Need Help with Lights!

We are trying to replace a fluorescent tube light with a group of spotlights, but my dad removed the old fitting without noting which cables went where!
We are stuck with three pairs of 3 core cables, 2x Red/Black and 1x Red/Red, all of these with an earth wire.
We need to link it to a single switch and the ring main, but havent got a metre so cant tell which wires are which!
Can anyone help?

You might be in luck - is the cable at the switch red/red?

If so you need to do this:

Join the two reds from the red/black cables and ONE of the red/red together in a JB or choc-block

Join all the blacks and a connection to the neutral of the light together.

Join all the earths together, including the earth of the light fitting if it has one.

Connect the one remaining red from the red/red to the live of the light.


And go and buy a multimeter for a future occasion.


If not, then you will need a meter, or a voltstick now, as you will need to identify which wires are permanently live, and which are not.

Thank You Sir! You've saved our kitchen.