halogen spotlight connection query

[ChristopherM]

I have just bought a 4 halogen bulb spotlight bar and the instructions are very confusing. I have removed my old ceiling rose and I have 2 cables coming from the ceiling each with one of each (live, neutral & earth) wire. How do I wire all of these cables into the single connector on the new spotlight, which has a L E and N plus a spare connector (4 in all) ??

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Look in the Wiki and the For Reference topic for details of how lighting circuits work.

I hope you made a note of which conductors went where in the rose so that you can replicate the connections with the new light...

 

[ChristopherM]

Hi and thanks for replying - there were no conductors. It was a single bulb previously and I have a 4 lamp halogen spot thingy with its own connection block etc, which I have to attach my two cables to. There are two cables coming out of the ceiling now - one will come from the switch and the other is live. But, there explanation on how to wire it presumes I have three cables coming out of the ceiling, and don't make sense to me.
Their connection is marked with a L N and E. And no, I can't find any explanation in wiki either. I'm sure its very simple if you know how............
Chris

 

[Adam_151]

Hi and thanks for replying - there were no conductors.
Chris

Not likely to ever work then

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi and thanks for replying - there were no conductors.

I have 2 cables coming from the ceiling each with one of each (live, neutral & earth) wire.

i.e. 6 conductors. (but not necessarily 2 live and 2 neutral - sorry to stress the point but you really do need to acquire an understanding of how lighting circuits work)

There are two cables coming out of the ceiling now - one will come from the switch and the other is live.

Probably, but not necessarily - they might come from a junction box somewhere, and might only have neutral and switched live, and there might be two because there used to be a second light on the same switch, or there is or used to be a 2nd switch now concealed or removed.

A ceiling rose has 4 terminals - permanent live, switched live, neutral and earth. Your new light has 4 terminals - permanent live, switched live, neutral and earth.

But if you did not make a note of exactly which conductors went where you can't simply transfer the connections to the new light - you have 3 options:

1) Get a multimeter, learn how lighting circuits work, and then armed with the tool and the knowledge work out which wire is which.

2) Get an electrician.

3) Trial and error and hope you don't blow a fuse or break a switch.

I would so not advise #3....

But, there explanation on how to wire it presumes I have three cables coming out of the ceiling, and don't make sense to me.

Well - once it makes sense to you (and you really should get yourself to the stage where it does) then it will also make sense that if it's the last light on the circuit (look at any of these and imagine no supply to next light...), or it's a branch from the circuit with a circuit cable and a switch drop or it's just a switch cable and a defunct feed to a second light or it's a 2-way switching circuit then you could easily have just two cables.

Their connection is marked with a L N and E.

That's 3. And then there's the 4th "spare" which allows the light to take the place of a ceiling rose, like this, but without the 4th bit of choc-block being a separate extra:

(sorry about the insulating tape - not my drawing)

 

[ChristopherM]

So. wires are called conductors! I know which cable is the switch cable because I can follow it back - that part of the wall has been removed. Which leaves one cable which obviously supplies the power, so having read your comments and studied the diagram the penny has dropped.
Thanks for your patience....much appreciated.
chris