DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I have stupidly taken down the light fitting in my hall and didn't note where the wires went.
It has 2 lights and 2 switches.
The wires are as follows
1, blue, brown, earth.
2, blue brown, earth.
3, blue brown, earth.
4 black wire with brown tape, brown, grey wire with blue tap, earth.
The new light has live, neutral, loop and earth fitting.
Any help is much appreciated.

Can you post some photos

You have 3 twin and earth cables and one 3 core and earth cable and no light fitting.
I can tell you, of the 3 twin and earth cables, one is feed in, one is feed out, one is the switch cable.
The question is which one is which and what is the 3 core and earth connected to?
Without having a means of testing (Multi meter) all any one can do is guess, and since this will no doubt result in a large bang, I do not recommended it.
Instead, I suggest you call in a competent person (It doesn't have to be an electrician) to do the job for you.

Thanks for your reply Mr White.
If I get a multi meter to find out which is the feed in what way round would I connect them to the light socket.
The light socket has earth, live, neutral and loop.
Thanks

I've managed to sort it thanks for your help

A multi-meter is not a magic wand. It is just at tool. With power off a bell and battery could be used to find out which cable goes to switch, in the same way as with a buzzer or ohm range on multi-meter.

I was really surprised when I went to do an 'A' level Physics, I wanted maths but if I did three it was £10 and just one over £100 so did three.

They provided the class with multi-meters, and the students were to measure volts and amps, and they managed to rupture 15 fuses in multi-meters. I thought the 'A' was for advanced?

And this is the problem as an electrician is seems easy, but clearly even advanced students could not follow what I thought were fool proof instructions, with a 12 volt power supply no problem, with 230 volt ac that is a different thing.

The forth cable can't help much, but first three likely one goes to the switch, and with the power off, and I mean total off at the consumer unit, then it is possible to put a meter/bell or other device across the brown and blue wires to test continuity and flick the light switch on/off until the switch wires are identified.

But forget to turn off power and then big bang is possible.

I worked out a truth table to enable testing without a meter, however make a mistake then again big bang, ionisation of the atmosphere is extremely dangerous and when I tried to relate how to use a truth table on here, I was banned for a time, as it is so easy to make a mistake.

I am concerned for your lack of understanding, things often look easy from afar, that is because the person doing the job is competent to do it, sadly you are not. I suggest you get someone in to do the job for you. Better safe than dead.