Replacing light fitting - I'm an idiot

[4pudding]

I'm returning multimeter in hand.

So, multimeter cables: black wire in Com, red in CXmA.

I've put the two red ceiling cables in a new 16A choc block and cut and stripped the wires so the connection should be good.

I have two loose black cables from the celing and two multimeter probes, one red and one black.

I've set the multimeter to •))) and switched off the electricity at the mains.

Please tell me EXACTLY which bit to connect where.

Thank you

 

[deadshort]

Hi, you really need to connect with an electrician asap .

DS

 

[4pudding]

Thanks I've already had an electrician round who advised to change this fitting, I've just lost track of which is neutral and which is live.

 

[RF Lighting]

Do you have someone who can switch the switch on and off for you?

Set your meter to the highest AC voltage setting it has. Test on a known live source that the voltage registers on your meter.

Now turn the power off to the light fitting we are working on, and test between red to the first black, red to the second black, and red to earth.

Now black wire one to black wire two, and black one to earth.
Finally black two to earth.

If no voltage registers, ad can be happy that the circuit is safely isolated and ready to work on.

Set your meter to continuity. It should now beep when you touch the probes together.


Place one probe into the connector with the two red wires in. Connect the other probe to one of the black wires. Switch the switch on and off a few times. If your meter beeps each time the switch is turned on and off, this is your switched live.

If the meter doesn't beep in conjunction with the switch, try the other black wire and repeat the switching on and off. Which ever black wire causes the meters beeper to mimic the switch is your switched live. You should permanently mark it with some red sleeving or tape.


The other black wire is your neutral. It may cause your meter not to beep or to beep all the time, depending what's connected to it, but you don't need to worry which it does.