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[jmo]

I have a new ceiling light from homebase. It has a simple 3 way connector for live, neutral and earth. I'm confused. How do I connect the taped black wire from the switch to this? I seem to have to take off the ceiling rose as there's no room for it.

[ericmark]

Many of the cheap lamps have neither a 4 way block so the fitter has to find an extra chock block or any junction box area which has resulted and many junction block being just shoved into ceiling space. Not really correct method and they really should have a junction box fitted but in many cases just not possible. The loop wires cause many problems with DIY'er as they do not connect to lamp and in many cases the lamp has two wires of the same colour going to both Line and Neutral the Line often has some tape on it to show it is the switch.
So in most cases you will need to change the three way connector for a four way connector the fourth connection called loop does not connect to local lamp.

[jmo]

Ericmark - many thanks for this reply. Putting a junction box into the ceiling space is not an option. I'll take my cheap lamp back to the shop I think!

[ericmark]

That's up to you I have to be careful what I say on here as some people will do some daft things but it is common to just shove the wires in the ceiling.
All best Eric