Connector inside of light fitting?

[RrogerD]

I've just purchased a couple of light fittings, direct from China. They come completely dis-assembled in a couple of small cardboard boxes and can pretty easily be put together. However, there appears to be the wire-connectors missing that go inside of the fitting, connecting the six arms to the main power wire (see pic).

Can anyone send me a link please to the type of connector needed?

Would it be a single connector and I stuff in the whole six wires or, should I use three and three and then join these?

What is normal practise?

Thanks

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Mmm... Looks like some 'wirenuts' in the bag (shudder). Americans use these to screw on to sets of wires to join them together. Although they are relatively effective when they work, I would never use them as it is hard to verify correct connection. If it were me I'd probably get some wagos, but they probably don't go up to 7 way. Choc block is probably the simplest bet here. I expect you could get them all in one way of the choc block but play it be ear.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Wago 221 5 Way Compact Lever Connectors

A five-way compact splicing connector with handy lever for quick and hassle-free installations. Use this pack of reusable Wago 221 connectors for solid, stranded and flexible cables.These connectors couldn’t be easier to use – simply pull the lever up to 90°, insert a stripped conductor and push...

www.toolstation.com

one live wire per "receptacle/hole" on the wago and four in one then link to the other one that gets connected to the supply, repeat for the neutrals.
and those supplied "wirenuts mentioned dont look any where near big enough to accept more than a couple of wires so bin them

 

[ericmark]

Often they are connected with wire nuts or crimps, then shrink sleeve used. I however I split the lights, so I could select how many bulbs are lit, and used a smart relay. What you do is up to you, the main problem is getting what you use to fit in the space, may have to use crimps to fit in that space.

 

[RandomGrinch]

I am willing to be corrected, but as I see it, you currently have a double insulated light fitting - any of the solutions involving chock blocks or Wagos mounted in that small space, would lose the double insulated nature of the fitting.
You would probably need to attach an earth connection to the metal hub (not the most difficult job).
Alternatively, you could connect the wires into a lighting connector (i.e. Greenbrook ), or a maintenance free junction box, that would slide up into the ceiling void. This would not require any further modification to the light fitting, to maintaing it's double insulation.

EDIT: one of the cables looks a little thicker than the others, could it be 3 core?

 

[Rodders53]

Mmm... Looks like some 'wirenuts' in the bag (shudder).

Look more like crimps to me. RS call them "Closed end wire crimps". Wirenuts are typically harder plastic and brightly coloured (to size/wire gauge).
Not sure how they work with any double insulation requirements (copious heatshrink)?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Look more like crimps to me. RS call them "Closed end wire crimps". Wirenuts are typically harder plastic and brightly coloured (to size/wire gauge).
Not sure how they work with any double insulation requirements (copious heatshrink)?

I do see your point. I wonder, though, why they provide these to an end user, without the appropriate tool.

 

[opps]

Did you buy it via eBay? If yes, flag it as not be up to UK spec. If shipped from China, the retailer will not want to pay for an RMA. The shipping here would have been really cheap, the return shipping may well be 10 (?) times higher.

Once you get a full refund, use that to pay for the bits required.

 

[RrogerD]

Thanks everyone for your tips.

The three-prong fitting, (I bought a 3-prong and a 6-prong) I've used a choc-block as only 4x wires in total of each live and neutral. Soldered the pairs together before screwing into the block. For the 6x prong fitting I'll purchase a Wago or similar I think.

The single, thicker supply wire is two-core.

I do have an earth-bond supplied. Where about should this go? I was going to put it in the top-end / ceiling rose.

I didn't buy from Ebay, it was a direct purchase from LightingO dot co dot uk. Unfortunately my due diligence failed as I was led to believe that they were uk based with a promised dispatch time of 3-5 days etc according to their website. In the end dispatch was three weeks and final delivery 5 weeks. The usual, non-communication throughout the process.

 

[markyd1]

Bin it....get a new one from Uk

 

[terryplumb]

Is there no earth conductor present in the supply cable ?
You indicated it's only 2 core ?
There is nothing about the fitting in your first pic that suggests it's double insulated ,class 2 fitting.

 

[flameport]

it was a direct purchase from LightingO dot co dot uk

A site with a distinct lack of contact information, including where they are located.

What you have shown in the photos is at best a partially assembled item which is not fit for purpose.
If the products supplied don't have user instructions and a UKCA or CE mark, they have been supplied illegally.

How did you pay for these things?

 

[markyd1]

A site with a distinct lack of contact information, including where they are located.

What you have shown in the photos is at best a partially assembled item which is not fit for purpose.
If the products supplied don't have user instructions and a UKCA or CE mark, they have been supplied illegally.

How did you pay for these things?

As i said Bin it and buy one from the Uk

 

[RrogerD]

A site with a distinct lack of contact information, including where they are located.

What you have shown in the photos is at best a partially assembled item which is not fit for purpose.
If the products supplied don't have user instructions and a UKCA or CE mark, they have been supplied illegally.

How did you pay for these things?

Oh dear, now this does worry me. The pics in my initial post are the unit with me having put it all together. It came in a small box with all of the items wrapped in plastic. There are no assemble instructions. The 'Product Use Manual' is very generic and doesn't relate to this item tbh. It does show a CE mark on the 'manual' but no numbers or BS standard etc.

Where do I go from here?

It was paid for direct by credit card. Although as always with these things they tend to go through a 3rd party payment system like worldpay etc.

 

[RrogerD]

As i said Bin it and buy one from the Uk

Not really an option. It cost ~£200. I think I'd like to try and get something resolved at least as an initial point of call.
But I agree,I am a little worried about the construction and installation.
The bulbs have no CE or BS marks on them and don't state the wattage. The wires are very thin, more like headphone wire thickness.