Ceiling Roses! Lighting nightmare

[TBeckett100]

Dear All.

Stupid i know. we knocked two rooms into one, and decided the bathroom didnt need 2 lights, so i proceeded to remove one of the lights.

However, not knowing how circuits work, i released after i cut the wires that half the house is now in darkness.

I assume that I need to connect some wires together to complete the connection, but which ones. Are they all red, black or what? nightmare. The Mrs is giving me hell at the moment about it.

Finally, what do I need to buy to connect the wores together and tuck it away for good? Your help is gratefully apreciated!

 

[plugwash]

you need to find out which of the three cables goes to the switch

then join the OTHER two together with a junction box or similar.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

First tool to reach for is pencil and paper when doing leccy work !

 

[felix]

Look in the ceiling and you should find three or more cables each of which has red, black and earth in it. If you connect all wires of the same colour together, everything will be fine until somebody turns that switch on. This will result in a loud bang from the switch and all the lights will go out!

The easiest way to track down the switch wire is with an ohm meter but here's what I'd do if I didn't have one.

1) Using chocolate block, connect all the earths (bare) together. Do the same with all the neutrals (black) but isolate all the lives (red). Do this with power off; those red wires bite!

2) Find that old light fitting and connect it from the neutrals to each live in turn. Only one of them will light your lamp. That's the live feed from the consumer unit.

3) Connect the light between live feed and each of the other lives in turn. Only one of them will give you a light that goes on and off with the switch. This is the switch wire. Mark it well. The other(s) will give strange results like your light glowing dimly when other lights are on.

4) Connect all your lives EXCEPT THE SWITCH WIRE together with chocolate block. All your lights should work.

5) To finish the job properly, remove each neutral in turn from the common chocolate block. Each will leave you with lights not working - all except for one wire which will have no effect whatsoever. This is your switch wire. Mark it well.

If your old light fitting had a junction box behind it (unlikely) you can use that with a lid on. If not then you'll have to fit one. You could of course use the old rose. Connect all earths together, all lives EXCEPT SWITCH and all neutrals, also except switch. Isolate the two switch wires in choc block.

If you did it right, all your other lights will work and nothing nasty will happen when you flip the switch.