998_P&$prodImageMedium$

The advantage in a loft is that you tend to have limited headroom so you avoid breaking the bulb by either nutting it or bashing it with something you are putting up there. They will let the cable come in from the side, too.

[Alan1986]

Bamt

I have considered that yes,
The ones I have attached are 3 quid each, thought I could put four up there dotted around,

They take 60W lamps, I need enough light to be able to see books/dvds that are kept up there,

Never used them, they give off much light?
Does the plastic cover hinder the light output?

I did see they can be wired from the side so relatively easy to go in and out,

The spotlight I saw was five quid, gave off around 8500 lumens which may be too bright I dunno,
Lighting is very specialised really, I never use to think this before I went to college, it's a very specialised field, found it abit boring myself but I wouldn't knock someone who specialises in it like I probably would have before my courses

Cheers
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[bamt]

The actual ones I use were cheap from B&Q (or similar), taking standard light bulbs - with 60W ones fitted IIRC. The plastic grill thing doesn't cover enough to cast a shadow or hinder light output.

It was more about having something robust, having stuck my head into a bare light bulb in the past.

[Mark_F]

Your picture looks like a variation of:
https://www.dignityplasticindustrylimited.com/images/LOOP.jpg
with a hole in the side.

A stop end box looks like:
https://www.smartmerchants.co.uk/image/cache/data/Conduit%20and%20Fittings/CB201W-500x500.jpg

You would be more likely to find them at electrical wholesalers (CEF, Neweys, Edmondsons, etc) than B&Q or Screwfix.

Bamts suggestion of a bulkhead light is probably a better idea though.

[Alan1986]

The stop end box pictured looks like a conduit fitting box, I think a ceiling rose lines up with those threads?

I will probably pop over to a proper electrical wholesalers and get there opinion, or just go for the bulk heads,

I'm doing my loft but my brother also wants his done, so I might practice on his

Just took a screenshot on YouTube of the backbox I'm after, it just looks like a neat job could be made of chaining a few together easily, can't for the life of me find them online to buy,
Tried searching for various wording of the bloody thing,
Seems so basic I assumed they would be widely available at big diy shops, hence a homebase and B&Q visit
____________________
Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[Mark_F]

A stop end box is a conduit box. Some roses may not line up, but most should (pendants do get mounted on conduit).

The box you've found and pictured would be better than a stop end if you need to mount it as pictured.

Wholesalers would be better as you can look through catalogues to find what you want (or they can show you from their stock, same for bulkheads if you want a look at them).

[robs321]

You can buy a thing called a biscuit. Its a flat round plate that has knockout sections like a pattress . Its for surface wiring and mounting of baton holders and ceiling roses!

https://www.yourelectrics.com/product/tcr2wh-marshall-tufflex-circular-ceiling-rose-adaptor/?kw=&fl=1000&ci=65395544418&network=pla&gclid=Cj0KEQjw5Ie8BRCJ9fHlr_bH24cBEiQAkoDQcW6wlfBYlw7_9kevWCD1B-_AxoCNYT-shw30lmStW8waAssm8P8HAQ

[Im-a-Ridah]

[janner_10]

Sounds like you are over-complicating it. Just take a feed from the ceiling rose nearest the hatch, switch in-line(again by the hatch or use a PIR one) and up to the fitting.

A standard 5" fluorescent fitting in the apex will do, if its not enough add another.

Morning works at best.
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Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[bamt]

[stinkwheel]

T5 LED strip light(s). They mount on clips screwed to the joist, cable plugs in at one end with a figure of 8 plug.

You can daisy-chain several together and many of them have their own switch so you can have as many or as few on at once as you want.

Use a pull cord switch you can reach from the top of the ladder.

Or use a normal rose and simply drill a hole through the centre of the joist for the cable to go through. All the middle of the joist does is hold the edges apart, it's the edges that bear the weight.
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[grr666]

Two 5ft 58w florry tubes in my loft. Job done.
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