Replacing light fitting from a flourescent strip light Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Dawn]

Hi, I'm a single woman, who is game for any DIY in my house, as I haven't much money or any help. I recently replaced spot lights to a normal fitting, but I have just taken down a flourescent light fitting in my kitchen, and was hoping it would be pretty straightforward again to replace with a normal light fitting. However, I have 3 black, 3 red and some bare wires in green&yellow tubing. I'm a bit afraid this time. Can you give me some advice, so I don't leave my children parentless??????

[kbrownie]

Hi Dawn,
What you have come across is a loop in/loop out wiring circuit.
The red indicate Phase or better known as your live (you'll get a shock off one of these)
The blacks are your neutrals.
The Green/Yellow sleaved are the earths.
Loop in/loop out means a live, earth and neutral come from a previous fitting/ or fuse box to your Kitchen then a live, earth and neutral from there to another.
The other Red,earth and black froms the circuit to the switch.
I think Diydoctor has projects on these type of circuits with diagrams that may help you understand more clearly.
Hope this was helpfull, be careful and look after them children as well as yourself.
KB

[purse buster]

hi dawn
what you have is a loop lighting circuit all the reds go together thats the easy bit unless you have some means off testing the next bit can b tricky out of the three blacks one is the switch live the only way of testing is to seperate the three blacks then switcth the power back on now test each black wire for voltage either with a meter or a light up screwdriver two will have no voltage and one will switch on off with your light switch this is your live and the other 2 go tegether as ur nuetral hopoe this is of help