its only some kitchen spotlights, how hard can it be.

[DanRo]

I am trying to connect a new 4 bulb spotlight in my kitchen. Through the ceiling comes 2 cables obviously each with an earth, live and neutral.
I have tested the live but only one of the red cables is.
When I disconnected the old single lamp that we had there I am sure that one of the neutrals had a red live sleeve on it but that immediately dropped off.
To cut a long story short I have tried just about evry combination to connect it but I get the switch tripping, no light at all or light constantly.

PLEASE HELP I AM GOING MAD

 

[Adam_151]

You need to connect the reds together and to notthing else, all the earths to the earth terminal on the fitting, the black with the red sleeve (please tell me you can remember which one it fell off) on to the live terminal of the fitting, and the other black to the neutral terminal of the fitting

 

[DanRo]

I have just connected my lights as you suggested. I had to guess which neutral to put the live sleeve on. It worked first time. I reckon I have spent about 6 hours on and off mucking about with it.
Superb. Cheers.

 

[Adam_151]

Even if you have the two blacks the wrong way around it will still work, just live and neutral will be the wrong way around, which is only really a problem on a screw fitting lampholder (the sides have to be neutral and the base has to be live, to minimise the risk of accidentally touching live), if its a different type of fitting, then it doesn't really matter if they are the wrong way around

Anyway glad you got your light sorted

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I am sure that one of the neutrals had a red live sleeve on it

I had to guess which neutral to put the live sleeve on.

It's not a neutral, it's a (switched) live, hence the red sleeve.

It worked first time.

It would do, but there's only a 50/50 chance that you've correctly identified the switched live. As you have seen, and as Adam_151 says, it will work whichever way round you have it, but incorrectly marking the switched live could cause confusion, problems, and possibly tripping MCBs for any future occupant who works on the circuit.

You ask "how hard can it be?" - the answer is not very hard at all, provided you take the trouble first to find out how lighting circuits are wired and provided you take the trouble to make sure you've got the right tools (i.e. a multimeter) to allow you to identify conductors and diagnose problems.