Led 2 way lighting for vaulted ceiling and stairs

[James94]

I'm a little concerned about my 2 way lighting will it work? There will be a pair of switches one to operate the stairs and one to operate the vaulted section. It will be AC 2 way switch top and bottom of stairs  going to a driver and some sort of controller for both. (Lights will be rgbw)

We have had the steel stairs fitted yesterday and not sure how the cables will route to each treds, has anyone done something similar and how best to control them I'm not looking for a pir sensor system just using switches.

Regards  James

 

Edited July 4, 2022 by James94

[TonyT]

It’s outside traditional cable zones, so either earthed metal conduit or cable with a metallic sheath..

 

 

[Carrerahill]

Ignore the 2 way switching, that is irrelevant to the stair wiring and all happens before the drivers. Let the electrician sort the switching and feed to the drivers. 

 

The RGBW LED's will be SELV so they will be run in on some multicore, so locate the drivers remotely and run the low voltage wiring out to the LED's. 

 

This also means you are not having to hide drivers etc. etc. and makes them easier, if you put them somewhere sensible, to access for maintenance & replacement. 

 

How to control them, I don't know what you want to do? Personally I would just fit some warm white LED's and be done with it, maybe your creating a fairground though? If just a warm white LED detail then just switch it, and you can pre-set your dimming, or add them to a dimming circuit. However, I assume it is just some ambient deorative light, in which case a nice glow would work well.

 

RGBW control will require an scene controller, or a wireless app type thing. When done commercially it is usually paired up with a dimming system, I usually use Mode systems. In a domestic setting you could use Lutron kit for quality, but most of this ends up being the little scene wheels or LCD screen. All becomes a pain in the backside.

Edited July 4, 2022 by Carrerahill

[James94]

@TonyT @Carrerahill

Sorry for the late reply, had a shit time when the plasterers came round and ripped into my work and I was so looking forward to them arriving.

On 04/07/2022 at 12:31, Carrerahill said:

Ignore the 2 way switching, that is irrelevant to the stair wiring and all happens before the drivers. Let the electrician sort the switching and feed to the drivers. 

Thanks that's one part to forget about then,

The driver will be in a upstairs bedroom on top of a wardrobe for future proof. I would like to have an option for colour so I'm opting for RGBW, I know this might complicate things but I'm having RGBW on some plaster in trims in vaulted section too so want them to be able to match.

Can you help with options for wiring maybe a simple diagram on how to get the 5 core flex from driver to the 12 treads and what is the best scene controller to use. I don't want anything fancy just be able to switch them on and off with switches and a colour changing system.

Regards  James

[Nickfromwales]

25 minutes ago, James94 said:

Sorry for the late reply, had a shit time when the plasterers came round and ripped into my work and I was so looking forward to them arriving.

That sucks. Pull them into line early on, and remind them that you’re the customer. If you don’t gel with them, it’s time to get rid. 
 

For control, I’d go with something dead simple and robust, like Phillips Hue. 
You can put one of these….

 

https://www.philips-hue.com/en-gb/p/hue-tap-switch/8719514440999?origin=p70750597731&gclid=CjwKCAjwwo-WBhAMEiwAV4dybbII5hoxKPkNnTbYT7B8JOgZ_6bYAIChcNuD258EG2g72nzzeUJsshoCMJ4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

at the top and bottom of the stairs, or anywhere else, are fully wireless and can do scenes and dimming plus basic on / off. 
 

Plug n play, job done. 
 

As far as getting cables around, it’ll be a simple job of drilling holes and fishing cables here / there. A thin ‘ribbon’ type cable will be ample, but will all likely need soldering and gear-shrinking. A good electrician should do this in his sleep, but you may also do well to check with the staircase manufacturers to see where it’s best to do this. May save a lot of unnecessary labour / time if you snd the sparky have some help / insight  

Edited July 5, 2022 by Nickfromwales

[James94]

4 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

That sucks. Pull them into line early on, and remind them that you’re the customer. If you don’t gel with them, it’s time to get rid. 

To be fair they have been very picky, some fixings I've missed out, scaffolding needs to be raised up as there struggling to move boards about. The only thing is the scaffold will need lowering again for them to have a comfortable working height in the vaulted section. screw heads slightly proud of insulations and worst of all the PIR  we fitted either side of hallway was 100mm in a 95mm stud and he's refused to fix boards to it as the studs are set back slightly. I'm having to remove all the vcl and take the foil off and plane them down flush with the studs, a mistake I won't make again.

I've looked at the link you posted and don't think that would work as there are to large module  light switches top and bottom for controlling lights in hall. I think I'm going for some sort of controller and possible app to control colours but still be able to switch on/off at wall.

don't think I'm going to use the lutron as suggested by carrerahill.

If the cable comes from the bedroom Driver controller in 5 core, does it just go to first tread/led strip and then on to the next or is there a better way as I feel there is going to be a lot of wire and not a lot of room for it?

Sorry to be a pain

Regards  James

[Mr Punter]

15 hours ago, James94 said:

I'm having to remove all the vcl and take the foil off and plane them down flush with the studs

 

Can't you pack the studs out with some laths?

[James94]

@Mr Punter

Did think about that but think that might of caused other issues as some of the insulation we was able to fit flush and some wasn't. so decided to take the front off where it was needed that way all flush with the studs, its been an absolute nightmare.

Still unsure about the 5 core cable from the bedroom to the stairs, do you know if we have to run a 5 core from bedroom to each individual tread or just daisy chain from first through to 12th tread ?

Regards  James