Changing a light fitting

[amfisted]

Afternoon all

I'm replacing an old B and Q light fitting with a new one from the same source, but I'm slightly stumped.

There are two light switches in the room, one at each door, so presumably this makes the wiring slightly more complicated. So could someone please explain to me how I transfer the cables from the old fitting into the new fitting, thanks.

First four pics are the current wiring arrangement of the old fitting, and the last pic shows the connection block on the new fitting.

Thanks in advance, further pics to follow if needed.

 

[Murdochcat]

Your old light is looped at the fitting. Your new light only has connections for switched live, neutral and earth.

So you need to keep the 3 browns connected by a wago or choc block

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm replacing an old B and Q light fitting with a new one from the same source, but I'm slightly stumped.

Your new fitting, is simply lacking in one terminal, for those joining those two red wire on the left, of your second photo. One solution would be to simply cut that one connect off the strip of 4, or transfer the entire strip of 4 to your new fitting.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Well, the previous people haven't used the "correct" terminals but that doesn't make much difference.

New light brown to SL
New light blue to N
New light earth to E

 

[Adam_151]

And personally, I wouldn't try and get three earths and two neutrals into that cheapo connector block thats fixed close to the edge, while holding it close to the ceiling and being constrained by the length of the cables from the ceiling (which admittedly in your case in not too bad)

I'd fit three pigtails to the fitting on the ground, then I'd just connect them to the existing connector block (or some wagos replacing it), a bit of care is needed to dress it nicely into the base (don't just jam it up and hope for best) Offer it up to the ceiling and dress the cables and blocks so they they lie flat and don't fowl the centre fixing, If you need to separate the four blocks then do so.

 

[amfisted]

Thanks very much for the replies. For some reason I tend to develop a blind spot when it comes to working out electrical connections, IF they're not absolutely straightforward: ie, live to live, earth to earth, neutral to...etc. I'll study your posts and try to overcome this lack of understanding, but ultimately I may ask a spark to come along and replace the fitting for me. Seems wise when one continues to be afflicted by uncertainty despite the help of more knowledgeable individuals.

 

[plugwash]

There are two light switches in the room, one at each door, so presumably this makes the wiring slightly more complicated.

That doesn't really have an impact here. The "normal" way to implement "two way switching" only impacts the wiring at the switches.

Your fitting has a normal "loop-in" wiring setup. The only thing that is a little confusing is that the label stuck on the terminal block bears no relation to what the terminals are being used for.

The brown wires coming from the ceiling are the permanent live (aka "loop"). They connect to each other but not to the wires from the light fitting.

The unmarked blue wires coming from the ceiling are the neutrals. They connect to the neutral wires from your light fitting.

The blue wire marked with a bit of brown sleeving is the switched live, it connects to the live wire from the light fitting.

And the green/yellow wires are the earths.

 

[amfisted]

That doesn't really have an impact here. The "normal" way to implement "two way switching" only impacts the wiring at the switches.

Your fitting has a normal "loop-in" wiring setup. The only thing that is a little confusing is that the label stuck on the terminal block bears no relation to what the terminals are being used for.

The brown wires coming from the ceiling are the permanent live (aka "loop"). They connect to each other but not to the wires from the light fitting.

The unmarked blue wires coming from the ceiling are the neutrals. They connect to the neutral wires from your light fitting.

The blue wire marked with a bit of brown sleeving is the switched live, it connects to the live wire from the light fitting.

And the green/yellow wires are the earths.

That's very helpful, thanks.

Seeing the situation a little more clearly now.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The brown wires coming from the ceiling are the permanent live (aka "loop"). They connect to each other but not to the wires from the light fitting.

My bad - I saw red, they are both brown in fact!

 

[amfisted]

My bad - I saw red, they are both brown in fact!

The photos were taken with my 4 year old iPhone, so misrecognition of colours is entirely forgiveable, Harry.

 

[amfisted]

And personally, I wouldn't try and get three earths and two neutrals into that cheapo connector block thats fixed close to the edge, while holding it close to the ceiling and being constrained by the length of the cables from the ceiling (which admittedly in your case in not too bad)

I'd fit three pigtails to the fitting on the ground, then I'd just connect them to the existing connector block (or some wagos replacing it), a bit of care is needed to dress it nicely into the base (don't just jam it up and hope for best) Offer it up to the ceiling and dress the cables and blocks so they they lie flat and don't fowl the centre fixing, If you need to separate the four blocks then do so.

In all honesty, it took me a while to work out what you meant by “pigtails”. Having done so, a plan is starting to take shape, thanks to you guys. I’ll cannibalise the wires from the old light fitting to the existing block to make those pigtails , and as you suggest connect them from the rather lightweight terminals on the new fitting to the existing block or a new one.

If there’s anything wrong with that strategy please let me know.

 

[amfisted]

Photo attached to show the fruits of all the good advice given by you guys.
Found the rose with this fitting stupidly shallow, and had to cut the original choc block into individual connectors to make the cables fit. Still very tight and I was wondering: is it possible to buy an adaptor of some kind that attaches to a chrome plated rose like this one and gives it more depth?

 

[amfisted]

Seriously chaps, I could do with some help here. The rose with this fitting is pretty shallow and although I managed to get all the gubbins into it, I'd be much happier about the situation if I could give the cables more room.

I could go down the obvious route, put everything in a junction box and just feed the cables for the light fitting through the ceiling. However, I taped and filled a lot of nasty cracks before papering this ceiling, and I don't want to go stomping about in the loft ( its a bungalow) and risk opening any of them up again.

Is it possible to deepen the ceiling rose of a light fitting at all? A plaster rose would help, but 'er indoors doesn't want one. If the answer's No, then I guess I've got no option but to accept the situation as is.

 

[Mottie]

I could go down the obvious route, put everything in a junction box and just feed the cables for the light fitting through the ceiling.

That’s what I do with all of mine. As long as you can get to them it’s not a problem. I do my upstairs ones from the loft and the downstairs ones from a removable panel in the floor under the upstairs carpet.

 

[Adam_151]

There ins't really anyway to create more room, other than to either as suggested put the connections in a joint box in the ceiling (which can be a little bit of a nuisence if you need to fault find at some point and someone has put half a lorry load of rockwool on top) or cutting a circular dryliner into the ceiling to mount the fitting to.

Its normally a case of just taking care with dressing the cables in the fitting I'm afriad, some of which comes with practice, and some of it is taking your time with it and thinking about where they'll end up when its put back on the bracket.