Hope someone can help before I go completely mad, I have 2 cables coming from ceiling one with 2 reds and 1 yellow green the other has 1 red, 1 yellow green and 1 black. I have connected reds to brown, yellow green to yellow green and black to blue, the lights come on but I am unable to turn them off at the light switch. Any help would be gratefully appreciated, I have never had this problem before but this is the first time I have used a spotlight. Thanks
Changed a pendant to spotlight and it will not switch off
- Thread starter Berni967
- Start date
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You have connected permanent live to the light and looped out the switch.
It is very likely by what you have explained that the Cable with red, black, green/yellow colour cores is the perm live and neutral.
So the black core should go to the neutral of new fitting.
The red should then be connected to one of the reds from the other set of cables. This is done in a loop terminal and not connected directly to the fitting, so a small terminal connector is required.
Then the second red of that pair, is connected to the live terminal of fitting.
This leaves all the earth conductors (green/yellows) to be terminated to the earth terminal.
Ideally you should confirm the perm live and neutral and switch cables prior to connecting.
It is very likely by what you have explained that the Cable with red, black, green/yellow colour cores is the perm live and neutral.
So the black core should go to the neutral of new fitting.
The red should then be connected to one of the reds from the other set of cables. This is done in a loop terminal and not connected directly to the fitting, so a small terminal connector is required.
Then the second red of that pair, is connected to the live terminal of fitting.
This leaves all the earth conductors (green/yellows) to be terminated to the earth terminal.
Ideally you should confirm the perm live and neutral and switch cables prior to connecting.
The pendant had a row of connectors, from the left 2 L, 3 LOOP and 3 neutral.
The spotlight has a block connector with 4 connectors on either side from the left 4th block provided for loop termination if necessary.
In the 3rd block switched live from house supply to Brown (L) from light fitting.
In the 2nd block Earth (green/yellow) from house supply to Green/Yellow from light fitting.
In the 1st block Neutral (usually 2 black) from the house supply to Blue (N) from light fitting.
As I only have 1 black wire I'm a bit confused about putting 2 black in the Neutral 1st block as stated in the instructions.
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Thank you so much for replying, I just wanted to check the way the blocks are set out.
The pendant had a row of connectors, from the left 2 L, 3 LOOP and 3 neutral.
The spotlight has a block connector with 4 connectors on either side from the left 4th block provided for loop termination if necessary.
In the 3rd block switched live from house supply to Brown (L) from light fitting.
In the 2nd block Earth (green/yellow) from house supply to Green/Yellow from light fitting.
In the 1st block Neutral (usually 2 black) from the house supply to Blue (N) from light fitting.
As I only have 1 black wire I'm a bit confused about putting 2 black in the Neutral 1st block as stated in the instructions.
So you use block 4 as your loop, likely to be one of the reds from the set of cables with two red conductors, also connect the other red from red and black set. If you take the cover plate off switch that operates this light, I would expect to find the two reds and earth cable.
In block 3, goes the second red (should only be this red left) from set of two reds, this is known as the switch live.
In block 2, all green/yellow (earths/CPCs)
In block 1, the single black conductor.
It is not unusual to have only one single neutral conductor left to terminate, very much depends on how circuit is configured and where on the circuit you are working.
In block 3, goes the second red (should only be this red left) from set of two reds, this is known as the switch live.
In block 2, all green/yellow (earths/CPCs)
In block 1, the single black conductor.
It is not unusual to have only one single neutral conductor left to terminate, very much depends on how circuit is configured and where on the circuit you are working.
[SIGH]
Why are so many people unable to grasp the idea of not fiddling with things when they don't know how they work?
[/SIGH]
Why are so many people unable to grasp the idea of not fiddling with things when they don't know how they work?
[/SIGH]
This reinforces my opinion (from auto-electrics) that a switched live should be the main colour plus a tracer colour, (e.g. brown with white tracer). Thus the switch wire would always readily identifiable.
Footnote: Even more important now that BLACK is a phase, and BLUE (which used to be a phase colour) is now the NEUTRAL!!! Thanks to Brussels for that). Rule Britannia.
Footnote: Even more important now that BLACK is a phase, and BLUE (which used to be a phase colour) is now the NEUTRAL!!! Thanks to Brussels for that). Rule Britannia.
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