Two earth wires for lighting?

[MrDan]

Hi Folks

Hoping for some advice... I am replacing two wall lighting fittings in the loft conversion (UK). I am not an expert but have safely and effectively changed several light fittings before. The new fittings are metal.

The first fitting was easy enough: one live, one neutral, one earth wire.

What I now have coming out of the wall are:


- One brown wire
- One blue wire
- Two green / yellow wires.

So:
brown for live
blue for neutral

Do I have two earth wires, and if so do I earth them both to the metal light fitting as I would if there were only one wire?

Really grateful in advance for advice.

Mr Dan

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, just connect all the earth wires together in the appropriate terminal.

 

[MrDan]

Thanks very much for taking the time. I thought that was probably the case but am not comfortable with 'probably' and electrics!

 

[rjm2k]

post a photo showing the cables/wires

did you take note of how they were connected before you did anything?

 

[MrDan]

post a photo showing the cables/wires

did you take note of how they were connected before you did anything?

I normally note and photograph original connection but had to smash/rip the old porcelain fitting off the wall and the connections came loose.

Current photo is:

http://media.diynot.com/216000_216000_74078_12424895_thumb.jpg

 

[rjm2k]

Can you post a smaller, darker picture? We can almost see wires on that one!

 

[MrDan]

Sorry! Looked fine on my PC before upload.

Try: http://i.imgur.com/UoKORcU.jpg

 

[rjm2k]

is that yellow actually green and yellow?

 

[MrDan]

is that yellow actually green and yellow?

Yes, that is two green and yellow wires.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Unfortunately the pictures are not clear!
To me it looks like brown, blue, yellow and then a yellow/green also looks like flex/stranded conductors on the ones I can make out.

Before connecting what you consider as the CPC/earth cables, I would be double check the core colours of the cables!
And would consider doing some testing on the circuit.
This is important, you do not want to connecting a live conductor to the CPC/earth and if fitting metallic fitting you must also prove there is a path to earth and not just trust a visual on the CPC/earth being there.

 

[rjm2k]

Is there access under the floor above? there's something fishy going on, difficult to make it out. looks a bit like 3 core but if you are sure the yellow also has green in it could be that someone has borrowed an earth for something else, or maybe there's a junction box above with other stuff going on. can you see what cables the wires are in? are they all in the same outer cable or is there more than one?

what does the switch that controls this have in? can you post a photo of the wires in the switch

 

[MrDan]

Thanks folks. I got a professional in to sort it. Life's short enough as it is.

Thanks again