Problem replacing two ceiling lights Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[nerolab]

We have had the ceiling replastered and therefore have not been able to do a straight swap for the new lights which are on a transformer with Live neutral and earth wires.

Light connection 1 - has two reds which are joined together, two earths, a yellow cable, 1 x black and 1 x blue.

Light connection 2 - 4 x reds joined together, 1 x blue 1 x black 2 x earths together

With the current configuration, on connection 2, I have power at the switch - The Black is permanently live.

On connection 1 I have no power on either black or blue and the hall light does not work however there is power at the awitch ad the bulb holder - the bulb has been tested.

Can anyone assist please? Regards

JOhn

[nerolab]

In addition, I've checked the supply before the lounge lights which is fine. The two reds on conection one are together wihich maintians the circuit to connection two.

With all four reds together the switch has power but the black is also permanently live.

Also, the hall light has power to the switch and to the bulb holder but strangely the bulb doesn't illuminate. By accident I shorted across from the blue to the earth and the bulb lit up!!

Any ideas please as this is day two on this now!!

regards

JOhn

[ericmark]

You have a black/blue which is not neutral but return from switch and you have tried to use it as a neutral. The normal ceiling rose has three cables feed in, feed to next lamp, switch. The latter is often a standard brown and blue or old colours red and black cable and a brown or red sleeve is put on the blue or black wire to show it can be live not neutral. I think this wire is mixed up with neutrals. See other posts or maybe now on projects on how two work it out if you have lost sleeve. Since you are not using standard rose yours will be a little different.

[nerolab]

thanks - tried most things but wil have another stab at it tonight and will let you know the outcome

Appreciate your help

John

[nerolab]

Hi Eric

Made progress last night..... after snapping my mains tester screwdriver that is!

I got the hall /outside lights working together with one of the new lounge lights.

Basically I took it all apart and connected the two reds in lamp 1, earths together, blue & blaclk together which left a yellow wire.

On lamp 2 3 reds went together, one which was the input from the other lamp on the circuit, one which went to the switch and the other to the hall continuing the circuit. The 4th red was the return from the switch. In addition, I connected the blue & Black together and the earths. The connections are all with 5a strip connectors.

Having tested the connections with a neighbour's tester plus a pendant lamp first, I proceeded to fit the new lamp which worked fine.

I connected the pendant to lamp 1 with a coonection to the black/blue and to the yellow but this didn't work. The hall & lamp 2 work fine.

I can only presume that shoving the terminals throough the ceiling has disturbed the connection to lamp 1 maybe?

Your thoughts are welcome on this one

Kind regards

JOhn

[ericmark]

Glad to here you got most of it working. The fact you have three core and earth at the light makes it non standard and very hard to advise. Properly you are correct in looking for disturbed wire. But being non standard maybe its time to accept your limitations and get an electrician?

[nerolab]

hi eric

thanks again... i got so cjose but ended up getting a spark who was confused by the way it had been rewired.... all sorted now

john