Question for any sparkies out there

[Martblusx]

Help!

I'm trying to replace a kitchen light fitting (used to be flourescant light fitting) with new modern light fitting. Mains supply seems to be a ring supply with black wire, red wire and unsheathed wire, 2 sets of. Anybody know what wires go to what, on the new light fitting I have an earth (green/yellow) Neutral ( Blue) and Live (brown)

Cheers

[beavertron]

Reds to brown
Blacks to blue
Unsheathed ones to earth (green/yellow, usualy should be sheathed)

Remember to turn off all the power first or pull the fuse/circuit breaker for the lighting circuit.

hope this helps, its usualy pretty easy.

[vega]

With the existing light fitting removed, you should be left with 3 lives together, 2 neutrals together, and another lead on its own, which will be the switched live. Earths all twist together.

New fitting, 1 in the neutral, the other in the switched live

sorry for the **** drawing

[Martblusx]

Cheers for the replys, I'm still working on it tho, the problem is I dont seem to have switched live wires, or can't identify them?

I have 2 sets of wires encased in grey plastic (its and old house) each with one black wire, 1 red wire and 1 unsheathed wire.

Vega what you have described seems to be 2 sets of 4 wires. The unsheathed wires have had, at some point in the past, yellow and grean sheaths placed over them suggesting that they are the earths.

I've tried wireing like wires from the ring to each other and then to corresponding colours (reds to browns and black to blues) to a table lamp (my test lamp!) = blown fuse.

Tried various themes on Vegas example ie earths all together and combinations of blacks and reds, resulting in 1 of 2 outcomes, light on regardless of mains light switch position, or blown fuse!

Bloody switch used to work with the florescant light, but I neglected to make a note of wiring setup on old light fitting (Doh!!)

Any further enlightenment, am I over looking something blindingly obvious?

[vega]

The unsheathed wires will indeed be the earths.

Excluding the earths, tell me how many wires you have in the rose, what colours, and which ones are still joined together. Can you move the wires around at all to find out what they are paired up to ie. move the red around, and one of the neutrals and earth should move with it. Tell me everything you can, and I'll try to work it out for you

[AndyT]

I was going to reply, but it looks like you've got it covered Vince.:)

[vega]

Originally posted by AndyT
I was going to reply

But you still did :confused:

:D

[AndyT]

... and I'm doing it again :p

:D

[Martblusx]

all working now!! I cant believe it I was being stupid in the extreme :mad: :mad: :mad:

So here it is

Earths all connect together.

Red wires to each other and nothing else

1 black wire to light fitting live

Other black wire to light fitting neutral

Bobs your uncle!!

I was too busy looking for something complicated and completley forgot basic wiring diagrams

B.Eng Hons in civil engineering and get stumped on a problem 1 up from wiring a plug!!!!!

[vega]

Glad you sorted it, that is an old bit of wiring then :)

[Kev]

Originally posted by vega
Glad you sorted it, that is an old bit of wiring then :)

Yeah, very odd.
Ur neutrals are both neutral and live, that dont sound right at all.

Have u got a voltmeter?
Usually wat u find is 6 wires:-
2 earths (the unsheathed ones)
2 neutral (black or blue)
2 live, 1 constant, 1 switched (red or brown)

Unless uve had a dodgy spark working on ur house (Vince:p ) then ur configuration is wrong.

Dont fcuk about with electricity if ur not sure wat ur doin!

Kev

[AndyT]

I would say that the light has been wired as a spur, rather than in a ring. I am asuuming the house has been rewired at some point, and the sparky decided to save a few quid on cabling, or the original light position has been moved.