Low voltage lighting

[srj321]

Hi,

I want to fit a 4 light track spotlight fitting to an existing fitting. The new fitting is a low voltage one with a built in transformer. In the instructions it says in big bold letters "this product must be earthed". I have taken the existing fitting down and the wiring is just a twin core cable - no earth. Having read this forum I have tried stripping the cable back in the hope that there would be an earth which had been snipped back but unfortunately there isn't one. So help - what do I do now.

Thanks


Steve

 

[breezer]

you will have to run in a new cable with an earth. or pick up an earth from elsewhere.

How old is the house and do know if / when it was rewired.

I ask because many years ago earth was not considered

 

[srj321]

Thanks for the prompt reply - sounds like more hassle than I planned for.

Anyway, for your info the house was built in the 1950's - not sure if the whole house has been rewired - bits have certainly been done before we bought it - such as a modern consumer unit under the stairs and some of the lighting upstairs (which is nice and accessible through the loft). Also where I want to put the new light fitting the twin cable is of the brown and blue variety - no idea when these colours came in to use for cables.

Steve

 

[breezer]

brown and blue is used on flex, not twin and earth (it has ben for umpteen dozen years) it sounds like the cable for your light was put in by flogit & bodgegit. see if you can find where it is connected to (may have to take up a board or two. ) if there is an earth at this point you can then run th new cable in from here

 

[srj321]

Thanks again - looks like that's my sunday afternoon watching the footie ruined.

The light I have been working on is downstairs - I therefore presume I am just looking for a junction box under the bedroom floor above the light somewhere. If I find a nicely located junction box is there any signs I should be looking for to satisfy myself that the whole house hasn't been wired on the cheap.

Steve

 

[breezer]

in your case yes, lights should be wired loop in (loops from one to the other)

to make sure all lights are eathed you will have to test them with a meter, looking is no godd since the wires may be there but not connected to anything.

 

[srj321]

Thanks for all your help Breezer - but looks like it's no longer a diy job for me and it's time to call in a professional. Just been looking at the consumer unit at the lighting circuit and there appears to be 3 running off one mcb in the unit - and of those 3 two of them have no earth connection at all - they've all been cut back. Also found the closest junction box for the light I was working on and that had no earth running to it. So I'm going to get everything checked - don't suppose I can be too carefull when it comes to electricity.