Adding earthing wire options Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[hellom8]

I have recently brought class one wall lights but the current wiring only has one red and one black wire.
Are there such things as stand alone earthing module that are small enough to sit behind the light in a recess in the wall, or do I have to get earth wires traced to these lights?.
Cheers.
Ian.

[kbrownie]

if your lighting installation is without CPC(circuit protective conductor) often called earth but not.
You need to be using plastic accessories or double insulated(two square symbol on accessory) ones, or your circuit will need to be rewired. Don't use metal ones.
KB

[moggy1968]

gotta find an earth I'm afraid. if you are able to pull a bit of spare cable through you may find the earth has been cut off inside the outer insulation and you can trim it back. if not, your stuffed!!
one other question, the cables that are there, are they twin and earth or singles?

[sparx]

hi. only options are to run earth wires in from consumer unit or change to class 2 fittings, sorry,
Sparx

[hellom8]

Thanks for the replies.
The wiring is just a flat whit sleave with the two wires in, one black and one red, so unfortunantly no yellow and green wire learking around.
If the switch has an yellow and green wire could an additional wire be traced from this point?.

[moggy1968]

no, you need an earth at the fitting which can be tracewd back to the distribution board. did you manage to pull any more cable out from the ceiling?
take off the exisitng fitting (presumably a pendent) you should find a hole behind it and there may be some more cable stuffed up there. If there is, pull it down and cut off some more of the pouter insulation, you my find a cpc (earth) in there, commonly they were just cut off at the point the outer insulation stopped.
Andy

[kbrownie]

hellom8
The CPC cable your looking, likely not yellow & green within white PVC sheath but will be bare copper. This then is sleeved before terminating.
So maybe there's a bare copper conductor tucked in between red and black cores inside white pvc sheath?