Help needed with loop in wiring

[Timpa]

I am changing a light in my hallway I have 3 red wires 3 black and 3 earth wires. I've googled for help but can't get my head around it

I have a double switch downstairs one of the switches is for the upstairs light I have worked out which wires are live & which wires r for upstairs light and which ones are for down stars. In what order do the wires go in the block?

 

[Lectrician]

Well don't start playing with the switch for a start - you have no need to, you're not changing that?

What you describe is the most basic of all UK lighting installs, and yet the one that seems to stump all DIYers. Disconnecting the old light fitting without noting what went where has crippled you a little, as you now do not know which of the three blacks is your SWITCHED live. You will need to use a test meter to now work that out.

 

[Timpa]

I manage to get just the downstairs light on here is a image of the wires I have

Untitled

• Timpa
• 27 May 2013
• 1

 

[Lectrician]

Too blurry to work anything out there.

You say the light is "up", but not that it works, and what about the rest of the house?

You should be looking to do something like this (identical to above, but perhaps more obvious to your eyes?)

You should have earth sleeving on your earths, and a small piece of brown or red tape/sleeve on the black which is your SWITCHED live.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You need to identify, the which pair (black and red) are going to and from the switch.
Once you have done that then, you connect all reds together(known as live loop), the black core from the switch(known as the switch live) should have been sleeved red, this should now be done to ID it.

*This sleeved black is then connected to the live side of the fitting.
*The remanding black cores are connected to neutral at fitting.
*All earths (known as CPCs) are then sleeved green and yellow and connected together at the earth terminal of fitting.

To ID these cores it would be helpful to have a continuity tester and an approved voltage indicator (not neon shyte!)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I am changing a light in my hallway I have 3 red wires 3 black and 3 earth wires. I've googled for help but can't get my head around it

It's really very simple.

The first diagram here: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting-circuit-layouts is in 3 stages, and it builds up showing why you have 3 cables at a rose.