Halogen spotlight

[maypen]

Hi
i would appreciate some help to my query. I have a new Spotlight fitting with 3 lights. There is a 3 block chocolate connector which holds the cables. There is two small wires (black and white) going from each spotlight to the block. There is also an earth wire connected between the block and the metal ceiling bracket.

1) Does this sound like a low voltage unit
2) Which of the wires is live and neutral

The lights are made by Ring and is model no 51294 taking GU10 bulbs.

Cheers

 

[Adam_151]

The lights are made by Ring and is model no 51294 taking GU10 bulbs.

1) Does this sound like a low voltage unit.

Yes (You might want to make sure that you are clear on your definitions though)

2) Which of the wires is live and neutral

With a GU10 fitting it doesn't really matter, they seem strange colours for a unit designed for sale in the UK though, you could confirm with the supplier that it meets all relevant British standards, if it does, then I'd connect the black to live and the white to neutral, but very little harm would come from connecting it the other way



Cheers

 

[RF Lighting]

Black and white wires AFAIK are standard across north america.

 

[securespark]

Bayonet lamps are not polarised.

Yes, they are Low Voltage, but in your case, this means they are 230V.

SELV is the term used for light fittings that operate at 12V.

 

[Adam_151]

Black and white wires AFAIK are standard across north america.

Yup,
Black is 'hot' , white is neutral, red is the other 'hot' (180 degrees out of phase with the black) and 220v is used for stoves, tumble dryiers and air conditioners etc, where motors are concerned, they have a third phase coloured blue and called the 'wild leg' which is 90 degrees from both red and black (I reckon our 120 degree spacing makes more sense lol)

AFAIK TNCS is pretty widely used over there, and they have a single bar in the 'panel' for both neutral and ground, they don't seem to have any such thing as a split load panel, nor an RCD incommer*, instead they use GFCIs on individual branch circuits, which are RCBOs, however an RCD outlet is just an RCD (got that?, right)

*They do have a main breaker (unless the panel is a subpanel and has less than 8 branch circuits IIRC), as to size of supplies, 100A on each leg (100A @ 220v, or 200A @ 110v) is rather on the small side these days and 200A per leg is quite normal in larger households, 60A per leg is comething from the dark ages

Oh their 'regs' are called the NEC (national electricial code), but individual areas might have additional rules

Hows that for amercian electricial system knowledge

(no doubt plugwash will come and beat it, lol)

 

[breezer]

several times I have used some lights made by "ring" guess what colour the wires were?

yes, black and white. Perhaps thy brought a job lot of black and white cable

 

[Job_n_knock]

They may be for the U.S. market but my bet is they were made in Asia and imported here instead for a very nice margin. Talking of American products, My wife's church Pastor and his co-horts went across to the states for some "happy clapping" sermons and managed to get themselves stitched into buying one of those signs that you see outside churches that say things like "The Lord loves you blah blah blah". They paid £6000 for it and another £1000 having it shipped across to here. I was asked to fit it. I used 2 yards of concrete for it as it is very heavy. But the thing which impressed me was the way the lights were wired up. Much safer than signage you see here. Its quite a task to even get to a testing point let alone dismantle it ( which I had to do to change the guts).

 

[maypen]

Thanks for the replies guys. It does say that the unit is 240v. One more question please. You've stated that the unit is a low voltage one. There is no sign of a transformer. Are those built into individual lamps and should i just make the connection direct to the chocolate box. Can you also explain what "Low voltage" means and what are the advantages.

Cheers!!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You might want to make sure that you are clear on your definitions though

Yes, they are Low Voltage, but in your case, this means they are 230V.

SELV is the term used for light fittings that operate at 12V.

SELV stands for Separated Extra Low Voltage (i.e. completely separated from the mains by a transformer.

"Low voltage" does NOT mean 12V.

ELV, Extra Low Voltage means up to 50V AC or 120V DC, but in practice 99.999999999999% of ELV products on the market are 12V lighting systems.

People often erroneously refer to these as "low voltage", but in the context of the Wiring Regulations, and the various Acts of Parliament relating to electrical things, Low Voltage means up to 1000V AC or 1500V DC between conductors and up to 600V AC or 900V DC between any conductor and earth.

So everybody in the UK has an extensive Low Voltage system supplying their entire house. They may also have some ELV lighting.

 

[Steve]

The lights may be "low voltage" with respect to "mains voltage", however. I believe this is the context the OP was referring to, and will understand. In his case, though, the lights are "mains voltage"






Honestly, has this forum been infected with contagious pedanticitis???

 

[RF Lighting]

Honestly, has this forum been infected with contagious pedanticitis???

Surely it would be contagious pedantitis

[/pedant]

 

[Pensdown]

The lights may be "low voltage" with respect to "mains voltage", however. I believe this is the context the OP was referring to, and will understand. In his case, though, the lights are "mains voltage"

When you quote "lights", do you mean luminaires?

Honestly, has this forum been infected with contagious pedanticitis??? :lol

I really don't understand what you're talking about