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

[Terry Davison]

I am replacing a ceiling light fitting. The new lamp has the following connections, live, neutral, earth and a spare in which to connect "spare" loop wires. I have been advised to wire up the lamp as follows: from the ceiling wires
! black and 1 blue into the lamp neutral connection
1 yellow "switch live" into the lamp live connection
2 earth wires into the earth lamp connection
2 red wires into the lamp 'spare" connection

Having tried this the new lamp does not work and neither do any of the other ceiling lights upstairs.

What am i doing wrong?

[sparx]

First mistake was not noting what went where in old light!

The wiring is not standard so there are a number of possibilities, ie not normal to have blue & yellow cores at light.

Is it possible you have another red/blk/earth cable not connected? ie dropped back into ceiling void.

Look in switch for this light and see what colours are there, & repost
regards SPARX

[Terry Davison]

Hello,
further to my previous posting when I opened the ceiling rose before fitting my new lamp, the old lamp was wired as follows:
There were two thick white plastic tubes in the ceiling void. Each had an earth wire which was connected to the circular connection block.
Moving from left to right across the connection block the old lamp was connected by a blue wire to the end of a three way block. Next to it was a black wire from the first tube and a blue wire from the second tube. The next three way connection block had two red wires, one from from each tube. The last two way connection block had two wires, a yellow wire from the second tube and a separate brown wire leading to the lamp.
Given all this how do I wire up a new lamp with two connections to the lamp marked live and neutral and a separate two way connection block which the instructions state are for the earth and any other "spare" wires from the lighting loop.

[ericmark]

Looking at what you say Blue is Neutral, Red is Line, Yellow is switch wire. But that does not really give us any indication as to what is wrong.
Have to connected all the reds together in a loop connector? On the continent they do not loop the lights in the same way as we do so often replacement lamps have the “Loop” connection missing and we have to use an extra connector to make them work.
Eric

[anynamewilldo]

I think I have a similiar problem.
I previously/currently have a strip light with a built-in electric shaver outlet (2 prong). It has 2 red, 2 black and a green/yellow cable going into it.

My new light is double-insulated (has the 2 squares symbol) and no electric shaver outlet.

I initially thought I could buy an isolation block and and a metal earthing block. Connect the earth wires to the metal earthing box. Connect 1 red and 1 black to the isolation block. Then connect the remaining 1 black & 1 red cables to the new light (it uses the newer blue & brown rather than black & red).

However this does not seem work. :cry:
What does work is if I connect both red and both black into the new light and leave the green/yellow wires in the earthing block. :)

Is this correct or is there some way I can just put 1 red & black cable into the new light? If so, what do I do with the remaining cables?

Thanks
Strip light with a built-in electric shaver outlet
[img]http://tg9ncq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pV4yJFWkA3plDLHYPfvrTslvf-i0n47t6GRfqQNtS2nOcp1hZjeR_Hbb-OQgx4Zj5yRdlWwSZPi8/existing%20strip%20light%20and%20electric%20shaver%20outlet.jpg[/img]

isolation block
[img]http://tg9ncq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1psHx9MEuJ1S6fqTxPoGv9h1QOGy1XNjloOenfCOYFnEtkJdJZUqwqfseiPNPBA4t_nxXugA1W1Ak/Isolation%20Block.jpg[/img]

metal earthing block
[img]http://tg9ncq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pxgUbUiOoaph9C6IVX1WrTcIp2SX5THc85u8JVCjzD5dK-NHPz6QXorO_lr1BdjsV4aRsziNZNLM/Metal%20Earthing%20Block.jpg[/img]

New Light
[img]http://tg9ncq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1p19MTDBHJtpHuvtSTHtMyrfcn3cQv1K-fvuT_AfY1L5LVfqrhtRCwreHwR8WR2qulD0edNZvA2DY/New%20Light.jpg[/img]

[ericmark]

Anynamewilldo looking at the pictures in order to use any form of junction box it must either be accessible for maintenance or be a maintenance free type like http://www.hager.co.uk/images/products/ ... JB_190.png these do not rely on screws to grip the wires.
The big problem is although we are allowed to continue to use what we have once it is altered then it must comply with the latest regulations. Also with bathrooms we have Part P and the like for like part of the regulation and although one may get away with changing a make once one changes the type then it becomes very questionable as to if one is complying with the Part P regulations in real terms it comes down to what has already been declared to the local authority building control and how much you are willing to break the law. But there is a good chance that sometime in the future someone will call in the LABC for some work and if anything does not comply with regulations it can ring the alarm bells and I would recommend following the regulations to the letter. That would include earth sleeve on the earth wires.
Eric

[anynamewilldo]

Hi ericmark,

Thanks for the reply.

Well, I am no electrician so I am not going to get too involved with regulations & procedures etc...I just want to change the bathroom light!
So...are you saying that the "correct" way to do it is to purchase the box you highlighted below?
If so, which wires go where please?
Thanks

[ericmark]

I understand you don't want to get involved with regulations but I would be wrong not to tell you they exist.
Lighting seems to be quite a problem so I have made a web page http://www.ericpalmer.fsnet.co.uk/Lighting.html which may help and also there is a good projects section on this forum.
If the wires are to be inaccessible then yes use the type of box I have shown. I have not used one of these boxes but I would think there are at least four incoming blocks which will allow you to join the Feed line (loop), Switch line, and neutral cables plus the earth one side of the box and take the Switch line and neutral connections out of the other side of the box.
But I am not happy at giving instructions to work on bathroom lights when I know you should be getting a registered electrician under Part P to do the work both for health and safety and to get the completion certificate you will need if you ever want to sell the house.
Also this was anynamewilldo's post and really you should start your own post and not confuse people by tagging onto an existing post. There was no reference to bathroom on original post so it was very different.
Eric

[anynamewilldo]

Thanks, actually I was hoping for a more simple reply like ...put one red wire there, the 2 earth wires there etc however since that does not seem to be forthcoming I will leave it at that given I am none the wiser since my original post.

Yes I could call an electrician but that seems ridiculous given all I want to do is change a light - it's not like I am rewiring the house.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I guess I will leave it the way it is since the new light seems to be working (at least it comes on when I pull the cord :lol: )