Wiring a ceiling light

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by paweaz, May 17, 2015.

  1. paweaz

    paweaz New Member

    Wonder can anyone help i removed an old light from the ceiling which had 3 wires attached and connected to the main lighting circut working off a room wall switch i wired this new screw fix socket,but cannot get the light to come on,its getting power ok via the switch tested both sides with a tester,also the prongs on the fitting are also getting power but still the damm bulb won't light i've tried 6 different known working bulbs.....madness...any ideas folks
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  2. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Do you mean your tester is lighting up when you test the brown & blue in 1st photo?

    The brown wire should be connected to the Switch Live(black wire with red marker) & blue to netrual (black) in the ceiling rose you have taken feed from.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2015
  3. paweaz

    paweaz New Member

    hi yes that was the wiring which was attached to the old light i just removed the wires.....when i test the brown and blue they are getting a power ok via the switch but there are no other wires most other lights ive seen have a loop or 3 pairs of wires
     
  4. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    It is spur off an existing ceiling rose I suspect.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2015
  5. paweaz

    paweaz New Member

    cn't get my head around it if the socket prongs are getting power how come the bulb wont light.....
     
  6. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    If both prongs are getting power in lamp holder then it's wired wrongly.
    Only one prong should be live, the other will be netrual.

    You can't have two lives in a lamp holder, ONLY if it's been wired wrongly from where the feed was taken from.
     
  7. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    I don't know whether you are wiring the rose correctly. Put the brown with the brown and blue with the blue.
     
  8. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    Have a look inside the pendant lamp holder to see that the wires are properly connected.
     
  9. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    Have you screwed down the terminal onto the cable sheath instead of bare wire(check even if it was pre-wired in the factory) ?

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
  10. paweaz

    paweaz New Member

    thats what i have done brown to brown and blue to blue and the earth screwed in also,is it possible the idiot who wired it originally has not used the neutral,the prong defo has power at both prongs
     
  11. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    What are you using to "test for power"?

    Are you measuring this with a lamp in place?

    Have you done work on other fittings in the house?
     
  12. paweaz

    paweaz New Member

  13. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Has to be wrongly wired at the ceiling rose where the new feed for the light was taken from.

    Probably idiot before has connected to the live & switch live, have seen that done quite a few times over the years.
     
  14. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    That pen will tell you if you are NEAR a live cable/terminal.

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
  15. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    Restrip and terminate the neutral again, from the picture it looks like its missing a number of strands of copper.

    Also the type of cable (stranded) may suggest there is a junction box nearby. Post picture of the switch to confirm whether this type of cable has been used throughout.
     
    PaulBlackpool likes this.
  16. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Well spotted Jit, didn't spot that on my phone earlier, viewing it now at home, certianly some dodgy wiring.
     
    PaulBlackpool likes this.
  17. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    Light fitting won't work without a neutral supply.
     
  18. paweaz

    paweaz New Member

    what i cant get my head round is how the previous old light worked ok
     
  19. Rulland

    Rulland Screwfix Select

    It has got to be a really easy fix, old light worked, new one don't, 3 cores, come on.....

    There must be more to this story tbh, same old 'I connected like to like, all the reds together and all the blacks'.
     
  20. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    Did you check that you have screwed down onto the WIRES?

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     

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