Installation above suspended ceiling issues

[EcoTechnologies]

Hey guys

Got called to a job where the entire installation was fed above a suspended ceiling on a commercial premises wired a few years earlier. All the cables are draped across the ceiling grids, all light fittings not double insulated and made off poorly with the possibility for the grid to become live, all lights wired in a spaghetti junction on cabling, circuits overloaded and switched on caused mcbs to trip out in the mornings. No proper design whatsoever...was a complete mess. plus the grid wasn't earthed either...

I'm going to be ripping the lot out and starting again properly and doing the work via contactors. what system would you guys do? I was thinking of doing the work in plastic conduit in singles going to a few 10 way Klik outlet lighting distribution boxes then flexing off to the LED ceiling panels.

One issue I do have though, there is a fire alarm panel but all the alarms/sounders are located above the suspended ceiling grid. What actually happens with this? Its not a job I personally deal with but is this common? Its pretty redundant having all the sounders and detectors left above the ceiling, there is also no fire alarm call points either (smash the glass ones).

There is no emergency lighting in the building at all also which I cant get my head around, I will be doing this also.

Cheers guys

 

[westward10]

I take it you don't do much commercial work.

 

[EcoTechnologies]

Commercial re-wires no, but general commercial work yes. Last time I did was many years ago using the Klik system in conduit and singles.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Why do the lights need to be double insulated? Why does the ceiling grid need earthing? What shape is the layout? Could you split the lighting up on to more switches so inrush isn't an issue? Ive just done an office where we installed trunking suspended on uni strut, Besa boxes bushed on for the lights close to the trunking and conduit teed of the trunking hung on studs with stud clips to the lights further away. Through boxes used with clicks and stop ends at the last lights. In the trunking was also the AC Cassette power etc. How big is the void above the suspended ceiling?

 

[EcoTechnologies]

Lights not double insulated and cables draped across ceiling grid.

 

[jackhammerJIM]

You are getting double insulated mixed up with insulated and sheathed . You are correct in that the brown and blue insulation should not be visible and suitably enclosed .

By all means rewire the lot . Or remake all the fittings off and secure the cabling with all round band

 

[westward10]

It certainly can be tidied but if you intend to put in place a new system is the ceiling grid staying because if so that can restrict whatever you intend to do.

 

[ruston]

Hands up who has seen a lot worse.

 

[EcoTechnologies]

Yea sorry guys I miss wrote the first post as double insulated lights, I meant double insulated terminations and in a enclosure.

This is just one aspect of cabling above the ceiling and there was much worse found above with multiple joints everywhere. there is also multiple wall lights/mirrors everywhere (its a bathroom showroom) so in other areas there is joints up to 8 cables in more going in all directions not within a enclosure.

The ceiling grid will be staying up and all I can do really is take down all the tiles and lights down one side of the room to run conduit/singles easily.

 

[EcoTechnologies]

Light switch, he obviously had too many cables and wanted to get rid of them...

 

[123]

When did this mess get done? That little wago push fit connector can't be a year old old yet?

 

[EcoTechnologies]

It was all done very recently by a electrician within the last 2 years I have been told or possibly less, maybe 1 year

 

[Toneyz]

Redesign and new installation. Is the fire alarm still in use.

 

[EcoTechnologies]

Yes the fire alarm panel is still in use.

 

[Toneyz]

Yes the fire alarm panel is still in use.

What have you been called in to do with this job ?

 

[EcoTechnologies]

Nothing, I just reported that the fire alarm panel was in use but all the alarms/sounders/detectors were fitted to the concrete ceiling located above the suspended ceiling.

 

[westward10]

That is a very strange back box.

 

[Toneyz]

That is a very strange back box.

Looks like a Click scolmore flame guard fast fix box

 

[Jim90]

You could use a load of Hager J501 boxes, flex out of them to the lights, or put clix in. Use all round band to fix to the ceiling and conduit boxes to fix the clix to. I've seen worse.

 

[ipf]

Hands up who has seen a lot worse.

Yep, much worse.....but not less than 2 years old, looking at that switch box. There's enough room for all the connections in that deep bugger, rough as it is.

 

[cliffed]

See that type of installation time after time,how they get away with it,I never know.
A good tidy up,proper connections will help.

 

[DPG]

Out of interest, how would you effectively earth the whole ceiling grid?

 

[KennyKen]

---- work... I could do better and I'm recovering from Two bleed on the brain. Disgusting.

 

[Deleted member 93172]

rock roses, conduit and trunking is the way to go