Live/Neutral wiring on table lamp

BritishBeef · 25 Mar 2015

Hi there.
We have a modern table lamp which had a molded plug on it. I needed to feed the cable through a small hole so cut the plug off and got a replacement plug to replace the molded one. Then I noticed that the two core cable is encased in clear casing with what I thought was no means of identifying live and neutral.

I have since found that one of the cores has a very fine blue string running through it. Can I safely assume that is the neutral? The other core has no obvious identification on it.

Thanks for your time.

wingcoax · 25 Mar 2015

If the lamp holder is a bayonet type it does not really make much difference, but if a screw fitting then use a multimeter to check which one goes to the centre contact and that will be the live.

BritishBeef · 25 Mar 2015

Ah thanks very much wingcoax. It's bayonet. Sorted then.

winston1 · 25 Mar 2015

BritishBeef said:
Ah thanks very much wingcoax. It's bayonet. Sorted then.

Maybe. Is there an inline switch? If so this need to be in the live.

BritishBeef · 25 Mar 2015

winston1 said:
BritishBeef said:

Ah thanks very much wingcoax. It's bayonet. Sorted then.

Click to expand...

Maybe. Is there an inline switch? If so this need to be in the live.

The switch is in the bayonet fitting (usual push bar type).

ban-all-sheds · 25 Mar 2015

Are they typically single pole, or double?

BritishBeef · 25 Mar 2015

ban-all-sheds said:
Are they typically single pole, or double?

OK. Now you've lost me

winston1 · 25 Mar 2015

ban-all-sheds said:
Are they typically single pole, or double?

Single pole, so it is important to get the connections right.

BritishBeef · 25 Mar 2015

I have a multimeter. Can I work it out with that? Of so, could someone tell me how?

bernardgreen · 25 Mar 2015

With the switch ON you will get continuity from one contact in the bayonet to the Live pin of the plug and from the other contact in the bayonet to he Neutral pin. ( Obviously the plug is NOT in the socket )

Turn the switch OFF. One of the two continuities above will no longer be there. If continuity bayonent to the Live pin is still there then the wires in the plug need changing.

BritishBeef · 25 Mar 2015

Excellent! Thanks Bernard

RF Lighting · 25 Mar 2015

winston1 said:
ban-all-sheds said:

Are they typically single pole, or double?

Click to expand...

Single pole, so it is important to get the connections right.

No, they're double pole. Always have been.

ban-all-sheds · 25 Mar 2015

In which case no need to do any polarity checks.

BritishBeef · 25 Mar 2015

So, I'm back to it not mattering then? Or am I

JohnW2 · 25 Mar 2015

BritishBeef said:
So, I'm back to it not mattering then? Or am I

Probably - but you might just as well do the test that was suggested (with multimeter on it's lowest resistance/continuity range, and the lamp obviously not plugged in!) - just so as to be totally sure that you can sleep soundly at night!

Kind Regards, John

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Live/Neutral wiring on table lamp

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