DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

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

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.

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.

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.)