Electrical Problem

[Dave Mac]

Can somebody please help !!!!
I recently bought a new light fitting for the top of the stair well in my home without remembering the set up of the wiring. There are 5 wires coming out from the ceiling, 2 red, 2 brown and 1 earth. The new light fitting only has 3 wires attached. 1 brown, 1 blue and 1 earth.

I have tried wiring both of the reds together and also the 2 browns together without success, each time I put the fuse back in to the main board the light is on and when I switch it off the fuse blows. If someone could help I would be grateful....

 

[plugwash]

two red and two brown?!

do you mean two red and two black?

also i find the presence of only one earth a little worrying

i'd get a sparky in the wring sounds dodgy anyway and the fact that you didn't notice this and check the original wiring before removing the lamp tells me you are way out of your depth

 

[TonyS]

One of the cable is line neuteral and hopefuly the earth, the other is the switch cable.

Conect the two reds together but not to the light fitting. Conect the blacks one to the blue and the other to the brown. The lack of a second earth means the switch box is unearthed, not ideal, but not uncommon.