Light via junction box - re-use white flex?

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Changing an old 70's light fitting in my house (made from metal!! and no earth other than first light on circuit for some reason)

After taking the fitting down i found a long flex cable and after digging around lifting floor boards i found the junction box.
OZ4TMu4l.jpg


I'm going to replace it with a nice cheap plastic mk pendant rose light since class 2 lights cost so much. Is it acceptable to just wire the white flex straight into the mk fitting or would it be better to get some 1.5mm twin and earth?
 
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Twin and earth (1.0mm would be enough) is normally the right stuff to use for this....

BUT

There is a potential can of worms here waiting to be opened and it all comes down to the fine line between a repair or an alteration...

You don't want to go making any alterations to that circuit because if you do, then you'd need to bring it up to modern spec., meaning it would need to be provided with earthing throughout, that concealed junction box would have to go and you'd most likely have to provide RCD protection too. The question is, would replacing that cable with different type be an alteration or a repair? I'd say a repair but it's open to argument.

Assuming you're not going to rewire the whole circuit so that it has an earth present throughout, then I'd stick with the 2 core because at least that makes it obvious that there is no earth. In theory flex isn't meant for fixed wiring but I'd say that having an earth conductor present that isn't connected to anything is a much worse idea.
 
aye when I had the floorboards up I tried to get a route back to the CU by feeding some trunking between the joists luckily i can get to under the bath and from a bit of fishing i could probably get to the cu from inside the cavity.

So one day a new lighting circuit shouldn't be too much hassle but getting to the switches will be another issue hence giving up for now and stick with a ceiling rose and nice lamp shade :)
 
Have you checked to see if those cables do have an earth wire, but they have just been cut off?
 
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First of all, thanks for the crystal clear photo of your installation. It makes it so much easier to get an idea of what's going on.

The cables feeding your junction box are old tinned copper 3/0.29 cables and do not contain an earth. They are PVC insulated and appear to be in reasonable condition.

It would be best to have the circuit rewired in due course, but there doesn't appear to be any immediate rush to do so.

You may fit a pendant set to the end of the existing flex.

Do NOT replace the flex with twin and earth, as you will be left with a floating CPC which will end up with a voltage on it.
 
Thanks guys, yes there is no earth beyond the kitchen light, it has had some refurb work done and a wall removed at some point and looks like they ran a newer cable to the fluorescent tube light which has a earth and also to the 3 switch back box that also switches this light. I've not seen a earth at any other light.

I'm going to have someone working on the consumer unit soon so it will be a chance to make certain that the kitchen light is ran on the newer cable to the cu and earthed.
 
Can I just say that, as a mostly viewer of this forum, I'd like to offer thanks to the OP for clarity of request and to RF, sparkwright and Robin for giving clear, helpful and unpatronising advice.

It's refreshing to see a grown up discussion unfold.

Cheers, all!
 

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