New wall light needs to be earthed, old one wasn't.What now?

[robii1]

I've just bought a new wall light and having removed the old one there are only the live and neutral wires (no earth). The instructions which came with the new light say it must be earthed. So what are my options?

Also, the new light says it should be used with a 60w ES GLS bulb. What do ES and GLS mean? I have 60w bulbs in the house which fit the new light but they don't have ES GLS on the box. Will they work?

Thanks

Robert

 

[Steve]

You cannot install the light - take it back, or get an electrician to rewire your lighting circuit.

ES - edison screw cap

GLS - glass? seriously i dont know, but i will probably kick myself when someone tells me!

 

[andy]

I've just bought a new wall light and having removed the old one there are only the live and neutral wires (no earth). The instructions which came with the new light say it must be earthed. So what are my options?

dont use the lights. if you do, touch them and you could die. (not really worth bodging the job now is it)

 

[robii1]

So was the old light dangerous or just set up differently?
Thanks for the advice

Robert

 

[andy]

So was the old light dangerous or just set up differently?
Thanks for the advice

Robert

if it didnt need an earth, then it would have been OK

 

[Steve]

was the old light plastic? or double insulated? most likely yes. So not dangerous as did not require an earth.

Metal fittings require an earth. therefore dangerous to install without one in case the metal becomes live.

 

[robii1]

The old light had a metal base and was not double insulated!

One of many bodge jobs in this house performed by the last owner including laminate flooring (on top of carpet) a non working shower (it was never connected to the plumbing), and last, and possibly least now that I realise I have been cheating death for two years with that light, wood panel cladding all the way round the living room. NICE!

I'll get an electrician in

 

[securespark]

GLS = General Lighting Service

 

[dabaldie]

i know its contary to regs, but if you had a metal fitting and it wasnt earthed, yet was on , say the kitchen lighting circuit... dont ask why the kitchen has a seperate circuit.. could you not install a RCD or RCBO trip instead of a normal MCB and earth?...
only asking cos in my house the above exists and you cant get to the floor space as the bathroom floor is fully tiled and the ceiling is lath and plaster and i dont fancy redoing the ceiling... but then i dont fancy dieing either...

i remeber i got a shock from my dads wiring once when the screw on the wall switch came live.... didnt kill me... just made me jump..that wasnt earthed.. (well until i touched it. )

 

[plugwash]

an appliance protected by rcd but not properly earthed is certainly a lot safer than an appliance not on rcd and not properlly earthed and in some countries this is considered acceptable for existing installs. but it is certainly not as safe as a properly earthed install as you will still get current flowing through thier body it will just be disconnected fairly rapidly assuming the rcd works (rcds seem to have a nasty habbit of failing unsafe rather than failing safe).

BS7671 does not allow rcds to be used as the main means of protection against direct contact only as suplementry protection. The building regs do not specifically say anything about this just that a reasonable standard of protection must be provided.

 

[NuttallsSpark]

When you say there is no earth behind the old wall light are you sure it hasnt been pushed into the wall space behind ?? Is the cable Twin & Earth? if so the earth will only be cut when the grey insulation finishes, therefore try and pull down a 1" bit and crimp securly a new piece of 1mm earth. If the are only two cables there it might be old V.I.R cable if so rewire!!

Good Luck and always remember if in doubt call your local electrician

 

[plugwash]

if you do find a cut back earth wire then you must test it before using it. if its been cut back in one place there is a good chance its been cut back in others too!