wiring a kitchen spot lamp Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[chriz1]

Hi all, :D
Right here we go,
I want to wire up a kitchen light you know the ones with 4 small spot lights on 1 rail,i removed the strip light in its place and disconnected all the wires i have 3 red,3 black and 1 earth now how do i go about connecting these to the new light that has 3 slot junstion box for live,neutral,and earth?i thought it would be a simple case of connected all red wires to live,black to neutral,earth to earth but it came on when the switch was off and when i turned the switch on it blwe a fuse and tripped off.
HELP PLEASE!

[hullsparks]

this is a common problem with people who dont know electrics. The problem is you have created a short circuit between liveand neutal this is because one of your twin and earth is a switch wire. This should have sleaving on the black wire so people like ya self dont mistake neautral for a live. one of the black wires is live. use a continuity tester to find out which one it is but turn power off at the fuse or breaker ok buddy :roll:

[BLAKEY1963]

[quote="chriz1"]Hi all, :D
Right here we go,
I want to wire up a kitchen light you know the ones with 4 small spot lights on 1 rail,i removed the strip light in its place and disconnected all the wires i have 3 red,3 black and 1 earth now how do i go about connecting these to the new light that has 3 slot junstion box for live,neutral,and earth?i thought it would be a simple case of connected all red wires to live,black to neutral,earth to earth but it came on when the switch was off and when i turned the switch on it blwe a fuse and tripped off.
HELP PLEASE![/quote]

CHRIS
I OF YOUR CABLES , RED AND BLACK IS THE SWITCHWIRE,
WHEN U THROW THE SWITCH U CAUSING A DEAD SHORT
BECAUSE THE REDS ARE PERMANENTLY LIVE AT THE LIGHT
FITTING, ONE OF THE REDS FEED THE SWITCH AND THIS RETURNS THROUGH THE BLACK SWITCHWIRE AND BECAUSE U HAVE
IT CONNECTED WITH THE OTHER 2 BLACKS ( WHICH ARE NEUTRAL )
YOU HAVE A DEAD SHORT ACROSS THE SWITCH.
WHAT U NEED TO DO IS SEPARATE THIS BLACK SWITCH WIRE, NORMALY
TAGGED RED ( AS A SWITCH LIVE ) AND INSTEAD OF PUTTING ALL THESE INTO LIVE CONNECTION OF LIGHT FITTING, U PUT THE BLACK
SWITCHWIRE( TAGGED RED ) INTO THE LIVE OF LIGHT FITING.
THE 3 REDS GO INTO A CONNECTOR BLOCK ON THIER OWN AND R
TAPED UP. ISOLATE MAINS BEFORE ALTERING THINGS.
EARTHS SHOULD BE SLEEVED WITH GREEN AND YELLOW ( SEE DOC S PROJECTS ) AND U SHOULD LEAVE THE 2 BLACK WIRES IN WITH THE NEUTRAL CONNECTION OF LIGHT.
IF THERE IS A EARTH TAG ON LIGHT FITTING MAKE SURE EARTHS R CONNECTED 2 IT . IF THERE IS NO RED TAG ON BLACK SWITCH WIRE THEN YOU WILL NEED 2 TRACE THE SWITCH CABLE USING A CONTINUITY METER ON OMHS SCALE. IT SHOULD DEFLECT WHEN SWITCH IS TURNED ON . ( AS ALREADY STATED MAINS SHOULD BE OFF
BY ISOLATING MAINSWITCH AT MAINSBOARD) IF IN DOUBT GET IN
A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN
BLAKEY1963

[sparx]

Hi chriz,
sigh!, here we go again, this has to be the most often asked ? been answering same thing since I started work in 1963!!! so you are not alone!
When u took down the original light one of the blacks would have been on its own not connected to the others, you need to know which it was....
this is going to be fun, the three reds are : live in , live on to next light, live to switch, they go together in spare term block & don't connect to your light at all!
The blacks are neutral in, N out to next light, plus the 3rd one which is realy a sw live & should have been marked with red tape/sleeving as it is the sw. live back from sw. to go to the live term of your light, the earths of course go together to your fitting.
By putting all3 blacks together when you turn on sw you connect live to neutral BANG! -ucked switch most likely result.
You will need to find the black wire from sw. to light, needs basic test meter or some other circuit tester, when located PUT tape mark on it! then connect it to live term of new light, remaining 2 blacks go in Neutral term of light, as I said reds together not to light Voila!
regards SPARX

[Jeffmo]

Ok common mistake don't beat yourself up about it . Your cables not wires are live in live out to next light and switch ... Before you start you should isolate the circuit by either removing fuse or switching off circuit breaker at consumer unit ( fuse board) . Ensure that fuse is put in pocket for your protection against inadvertant replacement by anybody else . If circuit breaker then you must tell everyone in the house not to touch it ,or put notice next to CB (both if possible).

Now you have three black wires , please don't be fooled into beleiving these are all neutrals , one of them is called a switch live which should have a red sleeve on it to denote this .This switch live goes back to switch and can be live . Now if no sleeving apparent then a little investigation work will be needed .
Lets assume that there is a sleeve ok:-


a.) All reds should go together in small connector ( not normally supplied with fitting,but can be picked up from local diy store) b.)The two remaining blacks go together ,best to put them in another connector block (TOGETHER) and add a small length of black wire or blue wire to outcoming end of block.

c.) The earths you can put together in a similar connector block , now if the fitting is metal then you will have to attach an earth cable from this connector to the light fitting ( there should be aspecific place for this connection on fitting ) If , however the fitting is double insulated ( Symbol :- laqrge box with small box inside ) then the earth to fitting must not be applied.

Ok you now have the wires from the cables sorted out ,ok to connect to fitting :-
a.) The black wire with red sleeve connect to brown of fitting
b.) The 2 other blacks go to blue of fitting .

Make sure all connections are good and no copper is showing ( oh almost forgot you must sleeve all earth wires with green and yellow sleeving . This is very important , do not think this don't matter cos it does . Easily picked up again from local diy.)

Now carefully push connectors into void or out of the way and fitt the fitting up .
Now reverse what you have done in consumer unit ( fuse board) CB on or fuse in and master isolation on . Check light is working if not check bulbs , connections , cb ( tripped) fuse blown (look closely at fuse sometimes not always evident that there is a break in wire ..

OKIDOKI hopefully hey presto you have light . Hope this helps .REMEMBER SAFETY FIRST keep safe regards Jeff