Dodgy Lighting Wiring

[Chorlton1]

Some spotlights I have were flickering so I turned the power off and had a look at the wiring - I found a loose wire and tightened it up, nothing difficult there.

I did notice that the wiring was a bit strange thought (see pic).

There are four cables into the internal connector block in the fitting. The white one is a link wire to a second remote spotlight in the same room so can be ignored.

From the loft into the fitting there are three cables:

1. One cable has two wires in it. A red one and an earth - I assume this is from the switch.

2. The second cable has only one black wire.

3. The third cable has only one black wire - this is connected to the other black wire into the 'N' terminal of the fitting.

Is this a bit strange? My house was built around 1988.

Untitled

• Chorlton1
• 19 Feb 2009
• 2

 

[luminaire]

I would have expected the red wire to be the permanent live, the black wire on its own to be the switch wire and the other black wire that goes into the neutral connector to be the neutral. This is quite common, but if it is correct the switch wire should have been flagged with red tape.

 

[bernardgreen]

Look like the neutral feed is looped around the lights at the ceiling roses and the live feed is looped around the switches and a switched live ( the red with earth ) taken from the switch to the light fitting.

 

[Chorlton1]

Cheers. I'll try and identify the switch wire and mark it accordingly for future reference.

 

[RF Lighting]

There is nothing which needs marking.

You have an absoloutly normal setup.

It is a singles installation, sometimes known as the conduit method.

Very common in the 80s, but seems to have gone out of vogue a bit these days.

 

[Chorlton1]

Thanks RF Lighting - can you explain what this wiring type a bit more please?

 

[Click-Sure]

It was acceptable in the 80's, It was acceptable at the time...

And still is, I'm a convert to looping in at the switch, have been since they harmonised the colours, one or two rolls of 1.5mm2 twin & earth for the lot now, still have to carry the battered roll of 3&E for my strappers tho!