What on earth are these cables in my light?

[Sammy Davies]

Hi, I was looking to add a new light coming of the supply to the light in my hall. I expected it to be an easy job but when I exposed the ceiling rose I couldn't for the life of me figure out what wires were doing what!

No cables are going into the 'loop' part of the ceiling rose. One of the grey flex's is red underneath and connect to the 'l' while the other flex is black underneath and connected to the 'N' on the right.

The light has one switch down stairs and one switch upstairs.

What o can really understand is what these cables actually are. They have three copper cables inside just one sheeth.

Am I missing something obvious?

 

[Iggifer]

Look like they could be double insulated singles to me.

What do you mean by they have 3 copper cables inside one sheath? You mean it's multi stranded? That's normal for singles.

If you were wanting a permanent live, there may be a conduit box above the ceiling rose or you may have to go to the switch

 

[Sammy Davies]

That sounds right! Yes I meant multi stranded.

So will it be possible to add a new light but not on the same switches?

 

[Iggifer]

It will be possible to add a new light that comes on with the existing light

Not possible to add one that is switched separately

 

[Sammy Davies]

- back to the drawing board. Thanks for the help.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

when I exposed the ceiling rose I couldn't for the life of me figure out what wires were doing what

It cannot possibly be any simpler than that - one L and one N.

How dare you not be able to figure that out?

What o can really understand is what these cables actually are.

The one going to the L terminal is probably Line.
The one going to the N terminal is probably Neutral.

Not difficult to check with your meter.

Am I missing something obvious?

The fact that if you want to do electrical work you must actually understand what you're doing?

 

[AndyPRK]

What on earth are those green wires doing in there?

Must be single and earth I guess with green sleeve added.

 

[sparkwright]

What on earth are those green wires doing in there?

Must be single and earth I guess with green sleeve added.

I would guess they are two single core stranded green wires - I think they are totally seperate from the two grey cables.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

The one going to the L terminal is probably Line.
The one going to the N terminal is probably Neutral.

Wouldn't that be Switched Line? Or surely the light would be on all the time?

 

[securespark]

If they're DI singles and stranded it sounds like imperial to me. All the metric DI singles I have come across are single core, like T&E.

If they are imperial, that would tie in with the solid green of the earths.

 

[Risteard]

They definitely aren't double insulated. They are insulated and sheathed.

 

[sparkwright]

All the metric DI singles I have come across are single core, like T&E.

Could you take another jump at that?

Three strands in the wire does sound very Imperial-esque.

 

[AndyPRK]

Single strand you mean

 

[securespark]

They definitely aren't double insulated. They are insulated and sheathed.

Bit picky...

Single strand you mean

My bad...

 

[Risteard]

They definitely aren't double insulated. They are insulated and sheathed.

Bit picky...

It's not picky. It's a fact.