Light Wiring

[pipboy]

Hi guys i'm new to thye forum and need a bit of help.

I've just bought a new ceiling light and have been trying to wire it up but with no luck.

The light has 3 connection. Live, Earth and neutral. Now my ceiling has 3 large grey wires each containing a red, black and netral wire. I've tried different combinations but nothing seems to work properly.

i connected the 3 cables coming from one of the grey wires into the light but this causes the light to remain switched on and it cant be switched off.

I don't know much about electrics but thought i could get this sorted but it doesn't seem to be the case.

I know i should be looking for the switched live but none of the grey wires coming out of the cieling show which one it is.

Any ideas on how i need to get this connected up?

Thanks

 

[sparkwright]

One of the cables goes to the switch. The black of this is the switch live, and is sometimes sleeved red to indicate it is live. This wire goes to L of the light.

The remaining blacks are neutral and go to the N of the light.

The earths go to the earth terminal E.

All the reds get joined together in a separate connector block, which you may not have.

To find the switch wire you may be able to trace it if you have access above.

Alternatively, you need a test meter. With the power off you can do a simple continuity test.

 

[sparkwright]

Do you have earth wires in this wiring? You have not mentioned them. They may be pushed up in the ceiling void. If the fitting is metal it must be earthed. If no earth available don't fit it.

 

[17thman]

if you think the "grey cables contains a red, black and neutral, call a sparky

 

[Spark123]

You may find your switch is also now U/S as it sounds like you have put a short circuit directly across it.

 

[pipboy]

Thanks for the replies guys.

A lot of this is going way over my head, so i might need to call an electrician

@sprkwright, the the red green and black cables from the 3 grey cables in the cieling were connected to the old light through a plastic block, like an idiot i didn't pay attention to the setup.

 

[thomo27]

Thanks for the replies guys.

A lot of this is going way over my head, so i might need to call an electrician

@sprkwright, the the red green and black cables from the 3 grey cables in the cieling were connected to the old light through a plastic block, like an idiot i didn't pay attention to the setup.

dont worry your not the first and wont be the last...

as said above you should be able to resolve this with a multimeter as this task can be sussed out with the power off.

If you have an interest in resolving this grab a multimeter and come back but if not then call an electrician in..

 

[pipboy]

Thanks for the tips.

I did make a mistake arlier, i meant to say that the 3 grey cable each contain a red balck and EARTH (green) cable. I'm pretty sure i understand what you're saying but i might have trouble identifying the switch live as it isn't coded in any way.

@thomo27, i might just invest in a multimeter as i dont really wanna call a electrician unless completely neccessary. Any cheap one you reccommend?

 

[Taylortwocities]

If you have a Maplin near you, they sell them for about £6..
http://www.maplin.co.uk/domestic-multimeter-37279

Screwfix too, but a few more ££s
http://www.screwfix.com/p/analogue-pocket-multimeter/14350

 

[pipboy]

Cheers. After a bit of reading around and this helpful vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MLshqOmltU I think i know what i need to do. i'll get the mutimeter from maplins and if i have any problems i'll be back

 

[pipboy]

Thanks guys. Got amultimeter today and found out which cable was the switch live, managed to get the light connected and working properly. Changed another light in the house as well but this time made note of the switch live in the old connection before fitting the new one in. Learnt a bit as well

 

[pipboy]

Just a quick question. When trying to connect the earth cables to the metal screw in the fitting it was a bit of a stretch but i managed. in the future in such circustances, can i feed the 3 earth cables into a single slot in a terminal block and on the other end connect an earth cable to the metal screw?

cheers

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes.

Don't forget green&yellow sleeve.

 

[pipboy]

cheers.

sorry for asking so many questions but i am a complete novice in electrics. with terminals i've seen on sale they seem to require all corresponding wires to be put into one slot as they're not connected to the next slot in the block, where can i get the more traditional blocks found in ceiling roses which have 3 or 4 slots joined allowing a wire to go into each one? i only ask as i find it difficult to get all corresponding wires into a single slot and to then tighten the screw.

 

[sparkwright]

6 amp or 15 amp connector blocks should be more than adequate.

Don't get nasty cheap ones from B&Queue, they can split so you can't tighten them properly and they burn out.