Ceiling light fitting Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Doreen]

Help ! I am trying to replace a ceiling light fitting but wires are not marked so i'm getting a professional in to do it but can you tell now that i've left the ceiling light removed would that cause my other downstair lights not to work . Confused

[kuzz]

yes

[kbrownie]

Doreen,
it could if it's loop in circuit, as you will have taken the live and neutral out of circuit. If it is first light on circuit, no other lights will operate.
If it is not lights before that in circuit will work but anything after will not.
Hope info this was useful?
KB

[bd3cc]

It would if you have disconnected the cables from the ceiling.
I am assuming that you have three red cables and three black cables, ignoring earths as these should all be connected together.
All three reds should be connected together.
2 of the black cables are neutral, and shoud be connected together, and one black cable should be on its own, as it is the switch live coming back from the switch. It should be marked with a red tag to show that it is not a neutral, but possibly isnt.
If the 3 reds, and the 2 neutrals are not connected together this would mean that your lights further on the circuit would not work.
HTH

[moggy1968]

yes, the lights work on a loop system, going from one light to the next, so if you leave the cables unconnected the leccie won't go on to the next light. Generally the three red (or brown) cables should go together. you should then have an assortment of black (or blue) cables. if your lucky one of these has a piece of red or brown tape ot sleeving on it, if so the other 2 unmarked cables go together. that should get the other lights working. these cables can't just be twisted together though, they need to go in a suitable connector such as a choccie block or push in connector. if your not sure best to leave well alone, will only take your spark a few minutes to sort out.
Andy

[Doreen]

Thank you all for your replies I was worried in case I made a mistake ,what happened was when I start to unscrew the old fitting it fell and took the choc block with it so I had no idea which was the swich cable it couldn't have been secure enough in the choc block to start with just my luck .

[kbrownie]

are powered back up now Doreen? if not i'm sure we can help!
KB

[Doreen]

No not yet KBrownie I can't afford a professional yet, maybe I should learn to do these things myself .
Doreen

[bd3cc]

Do you have any form of continuity tester/multi tester, or have access to one.
If so I'm sure we could talk you through it.
Dont like to think of you sitting in the dark
Cheers
bd3cc

[trawets]

doreen hope you have isolated lighting circuit. If it is a loop system the loop in will be LIVE even though light is switched off

[Doreen]

Hi , I treated myself to a multimeter now I have identfied the switch cable I need to learn what to do next the new light fitting has 3 cables ie 3
blue wires ans 3 brown and 1 earth, would like help to learn what to do next please all help would be appreciated
Doreen

[kbrownie]

Hi Doreen,
So you have identified the cables that are feeding supply via the switch.
The rest is easy! bd3cc had previously given you info regarding this but I'll go over it again for you.
Isolate circuit ensuring the circuit is not live and here we go:
The 3 browns are as follows
One brown is feeding live supply to fitting known as incoming supply, that will either come straight from consumer unit or previous light on circuit.
one brown is supplying feed to next light in circuit known as out-going supply, the other is going to your switch, supplying a live to the switch.

All these should be terminated together (with nothing else) if it's ceiling rose fitting these cables can be terminated in to the terminals marked loop, the three terminals in the middle or if it is not a ceiling rose fitting a plastic terminal block should be used but remember these cables need to be in contact with each other to work when using terminal blocks.

The Three blues
2 are neutrals and are incoming and out-going neutrals, these need to be connected to the blue flex side of light this is your neutral terminal on your rose or fitting, agian these need be in contact with each other to work.
The spare blue is not a neutral, but a switch live this, this should be marked up with brown sleeve, if not once indentified do it as it will help next time the fitting is replaced.
This cable is coming from your switch offering power to the lamp when switch is closed, this should be terminated on the live side of ceiling rose or fitting this will connect to the brown flex cable of light not to confused with three browns we connected earlier.
All earth cables to earth terminals on rose/fitting.
and let there be light.
Hope this info was helpful and easy to understand.
KB

[Doreen]

I'm a clever girl I fixed my lights with your help THANK YOU ALL couldn't have done it without you and I never blew anything thing up thanks again . Doreen

[kbrownie]

Well done Doreen! glad to hear your safe and all light up again!
KB

[bd3cc]

So am I,
hope I was of some help.
Thank you for posting feedback, wish more would do so, as on this forum,you have professionals, trying to help amateurs remotely. (not easy).
So Doreen glad to have been of some help, with others, and my thanks to them for their expansions of my explanations.
Any further help required, please post again, and I am sure that we can help.
Be safe, turn off
bd3cc