Why wont my new light fitment work !!!!!

[Rzw]

ok thanks!!


do you see on the photo where everything is taped up for safety - the two brown are already in a plastic box.... is that ok then to leave them like that - then wire the rest in as i should.....?

Im sure i already tried it that way but maybe not - i got too confused. I think by wiring in ALL the brown was how i got it to come on but never turn off,

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Yes the connector on the brown cables is okay.

i got too confused. I think by wiring in ALL the brown was how i got it to come on but never turn off,

It will as you have made the light permanently live by doing that, therefore cancelling out the function of the switch

 

[333rocky333]

You need a separate 5 amp connection block for the two red cores,

where do i get the 5amp connection box from

You could remove and use the one from the earths in picture one, as the earths will go on the block provided with the new light that then pushes on the metal tab of the fitting

Untitled

• Rzw
• 3 Jan 2012
• 1

Untitled

• Rzw
• 3 Jan 2012
• 1

 

[sparkwright]

You need a separate 5 amp connection block for the two red cores,

What?

Brown cores?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You need a separate 5 amp connection block for the two red cores,

Oh bugger

What?
Brown cores?

okay point made
I have edited post for clarity and **** take!
But the op got it.

ok thanks!!
do you see on the photo where everything is taped up for safety - the two brown are already in a plastic box...

and I was then back in the world of harmonised coloured conductors

Yes the connector on the brown cables is okay.

So pyss off!

 

[Rzw]

oh guys dont confuse me!! ok i know what to do and will action tonight:

i leave the 2 brown alone and connected in their separate box
I put blue into neutral on light
I put blue with brown tape into live
I put earth into earth
I make sure the blank earth on the light fitment has the metal tab from the light fitment pushed into it.

And should work.

I am sure i did this configuration before but maybe i didnt..... i will let you all know tonight.... fingers crossed.

I will also undo the downstairs light and make sure the metal tab is in the earth socket.

if this works then i am still confused how the old light worked... from the picture you can see it doesnt look right!!!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

oh guys dont confuse me!! ok i know what to do and will action tonight:

i leave the 2 brown alone and connected in their separate box
I put blue into neutral on light
I put blue with brown tape into live
I put earth into earth
I make sure the blank earth on the light fitment has the metal tab from the light fitment pushed into it.

And should work.

I am sure i did this configuration before but maybe i didnt..... i will let you all know tonight.... fingers crossed.

I will also undo the downstairs light and make sure the metal tab is in the earth socket.

That's it

if this works then i am still confused how the old light worked... from the picture you can see it doesnt look right!!!

why? Can't see the other light was it connected to two lamps? Must admit the core colours look alike but the lamp don't know that!
Just out of interest what distance is there between the new fitting and your smoke detector, it's hard to tell by the photo but the should be at least 300mm between them.

 

[Rzw]

Hi all!

Ok so i rewired the light and..... it DIDNT work... gutted.... so i spent some time looking at the switches. This is a hallway with a light at bottom and light at top and a double switch at bottom and top.

Although i had copied the switches when changing faceplates i noticed they were both different. So i made some changes and BINGO the light worked. BUT I have 2 more problems now:

1. the light upstairs and downstairs ONLY work on their individual switches - before you could turn them both on / off from either of the double switches.

2. The earth is a metal strip in the light fitment.... it is physically impossible to attach it to the earth hole in the plastic box.... you just cant do it and fit all the wires in the space available.

Regarding problem 1 i have attached 2 new photos of how the double switches are wired.... the 'silver' faceplate is the downstairs one and the white faceplate (if you can tell) is the upstairs one.

As always - i welcome your comments and help

 

[sparkwright]

Seen your switch pictures. Which picture is upstairs?
The white switch is definitely wired wrong.

What have you altered and what remains the same?

The white switch looks old, yet the wiring must have been altered.

As regards to the earth terminal, one end should fit over the earth strip. Don't put too much of the strip in, as there won't be any space in the other end ofd the terminal for the earth wires to fit.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

5A are the lowest you will find

 

[Electrifying]

RZW,

I'm having trouble understanding how the switches operated before you 'fiddled' with them.

Am I right in the following description - if not, could you describe how each switch operated before the wiring was changed.

Downstairs double switch...

Switch 1 operates downstairs light - on/off
Switch 2 switches upstairs light on/off (whilst switch 1 is on)

Switch 3 operates upstairs light on/off
Switch 4 operates downstairs light on/off (whilst switch 3 is on)

This is the impression I'm getting from you from the couple of comments you've made.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

he needs a multimeter, there is firk up somewhere from what I can see.

 

[Rzw]

Hiya. To be honest I can't remember what happened with the old lights. They had a double switch at top of hall and double switch at bottom of hall. I thought that both switches operated both lights hence they are both double switches BUT my friend is convinced that only one worked both lights and the other only worked one. The situation now is despite two switches on each light only one operates the light nearest to it. So you have to use up stairs switch to turn on upstairs light and downstairs to turn on downstairs light. Basically know need for double switches may as well be single switch. On the old lights at least one of the double switches operated up and down. White faceplate is downstairs silver is up.

Still can't get the metal earth strip in. There's just too many wires to squeeze in. What's the consequences of not doing it I'm worried!

 

[sparkwright]

Hiya. To be honest I can't remember what happened with the old lights. They had a double switch at top of hall and double switch at bottom of hall. I thought that both switches operated both lights hence they are both double switches BUT my friend is convinced that only one worked both lights and the other only worked one. The situation now is despite two switches on each light only one operates the light nearest to it. So you have to use up stairs switch to turn on upstairs light and downstairs to turn on downstairs light. Basically know need for double switches may as well be single switch. On the old lights at least one of the double switches operated up and down. White faceplate is downstairs silver is up.

Still can't get the metal earth strip in. There's just too many wires to squeeze in. What's the consequences of not doing it I'm worried!

Could it have been the case downstairs was a 2 gang (double) switch, one switch doing downstairs, other switch doing upstairs?

And upstairs was a 1 gang (single) switch just doing upstairs?

I think this may be easy to achieve.

Can't you get the metal strip on it's own?

 

[333rocky333]

Still can't get the metal earth strip in. There's just too many wires to squeeze in. What's the consequences of not doing it I'm worried!

Put the wires in a bigger block and use a short peice of earth wire from that to the second block that pushes on to the metal tab