New bathroom light problem

[jockdee]

hi there folks, first post of many i think with my new house!

bought a new light for the bathroom from a leading hardware store today.
got home, removed the old light and it has 2 connecting wires only. red and black.
new light states it must be earthed? no earth wire, what do i do?
also, i put these original wires into a small junction box and attach 2 other wires that come with the new light and put these into heat proof sheaves of some sort. these new wires go into the back of the bulb holder somewhere but diagram in instructions is clear as mud.

help!

thanks in advance

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

What's the new fitting made of?

 

[skenk]

If you don't have an earth then you can't safely connect the new light As far as the other bit goes, how about a picture?

 

[jockdee]

sorry, forgot to add.

metal bracket with wood surround and glass dome.
takes a 60W candle bulb too

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Could be a problem, regarding your lighting circuit may not have CPCs, you'll know them as the earth cable.
How olds the property as this not unusual in older properties.
If you want to keep the light, may need circuit rewiring or buy plastic/double insulated fittings, this goes for the switches too.

 

[wingcoax]

Is the cable grey and flattened? If so can you pull a bit more out of the ceiling? you may be able to strip a bit more outer sheath back and expose the earth wire. Some idle b******s just cut them off.

 

[jockdee]

Could be a problem, regarding your lighting circuit may not have CPCs, you'll know them as the earth cable.
How olds the property as this not unusual in older properties.
If you want to keep the light, may need circuit rewiring or buy plastic/double insulated fittings, this goes for the switches too.

house is 1960's.
just replaced a shower pull switch which had 2 reds 2 blacks and 2 earths going into that.
would like to keep the light as it finishes the new look bathroom off but not if it's going to cost more than it's worth.
tryin to upload pics now

only 2 wires, shadow from flash

light in question

the underside

where do the wires go?

cheers

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Is the cable grey and flattened? If so can you pull a bit more out of the ceiling? you may be able to strip a bit more outer sheath back and expose the earth wire. Some idle b******s just cut them off.

Do as wingcoax has advised, you may find that the cable does have a bare earth(CPC) inside the grey sheath that has been cut, but houses in the 50's and 60's the installer did not always put and earth in the lighting circuits and this is only any good if continuity is kept between that point and the CU/fuse box.
The shower most likely has been installed recently, they are on circuits of their own and not connected to the lights.

 

[wingcoax]

Wires just push into the round holes, the square holes are to release them. Can't really see in pic but looks like t&e.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It should not matter which goes in which terminal as it will still work, and if you find and earth, looks like you connect that to the pozi headed screw.
Surprised it's not double insulated though.

 

[skenk]

Pull the red and black apart, is there a bare copper wire in between them that has been cut back?

Seeing as it's a BC lampholder, you put one each of the red and black into each pair of little holes ie one wire each side of the earth strip in the middle. The bare copper which you have hopefully found in the middle of the flat cable is sleeved green&yellow and goes under the screw on the earth strip, you can extend this with a small choc block if it's too short.

 

[skenk]

It should not matter which goes in which terminal as it will still work, and if you find and earth, looks like you connect that to the pozi headed screw.
Surprised it's not double insulated though.

Looks like a philips screw to me!

 

[jockdee]

Cheers guys. Will check in the morning when it's light

 

[jockdee]

Pull the red and black apart, is there a bare copper wire in between them that has been cut back?

Seeing as it's a BC lampholder, you put one each of the red and black into each pair of little holes ie one wire each side of the earth strip in the middle. The bare copper which you have hopefully found in the middle of the flat cable is sleeved green&yellow and goes under the screw on the earth strip, you can extend this with a small choc block if it's too short.

just to confirm, there is a cut away bare copper wire within the gray cable

 

[londonboy]

Pull the red and black apart, is there a bare copper wire in between them that has been cut back?

Seeing as it's a BC lampholder, you put one each of the red and black into each pair of little holes ie one wire each side of the earth strip in the middle. The bare copper which you have hopefully found in the middle of the flat cable is sleeved green&yellow and goes under the screw on the earth strip, you can extend this with a small choc block if it's too short.

just to confirm, there is a cut away bare copper wire within the gray cable

lucky