# Forum Home Renovation Lighting  What electircal cabling to use for LED downlights?

## dabrowski

Hi Guys.
1st time poster here. I have just purchased a house that has standard lighting/sockets with light bulbs. i want to replace these and install LED downlights. I was speaking to a sparkie mate today who gave me some tips as i want to most of the ROUGH-IN myself.  
1) What type of electrical cabling do i use? i remember him mentioning something has to be 1.0mm and not stranded. is this correct?
2) As the original light sockets will be removed (being in the centre of the room), will a junction box need to be used? Im thinking of running each of the downlight cables from the junction box to the new light location. My mate will then come and terminate for me.  
so basically per room, there will be 1 junction box with a continuous electrical cable going to each downlight location. Is this correct?

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## oldtrack123

> Hi Guys.
> 1st time poster here. I have just purchased a house that has standard lighting/sockets with light bulbs. i want to replace these and install LED downlights. I was speaking to a sparkie mate today who gave me some tips as i want to most of the ROUGH-IN myself.  
> 1) What type of electrical cabling do i use? i remember him mentioning something has to be 1.0mm and not stranded. is this correct?
> 2) As the original light sockets will be removed (being in the centre of the room), will a junction box need to be used? Im thinking of running each of the downlight cables from the junction box to the new light location. My mate will then come and terminate for me.  
> so basically per room, there will be 1 junction box with a continuous electrical cable going to each downlight location. Is this correct?

  THE header of this forum said it all
"In all states of Australia it is an offence for anyone not licensed to work on
Fixed Electrical wiring, all work needs to be done by Licensed Electrical workers 
Best ask your sparky mate AGAIN as to just HOW HE wants it done!!!
He is the one to decide how HE wants it done since HE will have to test & issue a compliance cert !!! 
He should of given you a list of details, so it would be done in accordance with the Standards 
PeterQ

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## Bros

You could do a real lot of the "ROUGH IN" by working out where you want the downlights and cutting the holes as this will save you some money. 
Unless you are in a bathroom you can put downlights almost anywhere and the electrician will connect them up.

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## METRIX

> Hi Guys.
> 1st time poster here. I have just purchased a house that has standard lighting/sockets with light bulbs. i want to replace these and install LED downlights. I was speaking to a sparkie mate today who gave me some tips as i want to most of the ROUGH-IN myself.  
> 1) What type of electrical cabling do i use? i remember him mentioning something has to be 1.0mm and not stranded. is this correct?
> 2) As the original light sockets will be removed (being in the centre of the room), will a junction box need to be used? Im thinking of running each of the downlight cables from the junction box to the new light location. My mate will then come and terminate for me.  
> so basically per room, there will be 1 junction box with a continuous electrical cable going to each downlight location. Is this correct?

  Sounds a little bit suspicious to me, you are asking some fairly detailed questions, as suggested above I would speak to your sparkie mate "wink wink". 
If he want's you to run cables for him, he is the best one to tell you what he want's you to run and if junction boxes etc will be used, after all he is the one who will be signing off on the job. 
Not sure why you would be asking a bunch of strangers on a forum for electrical advice, when you can easily ask your mate, how would you know what your being told here is what your mate want's you to do ?. 
 I know I would approach a mate who in the field rather than rely on a bunch of strangers on a forum to help me out.

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## Random Username

Typically 1mm Twin and Earth, sometimes 1.5mm.    $70-odd for a 100 meter roll.  Snip off a short bit of the existing T&E and just match that, as that'll mean it's the correct size wire for the circuit breaker.  (The circuit breaker determines the size of the wire that can be used...if it's 8 amp, 1mm, 10 amp and it's 1.5mm).  Twin & Earth Electrical Cables, Electrical Supplies, Online Electrical Wholesaler, Electrical Accessories, Electrical Wholesaler Brisbane, Electrical Wholesaler Sydney, Electrical Wholesaler Melbourne - or Bunnings...$67/$75 
If buying from Bunnings, avoid their overpriced 10 meter mini rolls...its cheaper to buy by the metre. 
See the link in my sig for more information - it's the NZ DIY guide. We share standards with NZ, and NZ happily allows DIY electrical work (they've allowed it there since the mid 90's, bringing them into line with electrical practices in the rest of the developed world). 
Personally I'd just relocate the existing wire to run to the nearest new light, then run to the next, and the next and the next, rather than star it all out from a junction box, which is a kludgy solution. 
The easiest way to do the runs is to push a few roof tiles back and work from above...working inside a roof is horrible!

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## oldtrack123

> Sounds a little bit suspicious to me, you are asking some fairly detailed questions, as suggested above I would speak to your sparkie mate "wink wink". 
> If he want's you to run cables for him, he is the best one to tell you what he want's you to run and if junction boxes etc will be used, after all he is the one who will be signing off on the job. 
> Not sure why you would be asking a bunch of strangers on a forum for electrical advice, when you can easily ask your mate, how would you know what your being told here is what your mate want's you to do ?. 
> I know I would approach a mate who in the field rather than rely on a bunch of strangers on a forum to help me out.

  
HI 
AND a double ditto  
Do not be mislead, The New Zealand link pushed by some DIY zealots requires THAT work to have mandatory testing by an approved inspector.
IT does not apply in Aus. :Annoyed:  
This header to this forum says all that needs to be known IN AUSTRALIA:*In all states of Australia it is an offence for anyone not licensed to work on
Fixed Electrical wiring, all work needs to be done by Licensed Electrical workers.*
AT the very least some of the  wiring you propose to do is FIXED wiring .[perhaps ALL]
LEAVE it ALONE or get you mate to give you ALL the details that apply in AUS
As HE will be responsible,if anything goes wrong ,due to not being according to standards OR FAULTY workmanship!! 
It is interesting that those giving direct advice on HOW to do it have not even asked the OP the question of "WHAT TYPE LED down lights do you intend to use?" :Rolleyes:  
PeterQ

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## Bruiser

Sounds fair - replace the existing light in the centre of the room with a junction box and (say) 4 LED lights around the room - sounds like you're using the existing switch.  To rough this in: measure and cut your holes, make sure you've got decent mounting arrangement for transformer/power supplies, get rid of insulation around holes.  1mm solid is probably because the terminals on these things can be a bit small sometimes.  If you're 'breaking gauge' from 1.5 to 1 mm, you may need a smaller breaker.  If it's from 2.5 this is actually quite important.

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## Random Username

> This header to this forum says all that needs to be known IN AUSTRALIA:*In all states of Australia it is an offence for anyone not licensed to work on
> Fixed Electrical wiring, all work needs to be done by Licensed Electrical workers*  PeterQ

  Who cares, on a forum that is specifically for DIY work (aside from you, I mean)?   
Certainly the masses buying electrical fittings from Bunnings et al don't.  They are going to be doing it regardless, generally because they feel that $80-$120 to get someone in to replace a cracked power point (or whatever other minor job they need) is too much to pay, and they'd prefer to do it themselves, rather than wait until they have a sufficient number of electrical jobs on hand to make the call-out fee worthwhile. 
So which do you feel is the safer alternative?  A DIY replacement of a damaged power socket, or that same socket sitting around damaged for five or ten years while the homeowner builds up a big enough hit list of electrical jobs to make it worthwhile to call an electrician.   
Your standard answer to everything (call an electrician) obviously isn't the solution for a great many people, otherwise there wouldn't be a full aisle of electrical fittings in every hardware store (not to mention the odd power point on the shelves at K Mart or Big W - I mean, what self-respecting sparky would buy an Arlec brand power point from K Mart!!)

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## ubeaut

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING  *   In all states of Australia it is an offence for anyone not licensed to work on
Fixed Electrical wiring, all work needs to be done by Licensed Electrical workers.*  *No liability is accepted by the owner of this forum or by Renovate Forum administrators or moderators for
any advice offered by members posting replies or asking questions regarding electrical work.*  *We strongly advise contacting a Licensed Tradesperson for all electrical work. *  *WARNING* Information supplied within posts is not to be considered as detailed formal instructions to complete a task.  * Members following such information do so at their own risk.* 
Don't know how many times this has to be said but for some the message still doesn't seem to get through. 
If you want to burn your house down or kill yourself or even worse one of your children or grandchildren or a friend, be it on your head. There are professional electricians on this forum and watching who I'm sure would be horrified at some of the advice given.  This forum is for general information not for tutorials or full blown how to advice. Anyone giving that sort of information is not only irresponsible but may also be leaving them selves open to legal action if injury or worse occurrs from information supplied. Think about it before handing out such information or carrying out DYI work on the say so of a post in here.  
Spend a few dollars and get a professional to do the work. It may save you many thousands of dollars down the track.  *Neil Ellis* Senior Administrator Woodworking Australia's *RENOVATE FORUM*

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