lighting question - 2 switched lives

[ColJack]

doesn't make it a neutral, just means it's not connected to live..
probably disconnected on the other end..

 

[jonmc1980]

On the new light fitting i'm going to add theres an extra slot on the connector block - in addition to the live, earth, neutral. Is it a good idea for me to put the second probably disconnected switched live in this?

Also I have a security light outside could that have something to do with this wiring config?

 

[ColJack]

no, that extra block is for the 4 red wires you have...

find which red corresponds to the "unused" switch wire, and the "unused" switch wire, and put them in seperate connector blocks and see if anything stops working..

 

[jonmc1980]

thanks for the advice i'll try that tomorrow

 

[jonmc1980]

I just followed the advice - put the second SL and the other wires from the cable into a seperate connector block. As a result the outside security light no longer has power. Do security lights have a switched live? I thought they are just live, neutral, earth?

 

[wingcoax]

Security lights usually have a switch in the circuit in order to enable the over-ride facility which allows the light to remain on for as long as you want.

 

[jonmc1980]

How should this all be connected then? I have:

4 red wires
1 switched live
1 black from the security light - switched live??
2 neutral
4 earth

 

[TicklyT]

Could it have been set up so the security light would only work when the kitchen light was turned on?

 

[jonmc1980]

I think it must have been as there apears to be a direct connection from the light fitting to the security light outside. At the moment I just want to get the kitchen light working again, even if the security light only works when the kitchen light is on. How should I wire it up?

 

[ColJack]

like I said earlier.. put it back as it was..
if it aint broken don't try to fix it..

it could be that the security light switches the kitchen light on when activated ( trying to fool the cat into thinking there's someone in.. ) did you ever notice this?

put the 4 reds together in an empty block, the 2 blacks into the neutral, the 4 earths to the earth, and the 2 blacks with red sleeving into the live on the fitting..