Wiring for outside light

[jnix2]

I'm trying to replace an old external light. The cable comes into the light, and then out again to a switch

Having taken the cover off, I can see:
* two red wires, just glued together and not connected to the light itself
* Two black wires, each going into a connector on the blub socket
* Two Earth wires, twisted around a screw.


The new light has standard connectors for live, neutral and earth. Please can someone advise on how to connect these?

 

[Adam_151]

See here //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting-Circuit-layouts , What you have is the end fitting, so you have not got a feed to the next fitting to worry about.

Those conductors are not glued together (that would be rather silly!) but rather the heat from the lamp has melted the connector block

 

[Echo the husky]

The wiring in your photo looks rather heat damaged, the insulation may crumble away from the wires when they are disturbed, if it does, the cables will need to be cut back to cable that is in good condition or replaced.

 

[sparkwright]

It does look like heat resistant sleeving has been used, so hopefully the cables are ok.

The connector block would have been better off being a ceramic one, perhaps even if the plastic block had been wrapped with electrical tape...

 

[stillp]

perhaps even if the plastic block had been wrapped with electrical tape...

 

[sparkwright]

I had to get it in!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The connector block would have been better off being a ceramic one, perhaps even if the plastic block had been wrapped with electrical tape...

Or perhaps even if whoever had had the only-need-an-IQ-bigger-than-their-shoe-size thought to not have the connector close to an incandescent lamp.

 

[sparkwright]

I have to say I don't think I've ever installed outside light wiring so that a perm live was at the light fitting. I've always done it so there was never a need for an additional connector block.

Always would use a junction box (I know) then latterly loop neutrals at switch.

So there you go.