I'm trying to replace a ceiling light and the wiring has got me stumped. There are four red, two black and a green. One cable has a black and a red coming out of it and I thought the black would be the switched live wire (neither of the black ones has a red sheath). But if it is, I then only have one black to wire into neutral and four red to deal with....all or any three of which would go into the terminator block. Anyone have any idea what's going on with it?
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unintelligible wiring!
- Thread starter czeeczee
- Start date
Have you looked at the switch?
Four red and two black would make perfect sense if the switch drop cable is twin red...
Four red and two black would make perfect sense if the switch drop cable is twin red...
Thanks for that - I'll have a look at the switch. But that would suggest that one of the reds goes in the live, and both blacks in the neutral, with the other 3 reds terminated. I tried that - best I achieved was to get the thing to light, but it wouldn't switch off. I think I hate it.....
Possibly like this
-RED Live loop in
-RED Live Loop out (to next ceiling rose)
-RED Live to switch (t&e with two reds)
-RED Switched live from switch (t&e with two reds)
-Black Neutral loop in
-Black Neutral loop out (to next ceiling rose)
-Green/Yellow (maybe just green) EARTH.
As BAS as suggested, look at light switch to confirm two reds. Use a multimeter to identify the two red switch wires at the rose while someone flicks the switch on/off.
-RED Live loop in
-RED Live Loop out (to next ceiling rose)
-RED Live to switch (t&e with two reds)
-RED Switched live from switch (t&e with two reds)
-Black Neutral loop in
-Black Neutral loop out (to next ceiling rose)
-Green/Yellow (maybe just green) EARTH.
As BAS as suggested, look at light switch to confirm two reds. Use a multimeter to identify the two red switch wires at the rose while someone flicks the switch on/off.
Am beginning to think I'm terminally thick! The two reds at the switch was spot on. So I assumed that the cable with two red wires coming out of it was the one with the live switched wire. There are two other cables, both with one red and one black. I'm putting the two black from these into the neutral on the light fitting box, and the two reds into a separate box. That leaves the two reds from the same cable. Presumably the live switched (whichever that is) goes into the live on the light fitting, and the other one into the separate box with the two reds from the other cables? Except it doesn't work. tried both of them in turn. And I haven't managed to blow the fuse with my useless efforts because the upstream lights are still working. I'm almost ready to take up knitting instead. Or maybe I'll just take up drinking.....
Try this more details
1)-RED Live loop in (this red will be in the same cable as the black in 5 and should be connected to reds 2 and 3)
2)-RED Live Loop out (this cable will be in the same cable as the black in 6 and should be connected to reds 1and 3)
3)-RED Live to switch (this must be connected to the reds 1 and 2 )
4)-RED Switched live from switch (this must be connected to the brown or red light drop to the bulb)
5)-Black Neutral loop in (this must be connected to black 6 )
6)-Black Neutral loop out (this must be connected to black 5 )
7)-Green/Yellow (maybe just green) EARTH.
Don't forget the blue or brown drop to the neutral side of the bulb. That connects to blacks 5 and 6.
Just do it step by step - it will work provided you have a working bulb, working switch and power.
PS, DO NOT WORK LIVE.
...of waiting for electrician and thought I'd save a bit of time by doing this myself. I must have been off my trolley! This is almost enough to make me sorry I'm not married to the very practical man I used to be married to..... Anyway...I've defo been along the right lines. I have managed to get the light on. I just can't get it off again. When you say reds 1,2 and 3 should be connected, is it enough to have them in separate bits of the same connector block or should I be stuffing them all in the same hole, as it were? As for not working live - I suspect I haven't been doing that for a long time.....and not just with electrics! You're very kind and patient. In my own defence, I'm quite good at wallpapering and tiling...
I'm rubbish at both, my wife does any wallpapering
Try this, when you look at it this way there are only THREE groups of connections:
All these REDs connected together. Not all required in the same hole but must be connected via the brass connector block.
1)-RED Live loop in (this red will be in the same cable as the black in 5 and should be connected to reds 2 and 3)
2)-RED Live Loop out (this cable will be in the same cable as the black in 6 and should be connected to reds 1and 3)
3)-RED Live to switch (this must be connected to the reds 1 and 2 )
4)-RED Switched live from switch (this must be connected to the brown or red light drop to the bulb - nothing else)
All these BLACKs connected together. Not all required in the same hole but must be connected via the brass connector block.
5)-Black Neutral loop in (this must be connected to black 6 )
6)-Black Neutral loop out (this must be connected to black 5 )
7)-Blue or black from bulb holder must also connect directly with these.
I'm doing that, honest! I have three reds in a connector block off to one side for wrapping with insulating tape, I have two blacks in the neutral connection of the light fitting, I have a green one in earth and I have a fourth red in the live of the light fitting. I have little or no clue where each of the reds comes from but I have actually tried all of them in turn in the live connection. One of them - only one - puts the light on - but it won't switch off. On the plus side, I'm going to be fit as a lop with all of this leaping on and off ladders and running up and down the stairs to turn the power on/off. Am getting a bit ga-ga with it all so have taken to checking an upstream light before getting up the ladder again, just in case I've got confused!
I don't think czeeczee is using the loop connector.
Are you sure you have them in the same connector?
What's a loop connector? Hang on a minute - I seem to remember something hitting the floor and bouncing under the bed when I took the old one off. The dead flies landing on my face were putting me off a bit. Is there more than one kind of connector block? Cos if there is I bet the right one is under the bed and the wrong one dangling balefully from my ceiling....... I was going for the DES approach (Drink coffee, Eat peanuts and Sulk), but I'll get up there and have another look...
Don't think so.
They must be connected together.
Please spend some time learning how lighting circuits work...
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting
Don't think so.
They must be connected together.
Please spend some time learning how lighting circuits work...
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting
Don't think so.
They must be connected together.
Please spend some time learning how lighting circuits work...
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting
Don't think so.
They must be connected together.
Please spend some time learning how lighting circuits work...
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting
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