Replacing a ceiling light Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[theforger]

Hi there,

I wonder if someone could offer some advice.

I've bought a halogen light from a well known store to replace the traditional ceiling light in one of our bedrooms.

Inside the new light there are three terminal blocks with room for two wires each. The ceiling rose has two sets of wires going into it (each with L,N and E), one has white flex and one has grey flex.

Do I need to leave the one with the switch in the ceiling rose and wire the other flex into the new light?

Or should the ceiling rose be removed and all the wires connected to the new light?

many thanks

[thedoctor]

See the project on replacing a light fitting

[theforger]

thanks for this,

I did check this out beforehand,


The new light does not have a live or neutral wire attached to it, only terminal blocks for the E,N and L wires, this was what was confusing me. The instructions state that I should use the wire from the ceiling, but doesn't mention what to do with the switch wire.

[theforger]

okay,

just been reading some of the other posts,

Could I leave the two live (red wires) wires in the ceiling rose and use this as a second terminal block and then take the other wires into the new fitting???

cheers

[sparx]

yes if you can fit the new light over the top, not usually room due to mounting bracket,
treat the fitting as if it was the flex of the original pendant

[bobts1]

I am having a problem with fitting the wires that were in the original ceiling rose onto the terminal block. If I connect all live wires to the live section and do the same for neutral and earth the light switch does not appear to switch off. The instructions mention an extra wire in a ring circuit but do not clarify if this is the case which should be discarded - any suggestions

[sparx]

for Bobts1
when u took the old light down the lives would have all been together one of the blacks is not a neutral it is the switched live coming back to the live term of fitting the remaining blacks are neutrals, if you put all blacks together the light will stay one until u operate sw when circuit will trip/blow fuse as u put a short circuit across sw.
lights not in a ring!, u can't 'discard' any wires u need to find out which is sw. wire.
Get help if not sure, see project for replacing light.regards Sparx

[bobts1]

I had realised my mistake after removong ceiling rose but after a few blown fuses was able to identify live black wire but as all wires connecting direct to spot light both on and off switch were in same place (hence light not going off) have finted a four way junction box which seems to have solved it