Are wired room light switches required?

[Olf]

We moved in and we're making our way through learning all the surprises.

For some weird reason in all the bedrooms lights are not in the centre of the ceiling, when looking from the top the wiring is messy too and all in old red/black colours - so qualified for replacement.

As the bedrooms would benefit from dimmers and mood illumination we're thinking of going 'smart' lights throughout, but they generally have wireless switches (battery powered) or can be operated by an app.So my plan would be to have a small box with MCBs to have an option to switch off each circuit if needed, but then run the wire directly to the light fitting.

That would save me chasing the walls to extract old cables and put new ones (or run them in parallel).

But is there maybe some regulation that requires physical switch to be in or near a room?

[ProDave]

If your reason for chasing the walls to replace the cables is just because they are "old red and black" then DON'T.

 

There is nothing in the wiring regs to say you have to replace existing red and black cables and nothing at all to stop you continuing to use them.

 

It should be simple if necessary to extend the cables to relocate the light fittings, just remember of the junction box is going to end up inaccessible to use maintenance free junctions e.g Wago or similar.

 

If you are going to fit smart switches controlled by an app, then please leave the existing switch drop cables and perhaps fit a blank plate so if the next owner does not like smart switches, they can revert to traditional switching,

[Dreadnaught]

26 minutes ago, ProDave said:

If you are going to fit smart switches controlled by an app, then please leave the existing switch drop cables and perhaps fit a blank plate so if the next owner does not like smart switches, they can revert to traditional switching,

 

Mine is a new build and I plan to do precisely this. Smart-app all round (plus motion detectors). And blanking plates everywhere for reversion if/when I sell up. 

 

I might even stick the battery-powered smart switches atop the blanking plates.

[AliG]

To answer your question - No.

 

We have no switches on any bathrooms, utility rooms etc. They all have ceiling sensors which switch on the lights automatically. I often forget now when I go into other rooms expecting the lights to come on.

 

We have smart lights in other rooms and switches. I would keep a switch as smart light systems do go down and can be prone to issues. Also guests won't know what to do and you don't always have your phone to hand.

 

Where we do have smart lights they work on Alexa. It is amazing how quickly you cease to even try to use the switch when you have this option.

Edited July 20, 2020 by AliG

[Olf]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

just because they are "old red and black" then DON'T

 

I might have subconsciously had at the back of my mind scaremongering of the need to rewire socket circuit - but those might have worked with much higher loads and could see benefits. I agree that for lights, especially since the advent of LEDs, there is little current so no degradation due to heat.

Another aspect I took as a silent assumption were use of separate lights in one room (2 or 3 gang, all those I  are singles) - but that can now be solved with smart lights, controlled separately even if fed off 1 supply. Thanks for saving me work! 

 

43 minutes ago, Dreadnaught said:

And blanking plates everywhere for reversion if/when I sell up. 

 

I might even stick the battery-powered smart switches atop the blanking plates.

+1 to you and ProDave for highlighting future proofing - and indeed the existing light switches are usually in the right places for their function, so blanking plates will serve well as a mounting pad.

[ProDave]

You still don't HAVE to rewire any circuit in old colours. Red and black could be as little as 15 years old.

 

I still find plenty of 50 year old installations with old colour cable in good condition with no reason to replace it.

[PeterW]

I use the Qinetic switches as a matter of course now - cost of the switches and the receivers is more than covered by the reduction in labour cost to wire and redo walls. The new grid ones also mean you can do a mix of wired and new lights in the same grid with no different switches needed. 

[Nick1c]

We plan to use some Casambi controls in our build. Vimar do switches that fit a back box, they also have the advantage that up to 4 groups of luminaires can be turned on, off & dimmed from a standard sized plate. 

[redtop]

57 minutes ago, PeterW said:

I use the Qinetic switches as a matter of course now - cost of the switches and the receivers is more than covered by the reduction in labour cost to wire and redo walls. The new grid ones also mean you can do a mix of wired and new lights in the same grid with no different switches needed. 

just looked at these, brilliant idea.  Are the receivers easy to fit?

D

[PeterW]

Yep - will fit through a hole behind the ceiling rose into the ceiling cavity. About the size of a box of matches, possibly a bit thicker. Quickest way is wire them on the bench with tails and WAGOs, and then just add them into the circuit accordingly.