Lighting Wiring Problem

[uklad79]

Hi

I have just taken down a strip light to replace with a set of joined Ikea spotlights. I have wired them up but they won't switch off

The wiring is like this
2 cables both with red/black/earth
1 Cable 2 reds and an earth.

So I wired up the 4 reds to the live the 3 earths to the earth and the 2 blacks to the nutral on the light. The switch is a a single switch with on red cable in the bottom and on in the hole marked L2 the hole maked L1 has nothing in it and the earth is attached to the earth outlet.

 

[Steve]

NO!
NO!
NO!

the cable with TWO REDS is the SWITCH WIRE. connect one of these reds to the other reds, and the other red to the LIVE on the light.

The other reds need to be connected to a spare terminal.

connect neutral and earth as normal.

PS what did you intend to accomplish by connecting both sides of the switch to live? think about how a switch works - it is a simple contact, like in physics lessons, so needs to go between LIVE and the LIGHT.

 

[uklad79]

so one live red and one switch red to the live on the light. and what do I conect the the other live and switch to? A block?

 

[Steve]

there are diagrams in the "for reference" section at the top of "electrics uk" if you're unsure.

the wire with TWO REDS - connect one red with the rest of the reds in a seperate block.

You now have the remaining single red from the switch - this connects TO THE LIVE TERMINAL ON THE LIGHT.

 

[RF Lighting]

 

[uklad79]

Done that and now it switches on and off but none of the other lights in my flat work?

 

[Steve]

you connected the neutrals (black) together?

and the other lives together? the picture RF has posted relates exactly to your situation, follow it exactly and you should be ok. if you still have trouble, post a picture of what you have using www.imageshack.us and we will try to help you.

 

[RF Lighting]

Done that and now it switches on and off but none of the other lights in my flat work?

You've done it wrong then.
Check that all the wires are tight into the connectors, and that none of them have snapped off.

 

[uklad79]

Thanks for the help I checked again and one neutral was loose now it's all working.


Thanks