wiring a lamp

[sjc2054]

Hi, have just brought a lamp for the toilet which has 1 live 1neutral and twin earth as the lamp is. metal. just taken off the old council fitted lamp and. there .are. 2 red wires 2 black wires and 1 earth,have tried every variation in connecting. the wires but still the lamp does not work.Help.

Regards

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Did you note down where the original cable went?
Does one of the black cores have a red tape, sleeve, mark etc.. on it?
Were the two reds connected together but not terminated at either live or neutral of fitting?
Where did you connect the cables and what happened when you did it?

 

[333rocky333]

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:problems:blackswlive

 

[sjc2054]

.Hi.the old lamp had 2 wires 1 wire was connected to a .black wire and the other to the other black wire,the red wires were not connected to anything.

Regards.

 

[flameport]

.Hi.the old lamp had 2 wires 1 wire was connected to a .black wire and the other to the other black wire,the red wires were not connected to anything

You connect the new one in the same way, with the addition of the earth wire connecting to the earth terminal.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

.Hi.the old lamp had 2 wires 1 wire was connected to a .black wire and the other to the other black wire,the red wires were not connected to anything.

There you go then.
Reds as was (can I assume they were terminated together in a separate connection block and not just twisted together and taped?)
One black wire is the neutral and the second black wire is the switch live from the switch(this wire should be sleeved/marked to identify it as a live)
Ideally you should, identify the switch live either by testing for continuity or voltage(using approved test equipment)
Which ever way round the two black core conductors are connected to the light fitting at live and neutral the light should still work, but on some light fittings it is unsafe to have them connected in reverse! (I assume again that this fitting does not have a transformer connected across it?)