I have recently removed a single fluorescent tube fitting for a customer who wants it replaced with a Class I circular 3-spot unit in a back room on their small commercial premises. The wiring to the original fitting comprised a live feed, switch drop to a twin switch and onward feed to a second single fluorescent tube fitting in the same room. I opened up the second fitting to confirm that it was fed from the first. There was no other wiring apparent so I have not yet checked the purpose of the second switch. I did not have any Wagoboxes with me at the time and only a handful of Wago 224-112 2-wire lever connectors so as a temporary measure, having removed the original fitting, I reconnected the wiring in connector blocks to await my return.
Unfortunately I cannot rewire the original configuration because the cable entry in the new light fitting is only ~ 8 mm in diameter and the fitting appears to be intended to be connected L-PE-N using a switched live given the small opening size of the connector block. In addition, the combination of: the pitch of the fixing holes and position of the cable entry into the base of the light fitting, and the position of the joist into which 2 fixing screws will go mean that the solution must use the Wagobox-Light.
I am considering 2, in my mind equally valid, options and would appreciate opinion as to whether anyone would prefer one approach above another. The first option that I considered was to recreate the original configuration using Wago connectors in a Wagobox-Light but with a second switched live feed required by the new light fitting. This would require 4 T+CPC (T+E) cables and 4 connections:
- 2-way connection for live feed from supply to switch.
- 3-way connection for switched live from switch to 2 light fittings.
- 3-way connection for neutral feed from supply to 2 light fittings.
- 4-way connection to common the 4 cable CPCs.
Having looked at the size of the Wagobox-Light and that of their 222, 224 and 773 series connectors there appear to me be 4 alternative arrangements that will fit in the box and provide the required connections. They comprise:
- Combination of 3 x 222 and 1 x 773 Series connectors - 222-412, 222-413, 222-413 and 773-104.
- 224 Series connectors only - 224-101, 224-112, 224-112 and 2 interlinked 224-112.
- Combination of 3 x 224 and 1 x 773 Series connectors - 224-101, 224-112, 224-112 and 773-104.
- 773 Series connectors only - 773-102, 773-104, 773-104 and 773-104.
The second option is to use 1 Wagobox-Light to create a switched live feed and then another to split that feed to the 2 fittings. The first Wagobox-Light would require 3 T+CPC (T+E) cables and 4 connections:
- 2-way connection for live feed from supply to switch.
- 2-way connection for switched live from switch to second Wagobox-Light.
- 2-way connection for neutral feed from supply to second Wagobox-Light.
- 3-way connection to common the 3 cable CPCs.
Having looked at the size of the Wagobox-Light and that of their 222, 224 and 773 series connectors and 260 series modular terminal blocks there appear to me be 4 alternative arrangements that will fit in the box and provide the required connections. They comprise:
- Combination of 3 x 222 and 1 x 773 Series connectors - 222-412, 222-412, 222-412 and 773-104.
- 224 Series connectors only - 224-101, 224-101, 224-101 and 224-112.
- 773 Series connectors only - 773-102, 773-102, 773-102 and 773-104.
- MTB 2604 Wagobox-Light Modular Terminal Block L1+L+N+E.
The second Wagobox-Light would require 3 T+CPC (T+E) cables and 3 connections:
- 3-way connection to split switched live from first Wagobox-Light to 2 light fittings.
- 3-way connection to split neutral feed from first Wagobox-Light to 2 light fittings.
- 3-way connection to common the 3 cable CPCs.
There appear to me be 4 alternative arrangements that will fit in the box and provide the required connections, comprising:
- 222 Series connectors only - 222-413, 222-413 and 222-413.
- 224 Series connectors only - 224-112, 224-112 and 224-112.
- 773 Series connectors only - 773-104, 773-104 and 773-104.
- MTB 2603 Wagobox-Light Modular Terminal Block L+N+E.
Although all of these arrangements could deliver the requirement, and the last 2 arrangements under Option 2 could deliver a switched live feed to a third light fitting, few comply directly with the manufacturer's Product Description for the Wagobox-Light, linked here Wagobox-Light junction box. The stated 'maximum number of supported individual conductors', 12, would meet my requirement under Option 1 and the alternative that is nearest compliance is the use of 224 connectors only; however, this requires a mix of 5, not the stated 'Maximum connector capacity' of either 4 x 224-101 or 4 x 224-112 connectors. In the case of Option 2 alternatives, 2 are compliant with the manufacturer's Product Description, the 224 Series and 260 Modular Terminal Block solutions.
The increase in cost between Option 1 arrangements and their corresponding Option 2 arrangements is between 73 % and 93 %. If the 'tailored' solution of the 260 series Modular Terminal Blocks is used then the price is just over 2 1/2 to just over 3 times the price of Option 1 arrangements.
Which option and alternative arrangement would you choose and why? Would you do something completely different? If so, what would you do?
Unfortunately I cannot rewire the original configuration because the cable entry in the new light fitting is only ~ 8 mm in diameter and the fitting appears to be intended to be connected L-PE-N using a switched live given the small opening size of the connector block. In addition, the combination of: the pitch of the fixing holes and position of the cable entry into the base of the light fitting, and the position of the joist into which 2 fixing screws will go mean that the solution must use the Wagobox-Light.
I am considering 2, in my mind equally valid, options and would appreciate opinion as to whether anyone would prefer one approach above another. The first option that I considered was to recreate the original configuration using Wago connectors in a Wagobox-Light but with a second switched live feed required by the new light fitting. This would require 4 T+CPC (T+E) cables and 4 connections:
- 2-way connection for live feed from supply to switch.
- 3-way connection for switched live from switch to 2 light fittings.
- 3-way connection for neutral feed from supply to 2 light fittings.
- 4-way connection to common the 4 cable CPCs.
Having looked at the size of the Wagobox-Light and that of their 222, 224 and 773 series connectors there appear to me be 4 alternative arrangements that will fit in the box and provide the required connections. They comprise:
- Combination of 3 x 222 and 1 x 773 Series connectors - 222-412, 222-413, 222-413 and 773-104.
- 224 Series connectors only - 224-101, 224-112, 224-112 and 2 interlinked 224-112.
- Combination of 3 x 224 and 1 x 773 Series connectors - 224-101, 224-112, 224-112 and 773-104.
- 773 Series connectors only - 773-102, 773-104, 773-104 and 773-104.
The second option is to use 1 Wagobox-Light to create a switched live feed and then another to split that feed to the 2 fittings. The first Wagobox-Light would require 3 T+CPC (T+E) cables and 4 connections:
- 2-way connection for live feed from supply to switch.
- 2-way connection for switched live from switch to second Wagobox-Light.
- 2-way connection for neutral feed from supply to second Wagobox-Light.
- 3-way connection to common the 3 cable CPCs.
Having looked at the size of the Wagobox-Light and that of their 222, 224 and 773 series connectors and 260 series modular terminal blocks there appear to me be 4 alternative arrangements that will fit in the box and provide the required connections. They comprise:
- Combination of 3 x 222 and 1 x 773 Series connectors - 222-412, 222-412, 222-412 and 773-104.
- 224 Series connectors only - 224-101, 224-101, 224-101 and 224-112.
- 773 Series connectors only - 773-102, 773-102, 773-102 and 773-104.
- MTB 2604 Wagobox-Light Modular Terminal Block L1+L+N+E.
The second Wagobox-Light would require 3 T+CPC (T+E) cables and 3 connections:
- 3-way connection to split switched live from first Wagobox-Light to 2 light fittings.
- 3-way connection to split neutral feed from first Wagobox-Light to 2 light fittings.
- 3-way connection to common the 3 cable CPCs.
There appear to me be 4 alternative arrangements that will fit in the box and provide the required connections, comprising:
- 222 Series connectors only - 222-413, 222-413 and 222-413.
- 224 Series connectors only - 224-112, 224-112 and 224-112.
- 773 Series connectors only - 773-104, 773-104 and 773-104.
- MTB 2603 Wagobox-Light Modular Terminal Block L+N+E.
Although all of these arrangements could deliver the requirement, and the last 2 arrangements under Option 2 could deliver a switched live feed to a third light fitting, few comply directly with the manufacturer's Product Description for the Wagobox-Light, linked here Wagobox-Light junction box. The stated 'maximum number of supported individual conductors', 12, would meet my requirement under Option 1 and the alternative that is nearest compliance is the use of 224 connectors only; however, this requires a mix of 5, not the stated 'Maximum connector capacity' of either 4 x 224-101 or 4 x 224-112 connectors. In the case of Option 2 alternatives, 2 are compliant with the manufacturer's Product Description, the 224 Series and 260 Modular Terminal Block solutions.
The increase in cost between Option 1 arrangements and their corresponding Option 2 arrangements is between 73 % and 93 %. If the 'tailored' solution of the 260 series Modular Terminal Blocks is used then the price is just over 2 1/2 to just over 3 times the price of Option 1 arrangements.
Which option and alternative arrangement would you choose and why? Would you do something completely different? If so, what would you do?
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