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[snowman]

Want to renew my kitchen light. The wiring is old style black and red, just 2 wires with no rose so it should be simple. The red wires are connected together via a terminal block. The black wires go to and from the the light bulb holder.
However the new light has 3 terminals for live neutral and earth. How should it be wired using the existing red and black wires?

[ericmark]

It shouldn't be fitted. 1966 was the date it all changed as we moved from 13th Edition of wiring regulations to 14th Edition wiring regulations we are now on 17th Edition of wiring regulations.

Back in 1950's nearly all domestic lights were simplistic and just a pendent as the war restrictions eased and more lamps with metal started to be used and by 1966 it was realised that it was a mistake and the regulations changed.

With periodic inspection reports being recommended every ten years maximum house holders should have been made aware of the problem many times and although the Electrical Safety Council give guidance as to how to label boards where the lighting has no earth wires with instructions on how only double insulated lights should be used really by now there should be very few houses left with this type of wiring and owners have very few excuses for letting this non compliance go on for so long.

Although fitting a standard double insulated lamp is not really a problem if you were unaware of the problem one must wonder how it could have been missed and what else is wrong? My dad's house build 1954 had earths in lights and has rubber cables which all now need renewing and one would wonder if your house could be similar?

Since a periodic inspection report should be done when new occupants move into a house either you have been in the house since 1966 or some solicitor has failed to get the inspection done.