Help with light fitting-too many wires not enough terminals! Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[sanderr2]

Hi,
my wife bought a snazzy new light fitting - 13kgs of it for our hall. After removing the existing rose and locating a joist to screw the fitting on to I now have a problem with the wiring.

The old fitting has numerous wires (ie I think the old fitting was part of a loop circuit) - the new light fitting just has a neutral, live and earth terminal.

I've tested each wire with a volt meter and one of the wires seems to be permanently live so my problem is which wire goes where - if I wire the live wire into the live terminal, surely the light will be on all the time regardless of switch positions...

Apologies in advance if this isn't enough info to go on but I was hoping some kind soul might be able to point me in the right direction.
Thanks,
Rob

[ericmark]

A proper ceiling rose of this type "tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LDMC11A.html" if the moderators allow the link will take up to 15Kg and will have the Line, Loop, Neutral and earth connections and allow you to wire it all up without having to hold all that weight. Then just slide in when wired. Also easy to remove for cleaning.

In Europe they don't use ceiling rose as a junction box so often lamps are sold without the loop connection required in this country. There are diagrams in the projects section on how to connect but do be careful to note which wire is return from switch. Normally has a red sleeve on it but sometimes these sleeves are missing and you need to mark it with some tape before you get it mixed up.