Replacing ceiling rose

Blah · 8 Feb 2010

Hi. I'm replacing the lights in our kitchen with some new ones. There are two lights which operate off a 2 gang switch, so one switch operates one light, the other operates the second light.
Replacing the first light went OK - there was only a black and red so it was straightforward to connect.
Replacing the second light has been more complicated though. There are 9 lots of wires from the ceiling , 3 red, 3 black and 3 earth: 3 sets of 3 wires. One set of wires gives a reading on my ohm meter when the switches are on, so I'm presuming these are the switch wires. A second set give a reading all the time, which I think means they go to the second light. The third set give no reading at all.

So do I go about connecting the ceiling rose on this second light back up?

sparkwright · 8 Feb 2010

Have a look behind the 2-gang switch.

Can you confirm that the switch that controls the light with all those wires only has one cable (two individual cores)?

It sounds like the light is wired in traditional loop-in three-plate wiring.
Feed in.
Feed out.
Switch cable.

3 lives together in separate block.
Switch wire to live of light.
2 neutrals to light.

I'm surprised you didn't make a note of where the wires went to first.

securespark · 8 Feb 2010

PICTURES!

spark1 · 8 Feb 2010

I second Sparwrights reply......incidently you state....

Replacing the first light went OK - there was only a black and red so it was straightforward to connect. ,No g/y then ?

.....Hope it was not a class 1 Light Fitting you installed

Blah · 9 Feb 2010

These are the lights we're putting up:
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Lille-Triple-Bar-Spotlight/invt/162018

I was a bit

that there was no earth on the first light but all three cables in the second one have one.

I haven't been able to get a photo just yet so this is a diagram of the cables for the second light.

Untitled

Blah
9 Feb 2010
1

I'll get photos of this and the switch tonight.

I'm thinking I should just get an electrician in to do this as we need to have a cooker connected as well

sparkwright · 9 Feb 2010

I assume you are measuring resistance with your tester, with the power OFF.

It seems you have already identified the switch cable.
To confirm it, the reading will be there when the switch is on and the reading goes when the switch is off.

That leaves two remaining cables.
Assuming that you have just one switch operating just that one light, the cables will simply be feed in and feed out.

The reason you get a reading on one of these cables is because it is connected to the rest of the house, and you are getting a resistance through some bulbs or an electrical fitting.

But it seems they are both feed cables, and you have a switch cable.

ban-all-sheds · 9 Feb 2010

Blah said:
Replacing the second light has been more complicated though. There are 9 lots of wires from the ceiling , 3 red, 3 black and 3 earth: 3 sets of 3 wires.

Like this?:

electrics:lighting:single_way_lighting:lr.gif

Basic basic basic stuff - if you find it complicated you should put down your screwdrivers and pick up a few books.

ban-all-sheds · 9 Feb 2010

securespark said:
PICTURES!

HERE!

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Replacing ceiling rose

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