Light fitting wiring - help needed

[novice1234]

Hi - got an electrical problem that I'm hoping someone can help with…I'm trying to replace an old light fitting with a new dimmable light. Initially I changed the switch over and the dimmer worked fine with the old light fitting. When I removed the old light fitting I was faced with lots of wires I wasn't expecting. Anyway, tried to replace the wires like for like (ie. Neutral to neutral etc.) as far as I could see and managed to get the light working. Only problem is that now none of the other lights in the flat work!!! I've obviously done something wrong so am gonna rewire the old fitting (to check it still works) and start again. So…(sorry but don't have any pics so will try to explain best I can)…

Opened up the old fitting to find:

3 black wires - 2 of these wires were connected to the brown wire on light, and 1 wire was connected to the blue.

3 red wires - 2 of them were definitely screwed into those plastic wire connectors, but doesn't seem to be linked to a wire on the light fitting. There was 1 more red wire that wasn't connected but not sure if it was meant to be like that or if it has just come out of the connector when I opened it up.

There was also a twisted bare wire that isn't connected to anything.

The old fitting didn't have any symbols that I could recognise, so that's why I thought it was logical to connect it up as it was before, but that doesn't work. Can anyone help? Will try and get a pic to make things clearer. ;-(

 

[ban-all-sheds]

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting

 

[Space cat]

There was 1 more red wire that wasn't connected but not sure if it was meant to be like that or if it has just come out of the connector when I opened it up.

It had come out. One of the two red wires that you HAVE connected is your live feed and the other one goes to the switch. That third wire should be in with them because it carries live power on to the next light.

Follow the link that BAS posted then click on the first item in the list: Lighting circuit layouts. I think the bottom picture best describes what you should have.