Replace ceiling light fixture

[edwardo]

Hi all,

I papered a bedroom ceiling and in the process removed a very old looking ceiling light fixture. It had a tatty twisted pair of wires hanging out of it and I wanted something newer looking.

After removing the fixture, I found 3 red and 3 black wires. All 3 reds are twisted together. 2 of the blacks are twisted together and there is a single black remaining. (wires are shown in the picture here

Untitled

• edwardo
• 20 Feb 2009
• 1

)

The new Wickes light fixture (shown here

Untitled

• edwardo
• 20 Feb 2009
• 1

) has 3 sections to attach wires.
From left to right, the first can accept two wires and is marked live. It has the brown live that leads to the bulb already attached. The second secton, marked loop, takes 3 wires - all are empty. The third section, marked neutral, takes 3 wires too -it has the blue wire that leads to the bulb already attached.

I figured this would be a straightforward swap, but I'm stumped!

I am turning off the elctricity when I faff around with it. I don't have a multimeter to test for live.

Anyone able to instruct me on what goes where??

Many thanks,

Edward

 

[RF Lighting]

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

Your single black wire should have some red sleeve on it, and then connect as per the diagram.

You appear to be due for a rewire I'm afraid to say

You must not connect any metal lights or switches to this circuit.

 

[Adam_151]

The new Wickes light fixture has 3 sections to attach wires.
From left to right, the first can accept two wires and is marked live. It has the brown live that leads to the bulb already attached.

Thats for the black on its own (which you should indentify as live with a piece of red sleeve) - This is the switched live

The second secton, marked loop, takes 3 wires - all are empty.

Thats for the loop (unswitched lives), put your three reds in there

The third section, marked neutral, takes 3 wires too -it has the blue wire that leads to the bulb already attached.

Thats the neutral, connect your two blacks that are together to it


I cannot see any earths in that picture.... are they twisted together and shoved up into the ceiling?

 

[RF Lighting]

It looks to me like plastic insulated cable (rather than PVC), in which case it is rare to see a CPC on the lighting.

 

[edwardo]

thanks for the replies.

there's an uncomfortable absence of earth wires - any advice?

 

[edwardo]

>It looks to me like plastic insulated cable (rather than PVC), in which case it is rare to see a CPC on the lighting.

what's CPC?

 

[RF Lighting]

Sorry, it means Circuit Protective Conductor. It's the technical term for the earth wire in your circuit.

 

[Steve]

Tinned copper. Yuck. Go steady with it, you may find strands will break off at will.

 

[17thman]

or unwill

 

[narnie]

Hi there, I am too in a dilemma with the same wires as above. I have a dimmer switch and 2 normal switches connected to 1 light in my living room, Basically i have 3 reds 3 blacks and 3 earths and i am trying to connect a strip halogen light up, the switches are metal and there earthed and the light is earthed but i get no light what so ever when connected. when i check the connection using a multimeter i get an output voltage of 230ish but connecting the light to the same connections still no light.

I have tried connecting a normal 2 wired bulb to the connection that putting the voltage out (this does switch on and off when the swithes are moved and when the dimmer is lowered the out put decrease) with no light still. But spooky as it seams i tried a energy saver bulb in the 2 wired plastic unit and that flashed and did not stay on constantly?????

Can anyone point me in the right way, basically wired up as above. Have I got one of the black wires wrong???

Many Thanks in advance and sorry for the rant.

 

[Steve]

Hi there, I am too in a dilemma with the same wires as above. I have a dimmer switch and 2 normal switches connected to 1 light in my living room, Basically i have 3 reds 3 blacks and 3 earths and i am trying to connect a strip halogen light up, the switches are metal and there earthed and the light is earthed but i get no light what so ever when connected. when i check the connection using a multimeter i get an output voltage of 230ish but connecting the light to the same connections still no light.

I have tried connecting a normal 2 wired bulb to the connection that putting the voltage out (this does switch on and off when the swithes are moved and when the dimmer is lowered the out put decrease) with no light still. But spooky as it seams i tried a energy saver bulb in the 2 wired plastic unit and that flashed and did not stay on constantly?????

Can anyone point me in the right way, basically wired up as above. Have I got one of the black wires wrong???

Many Thanks in advance and sorry for the rant.

You shouldnt hijack posts. If you really did have the "same wires as above" then NOTHING would be earthed.

energy saving lamps CANNOT BE DIMMED, THIS IS WHY IT FLASHED.

Try swapping the dimmer for a normal switch, soo what happens. I reckon you broke it when you put the energy saving bulb in. Always a killer that one.