Replacing old Oudoor Lantern With too Many Wires Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[novice775]

Hi, I'm a bit of a novice so was hoping someone could advise. We have an outdoor lantern light with sensor fitted up to the front of the house. It stopped working a while back and we just recently bought a replacement. The problem is that when I took the light down, it has 4 wires coming out of the wall. It has an earth, black, brown and a grey, Trouble is that the new lantern has a terminal for a neutral and live, it also has an isolator for the earth. So really not sure what I should do. The earth obviously goes to the isolator one but I'm left with 3 wires and only two terminals to put the wires in. I've attached an image of the new lantern. Any advice would be great. Thanks Mark

[BLAKEY1963]

novice775
your 3 wires could be live , switch live and neutral ,
Your fitting looks like requiring a live and neutral onto it .
But with not knowing the polarity of you existing 3 wires, what colours are live , neutral ect , you be best to get in an electrician to advise.
Mixing up polarity on your fitting could damage it.

[novice775]

Thanks for your message. Not sure if this helps but I've attached a picture of the old lantern which is stll on the wall wired in. The wires coming out the wall are a bit bet round but yellow is going to the yellow and then there is a black going to the blues, a brown going to a brown and then the grey going to a brown and red.

[Mr White]

As "implied" in domestic electrical wiring it is up to the person installing something which colour will do what, so it is not possible to say use the x and use the y colours (Apart from the earth) but you do not need an electrician, you need a competent person. You may find a "handy man" who knows how to use a multi meter will be a better option for you. (Even an electrician can not tell what does what by looking at it, s/he will need to use a multi meter to find out.)