ceiling light has stray wire!

sumhouse · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:22 pm Post Subject: ceiling light has stray wire!

I\\\'ve just removed an old ceiling fan, wanting to replace it. But am thrown by the wires! My new light has a 3way connector block but the cables from the ceiling are joined to a 4 way block. There are 3 cables wired as the following.. 2blacks,2 red plus 1 not attached to anything, earth, and 1 black.
I can fit the 3 way block under the new light fitting but am totally confused by the stray red. It may have even come out when the fan was removed. Any help would be most grateful.

sparkyspike · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:18 pm Post Subject:

Are there two reds wired together and two blacks wired together and then one black on its own plus the earths and a spare red? If so, ONE possibility is that the red has indeed come out of its terminal. Check and see if it has had its end stripped. Also check inside your light switch. Does it just have a red and black wire plus the earth? If this is the case, then proceed like this:

Turn off the power. You need to connect all the reds together, and put them in an unused terminal. Then you need to identify which black wire is on its own (it should have a red sleeve on it) and this goes into the Switched Live terminal of your light. The other 2 blacks are Neutral.

If you're not sure, get an electrician. If you have a multimeter then use it to check which wires are which. Remember this is just one scenario. You could also have an extra live which controlled the fan separately. Make sure this isn't the case.

bernardgreen · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:26 pm Post Subject:

Quote:

I\\\'ve just removed an old ceiling fan, wanting to replace it. But am thrown by the wires! My new light

Is this replacing a fan with a light ?. Or replacing a combined fan and light unit with a light ?

sumhouse · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:00 am Post Subject:

Yes, red wire had come out and should of been wired in! Many thanks for quick response.