Wiring a Ceiling Rose for a Light in a 1950's Property Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Neilmoy]

Hi wonder if you can help me, I have bought a 1950 house and am having trouble with the wiring. The wiring consists of three black wires on a ceiling rose with no earth.. two of the black wires fit into one terminal and the other wire fits into another terminal. I am fitting a standard rose with a brown and blue wire. I would appreciate it if somebody could help with how I should configure this.
Kind regards Neil

[someblokecalleddave]

Neil, I've got a similar problem, but looking at the activity on here it doesn't look as though there's much of a chance of getting an answer? Have you managed to resolve your problem?

As far as I can make out your 3 red cables should all be connected together safely and left floating, in effect looking as though they serve no purpose. The black cables are the important ones, one of them should have some kind of indicator (Red sleeve) to show that it's live and is the switch wire. If you know which one is your switch wire that connects to the Brown (live wire) in your light fitting. The other two remaining black wires connect together and need to connect with the Blue neutral wire in the light fitting.

I have a situation where I have bought a device to detect which of the black wires are live in order to identify the live "Switch wire" amongst the 3 black wires. It appears that two of my black wires coming out of the ceiling are live and I'm still no clearer as to which of the two apparent 'Live black wires' I need to connect to the brown wire in the light fitting!

If you find a solution let me know and don't take what I've said here as being the answer as I'm as lost as you and looking for guidance.

[ericmark]

I would guess tucked up into the ceiling are also three red wires.
Ceiling rose has two connections one side this has the single black wire and three connections the other side this takes the two black wires. The centre three connections are for the three red wires likely tucked into the ceiling.

Pre-1960 you did not require any earth to lights. Today this means very limited as to what lights can be used fluorescent lights all seem to require an earth with only some folded fluorescent lamps being classed as Class II (not needing earth).

When you get an electrical installation condition report the lack of earth will be highlighted as a fault as will be lack of RCD protection and in the 1950's the wiring was rubber insulated not PVC and in the main 1950's houses need re-wiring.

As to testing the three black wires I was kicked off this site for giving advice on how to identify which is which. As a result I will not attempt to do it again.