irons1979 9:02 Sat Sep 5
Any Electricians?
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Can anyone help with this comedy of errors?
Just moved into a new house and have tried to replace a light fitting today. The old fitting seemed to have 2 black wired connected to neutral (blue), another black wire connected to live (brown) and a red wire connected to earth.
I've wired up the new fitting in the same way, flicked the switch in the double switch and nothing happened. Then flicked the other switch (porch) and both the new light and the porch light came on. Figured I could deal with that by looking at the switch wiring. Put all the bulbs in and turned the power back on. Tried both switches - nothing.
Tried the dining room switch to make sure the power was on and both the new light AND the dining room light came on.
Have I done something obviously wrong or does the wiring need replacing??
Any help to my muppetry appreciated.
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
irons1979
7:06 Sun Sep 6
Re: Any Electricians?
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Thanks for all the advice.
Unsurprisingly I'm waiting for an electrician to come round tomorrow to sort it.
There appears to be no earth and the connector block doesn't have enough blocks for the wires coming out of the ceiling!!
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1964
3:15 Sun Sep 6
Re: Any Electricians?
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If sudden death is your ambition
just become an amateur electrician
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,
12:13 Sun Sep 6
Re: Any Electricians?
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I would suggest calling in an experienced electrician who will check and if necessary "ring out" the exposed cores so that the wiring gets properly reinstated.
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1964
12:07 Sun Sep 6
Re: Any Electricians?
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You don't mean a "new" house do you. If it's brand new the colours of the wires are illegal.
You mean a different house.
You should have 3 cables all with a RED, BLACK and ETH (Y/G sleeved).
One of those cables goes to the Wall switch.
The 3 REDS go on the LIVE terminal.
The BLACK in the cable to the Wall switch should be by itself on its own terminal (call that SW)
The other 2 BLACK go on the NEUTRAL terminal.
The EARTHS go to the seperate EARTH screw.
You wire your new light fitting 3 wires BROWN to SW, BLUE to NEUTRAL, GREEN to Earth screw.
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Dantastic
10:48 Sun Sep 6
Re: Any Electricians?
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You will have 3 reds, 3 blacks and 3 green and yellows at the new light. One of the red and blacks will be going to the light switch. Although black the one going from your light to the switch (with the red and earth) is actually a live, this is because it makes and breaks the switch, if you can find that be tracing it out it will solve your issue.
All reds go together and don't get connected to the new light.
The earth all go together and get connected to earth.
The black from the switch (is live when the red from the 3 reds connected together by your light are switched and sending electricity from the switch up to the light itself via the black) which you have in the ceiling is connected to the live terminal of your new light.
The remaining two blacks get connected together and put in the neutral terminal of the new light.
Any issues who mail me
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Bullet
3:37 Sun Sep 6
Re: Any Electricians?
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Sounds like whizz bang electrics have been around.
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Fifth Column
3:23 Sun Sep 6
Re: Any Electricians?
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My mate is a sparky, did all the lights in my house. All working well so far, house not burnt down. Lives in South East London. Let me know if you want a quote!
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Pop Robson
1:43 Sun Sep 6
Re: Any Electricians?
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Red wire connected to earth, not seen that since I was. 16 yr old apprentice !
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connolly8
11:06 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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But yeah I agree with Mallard get someone round because the red you say going to the earth does not sound too good either.
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connolly8
11:03 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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Not without a continuity tester. Did the black that went to the live not have a bit of tape on it? Usually should have a marking on it to show it as the switch live.
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mallard
10:32 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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Personally, I'd leave it well alone and get an electrician round.
Could save you hundreds in the long run
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DagenhamDave
10:27 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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One by one put the wires on your tongue, the one that sends you flying across the room is the live.
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Takashi Miike
10:27 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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irons, the red is the live wire. one of the other wires should be black (neutral) and the third plain green for the earth wire
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irons1979
10:22 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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Cheers Connelly.
Is there an easy way to identify which wire is live and which is neutral if they are all black and old?
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connolly8
10:20 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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If you crossed over the black that went to the live, with 1 of the other 2 in the neutral that will probably be where the problem is.
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MrCrowmanSir
9:55 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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Sounds like you've wired 2 lights to one switch. Fuck knows how you solve it, you tried youtube or googling it?
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irons1979
9:54 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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Didn't touch the wires in the switch - didn't really have a clue what to do with them (as you can probably tell)
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irons1979
9:53 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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I couldn't get my knob to the ceiling.
I'll ask for that long weight tomorrow ;-(
All great suggestions - cheers!!!
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stewey
9:50 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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I take it you've done the obvious and wiped your knob on it
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Slow_Joe
9:42 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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You have tripped your long weight wire.
It's easy to fix, go to b&q tomorrow and ask for a long weight and follow instructions on the packet.
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connolly8
9:41 Sat Sep 5
Re: Any Electricians?
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Did you adjust any of the wires at the switch?
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