Hope someone can give me advice. I live in Scotland (not sure if there are different regulations here) and am looking to install a wireless alarm system. I'm pretty DIY capable, can plumb etc, but I've never dealt with wiring. I understand that I need to have my wireless bellbox connected to a mains supply.

As this will be on the outside upper wall of the house, the obvious place to take the power from would be the loft, however, there isn't any power up there as such, just the cables that power the upstairs ceiling lights.

Would it be safe to take a spur from one of those and connect the bellbox up that way or should it be taken off a different circuit?

Also, are there any regulations that would stop me myself doing this? I am happy building PCs, doing simple non-mains supply wiring, so I cannot believe what I want to do is particularly difficult or complicated to acheive. However, if I'm either not allowed to do it by law, or I could cook it up, then should I get someone qualified in?

Thanks

Hope someone can give me advice. I live in Scotland (not sure if there are different regulations here) and am looking to install a wireless alarm system. I'm pretty DIY capable, can plumb etc, but I've never dealt with wiring. I understand that I need to have my wireless bellbox connected to a mains supply.

As this will be on the outside upper wall of the house, the obvious place to take the power from would be the loft, however, there isn't any power up there as such, just the cables that power the upstairs ceiling lights.

Would it be safe to take a spur from one of those and connect the bellbox up that way or should it be taken off a different circuit?

Also, are there any regulations that would stop me myself doing this? I am happy building PCs, doing simple non-mains supply wiring, so I cannot believe what I want to do is particularly difficult or complicated to acheive. However, if I'm either not allowed to do it by law, or I could cook it up, then should I get someone qualified in?

Thanks

This is not a legal question, this is a common sense question - the question really is do you want to risk your life doing something you obviously have very little knowledge of? I work with mains electricity (in a very limited way) every day but I know where my limits lie and I do not cross them. If I come up against something I don't feel comfortable doing then I get someone who is.

If my boiler starting leaking water everywhere then I would call a plumber!

This is not a legal question, this is a common sense question - the question really is do you want to risk your life doing something you obviously have very little knowledge of? I work with mains electricity (in a very limited way) every day but I know where my limits lie and I do not cross them. If I come up against something I don't feel comfortable doing then I get someone who is.

If my boiler starting leaking water everywhere then I would call a plumber!

I understand the implications of working with something as dangerous as mains electricity, but without me knowing what is involved or the best way of doing it, how am I to judge whether it's something I can or can't do?

1 month ago I didn't know the first thing about plumbing mains water supplies, now I have a fully fitted, well plumbed, dry bathroom (and have done for a few weeks now). All I had to do was find out how to do it.

Is it safe to do this from the lighting circuit, and if so, what is the best way to do it?

I understand the implications of working with something as dangerous as mains electricity, but without me knowing what is involved or the best way of doing it, how am I to judge whether it's something I can or can't do?

1 month ago I didn't know the first thing about plumbing mains water supplies, now I have a fully fitted, well plumbed, dry bathroom (and have done for a few weeks now). All I had to do was find out how to do it.

Is it safe to do this from the lighting circuit, and if so, what is the best way to do it?

Why don't you use a wired alarm and then all your have to worry about (concerning mains anyway) is running a spur for the control panel?

Because I know I'm not neat enough to wire the whole house with bell wire One power cable fine, whole house, not thanks. Quotes for installing wired systems are in the

Because I know I'm not neat enough to wire the whole house with bell wire One power cable fine, whole house, not thanks. Quotes for installing wired systems are in the

Hope someone can give me advice.

...

should I get someone qualified in?

Thanks

get few guotes from local alarm shops for WIRED system.

only after that think again is it worth DIYing it.

OK, probably best not to cable it then if you would have used bell wire. Why not get someone in to install a spur in the loft for you? Then all you need be concerned with is connecting the device to the load side of the spur with significantly reduced danger to yourself?

I am thinking of doing that yes, but I'd still like to know what the best approach would be, ie taking spur from lighting circuit, different circuit etc, whether I do it myself or not. Can you please just answer that?

get someone qualified in.

Okay, fine, get someone in. If I say I'll get someone in, will someone just answer the question out of curiosities sake?!