Replacing outdoor light

[tellytv]

Hi,
I'm trying to replace an outdoor light, so basically just taking the old wires out the old light and putting in the new one

However when I unscrewed the the light I noticed the earth cable wire:

it's 2 earth cables in one connection whilst the opposite end hasn't got nothing in?

I checked my other light out the front to see the wiring is different, it's 1 earth wiring in each end.

Any idea which one is right?

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers

 

[bhm1712]

it doesnt matter as long as both cables are joined to each other. One earth is from the supply wiring, and the other earth is from the lamp fitting. They both need to be connected together. In both scenarios, they are connected together, just one is in the same side of the terminal block, and the other is across the terminal block.

 

[tellytv]

thanks

so when I put all the cables in the light has all the cables got to be touching the cables the opposite end? then screw them down? sorry if this sounds stupid but I have no idea.

 

[bhm1712]

I should warn you that doing electrical work if you don't know what your doing is dangerous and should be left to a pro. However this is also a DIY forum so..... Brown is live, blue is neutral and green/yellow is earth. When you wire the new light fitting brown must connect to brown, blue to blue and green/yellow to green/yellow. The normally accepted way when using terminal block is to put the supply on one side and load (light) on the opposite corresponding side.

 

[bhm1712]

I can't see exactly from the pics but it seems there are more than 3 cables coming into the terminal box and without seeing more I cannot say what you need to do with the new lights. How many cables actually enter the light terminal box and how many wires do you have in there?

 

[tellytv]

It's 3 cables, 1 Brown 1 blue and 1 green and yellow, I've connected the colours to match the opposite end however the light isn't working.

I've screwed down the wires.

have the end metal bit of wires that are already in the light got to touch the end metal bit of the wires you put in?

here's what I've done

Thanks

 

[tellytv]

Please help...the gardens dark

 

[EFLImpudence]

Firstly, each pair of screws on a connector goes into one piece of metal so it doesn't matter whether you connect the wires by placing them (all) in one side or opposite each other.

It isn't really possible to tell you what to do without knowing what each cable does.

 

[tellytv]

all I need to know is when you screw the wires down do you screw the plastic down or the metal wire at the end of the cable?

also when you connect each cable in the light is the metal end of the wire meant to touch the metal end of the wire the opposite end?

Cheers

 

[EFLImpudence]

all I need to know is when you screw the wires down do you screw the plastic down or the metal wire at the end of the cable?

The metal - you should remove enough insulation (plastic) so that the conductor (metal) is held by the screw but not sticking out.

also when you connect each cable in the light is the metal end of the wire meant to touch the metal end of the wire the opposite end?

Not necessarily but it doesn't matter if it does.

You could have both conductors held by both screws.

You seem to have caught me in a good mood.

 

[tellytv]

Thanks a lot for your help

So like both the blue metal conductors don't have to touch each other?

I would have thought the the metal conductors would have to meet each other and touch in the middle for the electric to connect?

 

[bhm1712]

The terminal block is a piece of copper with 2 screws in it, covered in plastic insulation. Both ends of the terminal block ( with the screws vertical - one above the other) are the same piece of copper and so connected electrically. The metal conductors of the wires do not need to touch each other.

It appears in the last photo, that you have 2 grey cables entering the terminal box. One is 3 core and one appears to be 4 core, with a red 4th core. Does the grey cable going out on the right of the terminal box go to another light fitting?

I can only assume that the red core is switched live from the light switch as it is connected to one of the white sheathed wires going to the light bulb, with the other white wire connecting to the neutral (blue). The brown wire from the 4 core cable as it is currently connected appears to be connected to the 3 core cable brown through the terminal block on the right hand terminal which then goes somewhere else.

Can you give more details and perhaps a photo of the whole assembly and other lights if you can? for example - is there another outside light? and is this activated from the same switch as the one in the photo?

 

[Taylortwocities]

You have to strip the cable insulation so it looks like this

 

[tellytv]

Thanks for the help

you're right, the light is connected on the same switch as another outdoor light which is working fine.

the red cable was already in there, also the like string cable thats connected to the opposite side of the red and the blue, the metal bit coming into the terminal box I'm pretty sure is the earth cable.

I will try again tomorrow to make sure the conductors are screwed down and not the plastic cable, the only difference I done was put earth cable in the opposite end to the earth cable instead of 2 in 1 but somehow it's not working.

 

[bhm1712]

ok, report back tomorrow.