Switching from 4 bulb flush light to single pendant: too many wires?

[gabsmrv]

Hello everyone,
Please be patient, it’ll be long
I moved into an old cottage and decided to change all light fittings.
I had no problem with « easy ones » upstairs which had just L and N. But I got stuck in the kitchen downstairs. It was a flush light fitting with 4 bulbs and when I took it off it looked like all the L, N and E were squeezed together into one connector per L, N, E if I make sense. I forgot to take a picture, big mistake.

Problem 1)
I when I removed all of it and turned electricity back on I saw that both hallway and front room ceiling lights stopped working.
Problem 2) I want to connect this basic single pendant which has L and N (see pic). But what I have on the ceiling is 4 sets of L, N, E (4 sleeves) all tangled together with the E wire being « shared » between sleeves. Do I choose just one set? How do I know which one?
Problem 3) I have this yellow wire with black tape (marked with yellow on the picture) and I have no idea what it could be?
Problem 4) I’ve been connecting my new pendant light randomly to each of the « sets » of wires. It does work with one of the « sets » (I marked it with blue on the picture) but only the pendant turns on, the hallway and the front rooms still don’t work. My pendant has E cable supplied separately so maybe it’s got something to do with it?

Could someone help before I give up please. I really want to do it myself Thanks.

 

[pete01]

Is there a timer fan in the kitchen? (Bit odd)

Have you got a continuity tester?

 

[gabsmrv]

No, there’s no timer fan, it’s a very ancient cottage. I do have a continuity tester, I’m looking for it just now.

 

[Scally-Ho]

From what I can see, and my sight is not good for screens, ignoring the earths you have a 3 core (RYBlu) and 3 pairs (R&Bk) loop in and switched pair. The 3 core suggests some kind of 2 way switching and your best bet is to get a sparks in.

 

[chivers67]

Looks like you have two switches in the kitchen, a feed in and a feed to the next lot of lights. Have you a volt stick to see which is the incoming feed (probably the "blue wire")?

 

[gabsmrv]

Looks like you have two switches in the kitchen, a feed in and a feed to the next lot of lights. Have you a volt stick to see which is the incoming feed (probably the "blue wire")?

Yes, I’ve got one. I’ll check tomorrow once I can get a friend over just in case. I do have an electrician on standby but I’m sure I can do it myself

 

[pete01]

Find the cable that goes to the switch first

With the power off put your tester on each red and black and switch the switch, the one which beeps your tester as you switch the switch is the switch wire mark that black red.

 

[gabsmrv]

Find the cable that goes to the switch first

With the power off put your tester on each red and black and switch the switch, the one which beeps your tester as you switch the switch is the switch wire mark that black red.

Ok but how do I find the wire that goes to the switch?
Just now I managed to connect that pendant but once it’s on it won’t turn off. So I’m nowhere near finding the cable that goes to the switch I guess?
Would that yellow with black tape be the one that goes to the switch?

 

[pete01]

Ok but how do I find the wire that goes to the switch?
Just now I managed to connect that pendant but once it’s on it won’t turn off. So I’m nowhere near finding the cable that goes to the switch I guess?
Would that yellow with black tape be the one that goes to the switch?

The way I just explained, make sure the power is off

 

[gabsmrv]

The way I just explained, make sure the power is off

True. Sorry!