Difficulty identifying current garage lighting

[ROBMP]

Hi,
I've got a single light in the garage which I want to replace with a couple of fluorescent strip lights.
Had a look last night to see how it's currently wired and I'm struggling to identify what I've got.
There are 2 x two core cables (1mm) without earthing.
One cable has 2 black cores, the other has 2 red cores.
The light switch is as per normal, two core and earth (red & black core).
So I don't know which is my switch and which is my circuit cable.
By the looks of it, this used to be a strip light, as some of the old brackets are still in place.
As far as connections go, one of the black core cables is connected to the live on the light fixture, the other black core is connected to the neutral on the light fixture.
The two red core cables (from the same two core cable) are connected to each other on a separate connector block.
I was hoping to swap out the existing light for a fluorescent strip light as well as add an additional fluorescent strip light, running from the same switch.
Apologies for the essay!

 

[Steve]

no earth = no fluorescent lights

 

[ROBMP]

thanks Crafty

If this is the case, can anyone tell me how I would go about adding another light from the existing one (if possible at all).

I'm just looking to add a bit more light to the garage (which will be used as a home gym) so I guess they don't necessarily have to be strip lights.

 

[securespark]

2 x red and 2 x black?

You sure it's not just 2 x red/black mixed up?

You can get DI flu strips that plug into a batten lampholder.

But if you have no earth, you should consider a rewire.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So I don't know which is my switch and which is my circuit cable.

Won't take long with a multimeter to identify things....

 

[Steve]

ROBMP, simply copy the connections to the existing lampholder at the new lampholder. should just be neutral and switched live you need to take to the new lights. Terminate the earth wires in the earth terminals in case someone rewires at some time.

Secure's right though - they make a striplight that plugs into a battenholder and thus doesn't need an earth, but it looks foul and i suspect not very hard-wearing. Think argos sell them.

 

[ROBMP]

Hi all,
Have been away for a few days but am now back to try and finish this job off.
Firstly, have to hold up my hands here, I got it wrong, the flexes are a black/red mix rather than a black/black & red/red as previously stated.
However, I'm sure that there is no earth coming from the circuit cable.
I think the garage fitting should be currently wired to the lounge fitting, as this would route through a part integral garage wall, whats the best way to trace this out for definate?
I reckon I'll then go and strip out the existing circuit cables and replace, should I use 1.0 Twin and Earth or 1.5?
Thanks
Rob

 

[jondiy]

I reckon you've got an earth hidden inside the pvc cable. If somebody bothered to run a twin and earth switch wire, then you SHOULD have at least that same twin and earth switch wire connected to your light !! The fact that they never connected it to the incoming earth loop shows signs of a cowboy!

Why not strip some of the cable back a bit at the light, to see if you can find the earth. However, even if you do find it , chances are, wherever it feeds from , is probably not connected either.

With ref to replacing the cables , 1mm T&E will be fine. To trace the cables, go upstairs and lift your floorboards directly avove where the light goes, then take it from there.

Before you do this, check your earths in the other lights , if they don't have any, then its definitely time for a full rewire!

 

[ROBMP]

Hi Jondiy,
Thanks for your comments/advice.
I've now stripped out the entire cable, still no sign of an earth, the circuit cables look identical to the switch cables yet one has an earth and one doesn't!
Anyway, have now checked the rest of the light fittings downstairs and all are earthed correctly, so have run in a new circuit cable to the garage, connected upto the existing light fitting, all works fine.

So now I have the correct earthing to the current light fitting, can you offer some advice as to how I go about replacing the fitting itself.
The plan is to replace the current fitting with some kind of strip light (I guess the wiring here would be like for like) , and then to run a further strip light from this new one.
Would this be done in series?
Thanks again
Rob