Old wiring

[Teeny-bash]

I was in my friends house to help her change single ceiling lights to a multi light.

When I took the old rose down...There were 2 black wires twisted together in N and an Earth.
No red wire......
I attached the earth....
I attempted to put the 2 twisted wires into the N...Nothing.
I then put them both in L....Nothing.
I separated them, put one into N and the other into L and the lights worked but from a different wall switch.

I suggested she put the old bayonet style back up...but they were broken..hence why she wanted them replaced.

Anything else that can be done?

 

[breezer]

there has to be a live wire, you just didn't see it.

 

[Teeny-bash]

well it certainly wasn't attached to the original light.

I did look up inside and the red wire was there, I don't know what it was attached to but it wasn't loose...what I mean by that is that it was a continuous loop...there was no visible end.

 

[markthebuilder]

you are still missing a wire the original light had to have 2 separate wires to work a feed /live and a return/neutral.
one would expect them to be red and black. but there are no certainties in life.

from your description it sounds like you have single core wiring rather than flat twin & earth so the red wire is probably going straight to your switch a wire will then come from the switch to your light this is your switch live or feed and may well be black,
I think the other black wire is linking the light you are working on to another rose /light in the same room and by splitting these 2 black wires you have pigy backed onto the other lights neutral.
.
find the other wire