Idiots who don't note where the wires were! UPDATE!

[charliegolf]

Well, here I am...

Sis asked me to disconnect her very noisy, long-running fan in the bathroom. Linked to the lights obviously.

Took the top off, one earth cable 'loose' terminated in a choc block,
and 3 others fitted to the connector block of the fan.

One was red
one was blue, sleeved black
one was yellow sleeved red.

the connection bloc is marked L N and sL

I have NOT touched the 'loose' earth wire.

That leaves 3 holes and 3 wires!

I spent an our on every possible permutation, obviously more than once, leaving no irritating fan and no useful lights. All other lights ok. Please help!

Thanks

CG

 

[JohnD]

Tomorrow, go and buy a multimeter.

It will then take you two minutes or less.

Have you touched the wires in the ceiling rose? Or just inside the fan casing?

Post some photos if you can.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/multimeters/cat7910010#category=cat7910010&sort_by=price

https://www.wickes.co.uk/search?text=multimeter

https://www.aldi.co.uk/search?text=multimeter&category=ALL

 

[charliegolf]

Just the fan casing, trying to back-track my actions. I have. a multimeter- feel free to talk me through it- can't do pics till I get back around there. Thanks.

 

[EddieM]

Surely if you tried every combination you'd have tripped an mcb (assuming you have mcb's)

Not that guessing is to be condoned and at the risk of bringing justifiable it's down on myself, I'd guess the red is live (L) the blue is neutral (N) and the yellow is switched live (SL)

BUT: As said, test with the multimeter.

 

[charliegolf]

Eddie, they were my guesses too, but still nada.

 

[EddieM]

Eddie, they were my guesses too, but still nada.

Then you need to test with the multimeter.

 

[JohnD]

test each wire to each other wire (at AC volts, around 250v) and list the voltages between them. Including the "earth" wire.

(1) with the light switched off

(2) with the light switchen on.

 

[333rocky333]

Easiest way it to see if the other end is in the light, most would use red as live and yellow in the S/L.
Are you saying the light stopped when you disconnected the fan

 

[charliegolf]

I'll see if I can do that tomorrow, Ta.

 

[charliegolf]

Easiest way it to see if the other end is in the light, most would use red as live and yellow in the S/L.
Are you saying the light stopped when you disconnected the fan

Exactly that.

 

[333rocky333]

That is odd maybe there is an Rcd spur somewhere tripped off when you inadvertently touched some cables, sometimes located above the doorway

 

[charliegolf]

If the wires feeding the fan are, as is likely, fed from the light, can I not just isolate them? (Though there are no ceiling roses in this house, all the fittings are connected from choc blocks.)

 

[sparkwright]

Deleted, post already written by someone before.

 

[charliegolf]

UPDATE: After yesterday, I took down the light fitting, and looked at the cables in the ceiling. I attach a pic (I hope).

Three cables, which I assume (holds breath) are the loop, the switch and the fan. In the pic, I show the switch cable- it's the only one with white white sheathing; a 4 conductor cable, and another with 3 conductors,

The 4 shows earth, red-sheathed yellow, black sheathed blue and a red.
The 3 shows 2 reds and an earth.
The last one is (I hope) the fan cable, pushed up to the right corner of pic. I believe this cos it's grey, and the switch is defo white.

No rose, rather a 4 port choc block. Only three are used on the fitting side, L, N and E, noted on the lamp. With the fan out of the pic, I cannot get the light to work. Any ideas?

Am I right to assume that all these 7 conductors fit in a cunning way into three ports on the block? If yes, please tell me how! Ta.

CG

 

[charliegolf]

PS NONE of those 3 cables are now attached to anything, yet all the upstairs lights still work.