4 cables in a ceiling Rose??

[mike080381]

Hi, I was wondering if someone could help me!

I am changing an old ceiling rose over to a new halogen light fitting.
I removed the wires from the old rose, having identified one wire as the switched live (the black & red cable). I thought that having identified this wire, it was a matter of matching the other colours. Maybe I was wrong.

The set-up I have is two ceiling roses, connected to two switches - both turning the two lights on and off simultanously.

The problem I have is that there are 4 cables coming out of the ceiling with the rose.
Cable 1; Red, Black, Earth
Cable 2; Red, Black, Earth
Cable 3; Red, Red & Black, Earth
Cable 4; Red, Red, Earth.

To this I need to connect the light, which is Blue, Brown and Earth.
I know that Red/Brown are same, and that blue/black are the same.
I have no problems with the Earthing.
The thing that is complicating matters is the cable 4, I have no idea what this does.
On the main control unit, the same circuit breaker also controls the smoke alarm, which is near this rose, but I'm not too sure about this.


MANY THANKS!!!!!

 

[breezer]

if you are sure you know which is the swithccable, it should be easy

1 should be feed in,
1 should be feed out
1 should be smoke detector supply

1 is switch cable (but you know which that one is)

look in the wiki or sticky to see how its done, you have done the worst bit already

View media item 1257

 

[Taylortwocities]

I'm a bit confused about:
Cable 3; Red, Red & Black, Earth

Two reds and a black? are you sure?
Are those the actual colours in the cable or are they sleeved like that?

 

[mike080381]

Two reds and a black? are you sure?

Sorry, it's not two Reds and a black, it is Two Reds (one is sleeved with Black) and an Earth.

Thanks.

 

[mike080381]

Okay, I got it slightly wrong, it's got two lamps, and 3 switches... I'm auuming this is the other cable - what terminals should I hook this on up to in the rose???

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Waits for OP to get slap on wrist for posting the same question twice.

 

[mike080381]

It was two slightly different questions about the same thing. I started one question thread with the incorrect information.
Sorry if this isn't allowed!!!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Oh well.

I assumed these two were the lines to carry power to th rest of the ring of lights on that floor.

Don't assume - check with your multimeter, and physically trace the cables as much as you reasonably can.

Cable 3: Red, Red with Black tape around, Earth
Cable 4: Red, Red, Earth.
I assumed these were the cables for the switches, with the black and red wire being the live return.

Err... ditto.

I have can wire up a simple rose, but the extra cable (number 4), is confussing me, and I I leave this out, and hook it up as it should be, the switches appear to be inactive, and the rest of the lights in the house are very very dim.....

Then at least one of your assumptions was wrong, and you've managed to get some of the lights in series.

You need to check with your multimeter, and to physically trace the cables as much as you reasonably can.