Help needed with ceiling rose wiring - picture now attached

[cptnicko]

I have moved into a new house and I want to put up new chandelier, the problem is that I do not have the usual three core wiring.

The first grey core wiring has a black sheathed wire and an unsheathed wire. The second has a red sheathed wire and an unsheathed wire. I can only assume that the red is live, black is neutral and both the unsheathed is earth. Is this correct and is this usual regarding using two grey 2 core wiring?

Next question. The wirers from the chandelier goes into a small plastic junction box which has , from left to right – black wire, green yellow earthing wire and black wire. There is a green and yellow earthing wire that is connected to a screw in the metal framework of the chandler.

If my assumption above is correct should connect the red from the ceiling to the black wire in the junction box (any of the two black) and neutral to the other black wire. Should I then connect the two earth wires from the two grey cables into the earth in the plastic junction. What about the earth wire that is connected to the screw, should this also be put into the earth junction box along with the two that I have already put in?

I know it sounds confusing. I have a digital photo that I can email if needed.

Cpt Nicko

 

[JohnD]

You should start by buying an £8 multimeter and testing the various wires to see what they are.

Assumptions have no place in electricity.

 

[kevnurse]

I don't recognize the standard of wiring in your house (this is a UK electrics forum). However, your assumption might be correct. JohnD is also correct that you should not make assumptions. If there are only 2 wires protuding from in the hole in your ceiling, it will be because they have come from a junction box, somewhere in the ceiling void, that connects that light to the switch and to the lighting ring for that floor. Those 2 wires will make up a circuit through a filament.

Send us a photo, by all means, but if there are only 2 wires in the ceiling to connect to the chandelier, it doesn't matter which one connects to which of the 2 black wires on the chandelier. A circuit is a circuit. All 3 earth wires should also connect to each other at the plastic box.

 

[Spark123]

To upload an image;
Go to a hosting site such as imageshack: http://imageshack.us/
Click browse and locate the image. Click host it.
After the image has uploaded imageshack displays a list of links to the image. Highlight the text in the line "direct link to image" and copy the text (press CTRL C to copy).
On your post type

and insert the text from imageshack inbetween the two (press CTRL V to paste), so it reads something like:

When you submit your post the image should now appear.

 

[cptnicko]

 

[cptnicko]

I have downloaded the image as you can see. Thanks Spark123.
Many thanks to you all for your helpful comments. I am in the UK (Yorkshire). I have a meter but I do not know how to use it as yet.

Any further comments would be most helpful

 

[Spark123]

I'll go with what you were originally suggesting, the red wire as live, black as neutral and both bare wires as earth. Both earth wires need to be sleeved green/yellow and go to the earth terminal, red to live, black to neutral. The flying earth wire you described above needs to remain connected in with the other earth wires.

 

[cptnicko]

What a fantastic site this is. Sparky you are a star, I can’t thank you enough. Will let you know how I get on.

 

[securespark]

What's that smell of burning wafting over the pennines to Stockport?

 

[cptnicko]

Wired up as described. Also wired the bedroom and ok. However, and here it comes.

I have a problem with a 4 way switch at the bottom of my stair landing. My lights do not go off in sequence as they should and the kitchen light will not switch off. This is nothing to do with my wiring but due to the wiring at the bottem of the stairs. The situation has only become noticable since the lounge light was reconnected.

Time to call in an electrician.