How to add an extra pendant light to an existing switch

If a single pendant fitting isn’t giving you enough light, you can always add another controlled by the same switch without too much trouble. The one limiting factor is the number of lighting outlets already powered by the circuit – so don’t risk overloading it.

Flex can only support a very lightweight bulb and shade, so fittings over 2 kg must be supported by a chain. Ceiling light fittings with metal parts must be earthed via three-core flex unless they’re labelled as double-insulated.

With junction-box wiring

1. First, double check the circuit is dead.

2. Then cut the feed cable to the original light at a suitable position to install a three-terminal junction box.

3. Run a length of 1 mm² two-core-and-earth cable from there to the new fitting.

With loop-in wiring

1. Double check the power is off.

2. Run a spur cable from the original ceiling rose. This connects its brown core to the same terminal as the switch drop blue core (which should carry a length of brown PVC sleeving to show it can be live) and its blue core to the neutral circuit cores. The earth core goes to the earth terminal.

3. At the new rose, connect the brown core to the terminal marked ‘live’ and the blue core to the terminal marked ‘neutral’.

4. Take the earth core to the earth terminal, covering it in green/yellow sleeving.

5. Connect the live (brown) core of the pendant flex to the live terminal and the neutral (blue) core to the neutral terminal.