ᐅ Adding a second surface-mounted lighting circuit

Hello everyone,

In the kitchen of my single-family house, unfortunately only one light switch was installed, which controls a ceiling light. I would like to replace the single light switch with a double switch/two-gang switch to also be able to turn the retrofitted LED lights under the upper cabinets of my built-in kitchen on and off from the door, in addition to the ceiling light. Currently, these lights can only be controlled by motion sensors, so I have to wave my hand briefly under each of the four lights separately. The LED lights run on 12 V and each has a small plug-in transformer with a Europlug at the end of the cable, which are all currently plugged into a power strip above the kitchen counter.

Since this is only blurry in the photo: In the triple combination, at the very top is the light switch to be replaced, wired with a brown live wire and a switched grey live wire. Below it is a switch for the electric roller shutter of the kitchen window, and below that is a socket outlet. Everything is on a common circuit breaker. I had hoped to find an unused neutral conductor in this triple combination, so I could pick up the new switched live wire in the flush-mounted distribution box above the triple combination, but unfortunately all existing conductors are occupied, so I have to start directly at the bottom of the switch.

The plan now is as follows:

- Lay a two-core flat installation cable 2 x 1.5 mm (14 AWG) YDYp in a surface-mounted cable duct 12 x 7 mm, fixed to the wall with two-component epoxy adhesive (for permanent hold). Cable route see orange line. The cable has a solid copper core, not stranded.
- Carefully open the wall directly above the light switch to access the cable entry of the flush-mounted box, to avoid damaging already installed cables. The new installation cable will then be pulled into the topmost flush-mounted box as well. The cable duct will rest directly on the upper edge of the switch, and the cable will be completely hidden, routed through the back wall of the cable duct into the wall and into the flush-mounted box.
- Replace the single light switch with a two-gang switch, where the new switched live for the cabinet lights will be taken off. The neutral conductor will be connected where there is a free neutral terminal, e.g., at the socket outlet unit.
- Install a surface-mounted junction box above the cabinet.
- The plug will be cut off from a power strip and the cable firmly connected inside the junction box. To prevent anyone mistakenly assuming the power strip has a protective earth (PE) contact, a power strip with only Euro sockets will be used.

This is intended as a temporary interim solution until we have to renovate the kitchen completely in a few years anyway; at that time, the wall above the triple combination can be opened up and a new cable installed flush-mounted.

Technically this would work perfectly, I have no doubt about that. But is it also allowed?

Thanks for your well-founded opinions,
best regards
Marco

Why not simply run power from the outlet (the power strips need to get electricity from somewhere) briefly to the underside of the upper cabinets and install a touch switch there? Yes, you wouldn’t be able to switch it on from the entrance. However, you could even integrate a Shelly device and control the kitchen lighting via voice command, app, or timer.

If there is enough space (looks like a shallow flush-mounted box, might be tight), I would rather consider something like a Shelly device, detecting the switching on one side and controlling the switching on the other. Communication would then be via wireless/Wi-Fi.

I have also installed Shelly devices in several places throughout the house, allowing me to switch the indirect lighting in the living room on and off from multiple locations.

A Shelly 2 PM is installed behind a double switch, with another one positioned on the opposite side in front of the lamp. This setup allows the regular lights to be controlled via app, while the second switch operates the LED lights under the wall cabinets, which can also be controlled through the app.

If more control options are desired, using a touch panel could be considered.

Without modifying the electrical wiring, this could also be achieved with a Shelly Plug S and a Shelly Blu Wall Switch or RC Button.

nordanney schrieb:
Yes, then you can’t control it from the entrance.

Exactly. But that was the intention.

Molybdean schrieb:
If there’s enough space (looks like a shallow flush-mount box, might be tight)

Musketier schrieb:
Shelly 2 PM behind double switch

It is a shallow box. And there’s already a thick cable bundle running down through it. A Shelly won’t fit in there anymore.

What about my original question: Is an installation like the one I’m planning allowed?

MarcomitZeh schrieb:
Is an installation like the one I suggested permitted?

You are doing it yourself anyway. If it works, I’m not really concerned about whether it’s permitted.

It’s a pity that none of the much simpler alternatives are of interest to you.