Please Help!

[EFLImpudence]

pedant noun, derog someone who is over-concerned with correctness of detail, especially in academic matters.
ETYMOLOGY: 16c, originally meaning 'teacher' without derogatory connotation: from Italian pedante teacher.

 

[Electrifying]

Nevermind. I'll change pendants, you remain a pedant.

After this comment :-

And if polarity is reversed they'll soon find out about it when the lights won't switch off, or on.

....maybe you shouldn't even be changing pendants!

 

[securespark]

Do tell us obviously undertrained sparks how RP will stop light fittings being turned on or off?

I must have dozed off when my lecturer taught me this.

 

[MySparky]

Wow, everyone has so much time on their hands to go digging up latin phraseologies, or they're sooo busy reading Part P from front to back, back to front, probably even upside and through a mirror just to be sure they haven't missed a comma somewhere in there - that they don't have any time to actually go out and do some work.
Tbh, if I was a DIYer and came across this site I'd be inclined to go elsewhere as there is little to be gained from the so called professionals on here who are supposed to be giving advice, but it appears all you 'sparkies' are interested in is quoting rule & reg and basically scaring the hell out of anyone who simply wants to have a go at doing his own electrics and/or plumbing, hell you'd probably even scare the hell out of someone who asked for advice on putting his bins out!
The OP asked a simple question and all he should have got in return was a constructive answer:
Are your new light fittings metal?
Yes? Then make sure the earth is connected at the ceiling rose (as a double check, pop the cover off the CU, assuming you've already flicked the main switch off as you've changed your light fitting (but be wary of the supply cables, you really don't want to be prodding anything in there that doesn't have a Volt meter on the other end of it) and have a peek at the L terminal connected to your lighting circuit and trace it back (if you can) to see if you can then find it's associated earth wire. Is that connected to the earth bar?
Yes it is? You're good to go. Put it all back together and have a nice relaxing life.
No? You'd be wise to investigate it further and if you feel it's beyond your limits get a sparky in.
Not that difficult to give constructive advice really is it, but hey, everyone's a keyboard warrior.

p.s. I've been in this business for 20 years and never had so much as a tingle from a livewire as I'm a careful sort of chappy. Never had anyone complain about my work either but that's probably down to my main rule that if I wouldn't do it in my own home, I wouldn't do it in yours either.

 

[ebee]

So,
you`ve a T & E leaving the consumer unit.
A T & E at the light fitting.
The cpc is connected to the CU earth bar therefore you must have an adequate protective earth connection at the metal light fitting.
Oh Good,
I can throw me test gear away - not needed on that job.

Funny thing though a couple of years back or five I saw a 10.0mm bond leave the MET and a clamp to the gas supply with a 10.0mm bond connected but no continuity between them - pulled on each and about 1 metre of 10.0 earth at each end poked under floor - length of run would have been about 12 metres - oh dear, it was merely "window dressing"

 

[MySparky]

So,
you`ve a T & E leaving the consumer unit.
A T & E at the light fitting.
The cpc is connected to the CU earth bar therefore you must have an adequate protective earth connection at the metal light fitting.
Oh Good,
I can throw me test gear away - not needed on that job.

Funny thing though a couple of years back or five I saw a 10.0mm bond leave the MET and a clamp to the gas supply with a 10.0mm bond connected but no continuity between them - pulled on each and about 1 metre of 10.0 earth at each end poked under floor - length of run would have been about 12 metres - oh dear, it was merely "window dressing"

We're talking to a DIYer who doesn't have our expensive test equipment (presumably). We're also talking to him about a couple of light fittings, not a 10mm equipotential bond that hadn't been connected properly by a 'professional' sparky.
Let's take the kid gloves off and dispense with the compensation culture (or ignore it, whichever suits) and give the guy some credit and not treat him as a total dimwit.
OP, if you want to have a go at your own electrics it's perfectly ok to do so, and it's perfectly ok to ask for advice of those of willing to give it who don't feel it neccessary to do so in such condescending tones.

 

[ebee]

we should be warning about the dangers of installing a class two fitting without a working cpc and advising at least minimal checks with a multimeter
and warnings about reverse polarity which could go unnoticed.

 

[MySparky]

we should be warning about the dangers of installing a class two fitting without a working cpc and advising at least minimal checks with a multimeter
and warnings about reverse polarity which could go unnoticed.

Many people don't know what a Class II fitting is or how it affects how it should be installed. I'm sure the Wiki has information available to explain the differences but again, many people don't check it/won't check it.
General rule of thumb: Class II light fittings require an earth connection unless they're double-insulated, and if the wiring in a property has no cpc present (usually in older properties) then double-insulated lights provide a way of having attractive light fittings without having to rewire the whole house or use cheap plastic fittings.
(that wasn't for your benefit ebee, as I know you know this already)

 

[JohnW2]

Many people don't know what a Class II fitting is ....

So it seems ...

Class II light fittings require an earth connection unless they're double-insulated

What exactly do you think a Class II appliance is?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[EFLImpudence]

twaddle

MySparky - surely the most inappropriate user name. You're not mine and definitely not a sparky.

I started to write a specific reply but part-way through decided that you are just a troll writing rubbish on purpose.

 

[ebee]

I all fairness though I am deducting a point from myself for stating Class 2 instead of Class 1 and missing that reverse polarity comment - Old age

 

[JohnW2]

I all fairness though I am deducting a point from myself for stating Class 2 instead of Class 1 ...

Sure, you made a typo (and we are all in a glasshouse as far as that's concerned!) - but it didn't make a lot of difference given the clear lack of understanding of Class I/II we're seeing!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[securespark]

He is a troll.

Or at the very least he is writing rubbish on purpose.

I can't see any response to my request for an answer to the conundrum about RP.

 

[JohnW2]

pedant noun, derog someone who is over-concerned with correctness of detail, especially in academic matters.

True, but to be fair, the bit I've redened above is important. To be 'appropriately concerned' about correctness of detail is not pedanticism.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[securespark]

Tbh, if I was a DIYer and came across this site I'd be inclined to go elsewhere as there is little to be gained from the so called professionals on here who are supposed to be giving advice, but it appears all you 'sparkies' are interested in is quoting rule & reg and basically scaring the hell out of anyone who simply wants to have a go at doing his own electrics and/or plumbing, hell you'd probably even scare the hell out of someone who asked for advice on putting his bins out!

TBH, I am a professional spark and when I came across your post about RP, you scared the hell out of me!

Unfortunately, if I was a DIY'er and came across your post I probably would not realise the significance of it, but if I did, then I'd be inclined to go elsewhere!

Better to quote rules and regulations than to go about not even knowing the basics.

20 years experience......