I have taken down a fluorescent strip light from my kitchen, and have put up a 4 spotlight strip. I turned on the power and the light looks great, untill I switch it off at the wall ( only 1 wall switch in kitchen ) then the trip for the lights in the kitchen, d/s bathroom and understairs cupboard goes pop. I am not Mr Electrical, but I have never had a prob with electrics before. We have replaced the wall switch incase that was damaged. Can N E 1 shed any light, excuse the pun!
Fluorescent Kitchen Light
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I will guess you have combined switch wire with neutrals. Often same colour although switch wire should have a sleeve. And the lights work when switched off but on switching on you have direct short. As you have taken permanent line to lamps rather then the switched line wire.
Many thanks for the reply, the wires are two red, two black and two earth, which I had to sleeve ( the Earth wires ). Is there any easy way to rewire the correct way without multimeter as mine has not been returned by "a mate".
As there are only two cables, one of them will be the supply and the other one will be for the switch.
Without a meter, one way to identify them:
1. Switch OFF the power
2. Connect ONE of the cables (black/red/earth) to the light fitting. Put the other black/red/earth into a separate 3 way terminal strip.
3. Switch the power ON. If the light comes on, the cable connected to the light is the supply. If not, then the cable connected to the light is for the switch.
4. Switch OFF and mark the cables with a pen or label.
Once you have identified which is which:
- Both of the red wires join in a separate terminal block.
- The Black wire from the supply cable connects to the neutral on the light fitting.
- The Black wire from the switch cable connects to the live on the light fitting (with a red sleeve to indicate it is live)
- Both earth wires connect to the earth terminal on the light fitting.
Without a meter, one way to identify them:
1. Switch OFF the power
2. Connect ONE of the cables (black/red/earth) to the light fitting. Put the other black/red/earth into a separate 3 way terminal strip.
3. Switch the power ON. If the light comes on, the cable connected to the light is the supply. If not, then the cable connected to the light is for the switch.
4. Switch OFF and mark the cables with a pen or label.
Once you have identified which is which:
- Both of the red wires join in a separate terminal block.
- The Black wire from the supply cable connects to the neutral on the light fitting.
- The Black wire from the switch cable connects to the live on the light fitting (with a red sleeve to indicate it is live)
- Both earth wires connect to the earth terminal on the light fitting.
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I will try that when I get back home. Cheers for your help, my wife has always said the internet is a wonderfull place, she is so right.
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