HELP CEILING LIGHT STOLEN

[moominnie]

Hi,

I have just moved into a new house, when I viewed the property all the lights where working. The vendor was supposed to leave the existing light fitting however they have taken down the lounge ceiling light fitting and just left the wires exposed I would like to fit a new light which I have just purchased from B&Q the new light has three wires:

GREEN (earth)
BLUE (neutral)
Brown (live)
However their are three sets of wires each are encased in a grey sheath coming out of the ceiling, each of the three sets contains three wires which are coated in:

RED (live)
BLACK (neutral)
and an unsheathed wire which I am assuming is the earth.
Could you please advise me on how I would connect the new light fitting to the existing wiring.

I have also notices that the kitchen light is not working do you think this could be due to the fact that at present their is no lounge light and thus the current is not travelling to the kitchen.
I would be grateful for any assistance you could offer me with regards to this matter.

Thanking you in advance Sam.

 

[IanDB]

If you have a look at the top of the page you will see this //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7553&start=0 (just to save you the effort).

I have also notices that the kitchen light is not working do you think this could be due to the fact that at present their is no lounge light and thus the current is not travelling to the kitchen.

Yes. Taking your last point first. The three sets of wires coming down from your ceiling are: 1 - live mains feed, 2 - cable to switch, 3 - mains feed to next light (presumably your kitchen!!) Your vendors have left your house in a dangerous condition as the cable at 1 is live - if it's been left hanging from the ceiling!

Your problem is how to identify each cable. This is simple if you have, and know how to use, a multimeter. Sometimes the switched live on cable 2 is indicated by having a piece of insulating tape wrapped round the black return.

In order to fit the new light you have to either fit a new ceiling rose or connect the cables using the appropriate terminals.

If in doubt get an electrician - you could see about sending the bill to your vendor!!

 

[fubar]

The vendors have broken the law and broken your contract. I suggest you contact your conveyancing solicitor.

Where are you located?

--
Michael

 

[plugwash]

The vendors have broken the law and broken your contract. I suggest you contact your conveyancing solicitor.

Where are you located?

--
Michael

doesn't seem worth it over one light fitting unless its one you really wanted

one cable is the feed from the mains one is the feed to the next light and one is the switch cable

all reds connect together but not to the light
black from the switch cable (which should be marked with red tape or sleeving but may well not be) to the live terminal of the light
the other two blacks to the neutral from the light
all earths joined (and the earths from the fixed wiring should be sleeved with green/yellow sleeving)

if you don't knwo which cable is the switch cable a multimeter is helpfull but nonesential

if you need to do it without a multimeter proceed as follows

remember to turn off the power when making changes

connect the cables to the light one at a time (red-live black-neutral green/yellow to earth)

one of the cables will make the light come on when you restore power

this is your power from the CU

connect the power from the CU and one of the remaining cables to the light with the reds of the two cables connected together but not to the light the black from the cable bringing in power from the CU to the neutral on the light and the black from the other cable being tested to the live terminal of the light

there is a 50% chance that your light works properly in which case you know the unconnected light is the cable to the next light

if your light doesn't work or glows very dimly then the unconnected cable must be the switch cable

 

[securespark]

doesn't seem worth it over one light fitting unless its one you really wanted

It is worth reporting, nonetheless.

My sister bought a house in 94. The vendors took several light fittings, leaving the cables dangling, and also ripped out a gas fire, leaving the pipe open and the gas ON.............

F*cking good job they left only 15 minutes before we arrived......

Incidentally, they also swore blind the place had been rewired. What they had done was had a new (actually s/h) CU fitted and replaced all the accessories with new, but it was VIR everywhere.

Trouble was the deal was signed before I was asked to eyeball the joint.

 

[dingbat]

Many years ago, after a chain from hell finally completed, a couple I was dealing with moved into their new house. It was about 4.30pm in the middle of January. When they reached for the light switch they found a bunch of wires. A torch revealed that every single electrical accessory in the property had been removed. Lights, switches, socket outlets, FCU's... the lot!

Apparently the vendors had asked for a grand for carpets and curtains just a week before exchange. The purchasers had (rightly) stood their ground and said they didn't want them and this was the vendors' way of getting their own back. The vendors were successfully sued for the full cost of refitting the accessories and testing the installation. They also bore the cost of a hotel for several nights while the work was being organised and were ordered to pay damages on top.

Don't you love it when the good guys win?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Interestingly, some friends of my parents had the opposite happen - they'd agreed a separate price for curtains and carpets (which were fitted), and then at the last minute the buyers "changed their minds" and said they didn't want them.

Obviously hoping the vendors would leave them anyway.

But they didn't - even though they were no use to them in their new place they went to the trouble to take the carpets up etc, and took them with them.

On finding bare boards and bare windows, the purchasers were livid, spitting blood etc, and loudly threatening legal mayhem.

"But you said you didn't want the curtains and carpets...... "

Iandb, fubar and SS are right - sue the b*******.