What's going on here?

[terryplumb]

Have you done any additional wiring to the sensor ? There is no neutral going to the original sensor ,so your new one will not work,as it likely requires a neutral ,a live,a switched live out and an earth.,
Show a pic of the terminal block at the sensor.

 

[RazzyRascal]

Have you done any additional wiring to the sensor ? There is no neutral going to the original sensor ,so your new one will not work,as it requires a neutral ,a live,a switched live out and an earth.,

No, I havnt, so in this case my plans are kiboshed.

It seemed like a strange wiring arrangement to begin with.

Perhaps I buy an all-in-one PIR light fitting and do away with the stand alone PIR then.

 

[terryplumb]

You could do that ,and just remove the cable going to the sensor ,and of course the sensor.
Is there a switch inside the house wired to the light ?

 

[RazzyRascal]

You could do that ,and just remove the cable going to the sensor ,and of course the sensor.
Is there a switch inside the house wired to the light ?

Yes, theres a switch just inside. I'm not sure which of the two feeds it is so I'll test it with my voltage tester tomorrow. I've had enough of ladders today!

 

[terryplumb]

Yes, theres a switch just inside. I'm not sure which of the two feeds it is so I'll test it with my voltage tester tomorrow. I've had enough of ladders today!

 

[RazzyRascal]

I have given this further (anguished) thought and have realised that the earth cable between light and PIR was actuallt the switched load. I didnt realise because the old PIR was so rotten I coukdnt unscrew it and had to demolish it in situ, thus I didnt check the wiring. I'm assuming because the PIR was plastic they deemed it ok, or bodged it. If you look carefully at the previous posted picture you can see it screwed into the junction with the two black neutrals.

On this basis I think I'll double check the wiring and internal switches tomorrow and then rig up as per previous.

 

[terryplumb]

I can't see any earth conductors in the same terminal block with neutrals ?
Edit ,just seen the later pic with the unsheathed copper conductor ,but it appears to be in with the switched live ( coloured black)
You are going to have to do some testing with your multimeter !!
The polarity may be reversed.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I have given this further (anguished) thought and have realised that the earth cable between light and PIR was actuallt the switched load

Really?

If you look carefully at the previous posted picture you can see it screwed into the junction with the two black neutrals.

We couldn't see that in the original pictures.

However, if it is in with the neutrals then it will be a neutral, not a switched live.
So, blue and brown are the wrong way round.

Therefore the other black must be the switched live.

 

[RazzyRascal]

Really?



We couldn't see that in the original pictures.

However, if it is in with the neutrals then it will be a neutral, not a switched live.
So, blue and brown are the wrong way round.

Therefore the other black must be the switched live.

Yes, my bad. The black is the switched and the unsheathed earth is being used as a neutral.

I'm not too daft but my head has been spinning over this. Thanks for everybody's assistance so far, I feel I'm learning a lot and am very grateful for the freely given and invaluable advice.

I shall continue my quest to get this sorted tomorrow.

 

[EFLImpudence]

You really need 3-core+E or 4-core flex between light and PIR.

 

[securespark]

Is that CPC connected as a switched live conductor?

EDIT: Late to the party again....

 

[securespark]

We couldn't see that in the original pictures.

 

[RazzyRascal]

Is that CPC connected as a switched live conductor?

EDIT: Late to the party again....

*I think* the unsheathed wire was connected to the PIR neutral. The black to the top right was the returning switched live *I think*.

Lots of uncertainty as i smashed off the original PIR with no thought of taking a picture of the original wiring - we live and learn from our mistakes.

It's all starting to make sense (kind of). I just need to test the IN feed to the whole assembly and see if its switched from inside, I'm beginning to now think it isnt and it's permanent on from the circuit.

 

[Risteard]

The PIR has a LNE feed. Presumably I wire the live to the live and neutral to the load?

You couldn't be more wrong.

 

[securespark]

I think you have two choices here, as advised by others.

You can take out the wiring linking the passive to the coach lantern and replace the CL with a fitting that has a built-in passive.

Or replace the passive with a new one and its supply cable with black 4 core flex.

And it would be good to have a DP isolating switch indoors to switch it off in case of water ingress.