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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> how do i add a light? https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1085695869 Message started by helloo on May 27th, 2004, 11:11pm

Title: how do i add a light? Post by helloo on May 27th, 2004, 11:11pm how do i add a light? its in my front room, i would also like to change the current light fitting, at the current light fitting there are 3 wires, each one has 3 cores in it, one earth, one live and one neutral, ive not done the job yet, how do i add the light? and how do i connect it into this light fitting? i can probrably manage the swap, but the addition pussles me! thanks alan

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 27th, 2004, 11:23pm ADDIng or CHANGING? theres a big difference. What you describe (wiring) is what we call "Loop-in, Loop-out" as follows; One cable carries live (Phase), neutral (N) and earth (CPC) IN from the consumer unit (CU). Another cable carries it OUT to the next light. The third cable goes to the light switch and this one confuses many people because the red cable is normally the live and the black cable is the SWITCHED live back from the switch - it should have a red taper (red tape or red sleeve) on it. And so - you have THREE red cables these are ALL live and one goes to the switch COMMON. You have TWO blacks cables these are neutral. AN you have another black (which should have a red taper) this is the switched live. And of course you have three cpc cable (earth). So ya new light goes between the TWO neutrals and the switched (black probably) cable. Clear as mud? If so ask away my friend. RR

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by HandyMac on May 28th, 2004, 7:46am If you aren't sure what you are doing the best advice is to get expert help. Even if that expert help is simply to guide you on-site and point you in the right direction, and then test afterwards. If this new light fitting caused an accident or fatality, or your house burnt down because it wasn't installed according to the 16th edition regulations, your insurance company are extremely likely to walk away from covering you. Andrew

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 28th, 2004, 8:01am Interestingly I think the insurance company would have problems with that as the 16th Regs are not statutory. Unless the policy clearly states that any DIY invalidates the insurance then he will be covered. Now life insurance thats another matter! Its not worth risking your life. As HandyMac says best get a sparky in if in ANY doubt whatsoever. RR

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by HandyMac on May 28th, 2004, 8:13am wrote on May 28th, 2004, 8:01am: Interestingly I think the insurance company would have problems with that as the 16th Regs are not statutory Not statutory, no. But would be used in a court of law against the individual because the 16th ed regs are the only show in town. I wouldn't put money on a smart lawyer not being able to get the judge to see it his way that the 16th ed weren't complied with so therefore the gallows beckons. It's not actually illegal not to have an MOT for a vehicle either - driving it on the road might be. But in the event you were driving the vehicle on private land (which doesn't need an MOT) you can bet your bottom dollar that the vehicle would be put thru the same rigorous testing that the MOT requires if there was a loss of life. Andrew

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 28th, 2004, 8:24am True.... RR

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by toomuchtooyoung on May 28th, 2004, 4:28pm Why don't yous two just take over  this guys question for a debate. I would be surprised if they can get the owners DNA from the cable or see the red sleeve once it has been burnt to cinders...... Been called out many a time to All reds together all blacks together and all earths together and the punter "Every time I flick the switch the bloomin fuse goes" - keeps us sparkys in business....... johnb.

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by HandyMac on May 28th, 2004, 5:35pm wrote on May 28th, 2004, 4:28pm: I would be surprised if they can get the owners DNA from the cable or see the red sleeve once it has been burnt to cinders...... Don't be so daft! The scientists managed to get hold of some 65 million year old DNA when they made Jurassic Park - and I'll bet that DNA had been thru the wars a lot more than this guys DNA had! ;) Andrew

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 28th, 2004, 8:15pm Sincere apologies to Hello, are rantings may have confused you. Are you happy with the answers and responses so far and are you able to add your light or elect to get a sparky in to do it for you? Any further queries? RR PS. Guys we should go offline (not this section) to other section to discuss this TooWellHung is quite right.

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by ban-all-sheds on Jun 1st, 2004, 3:12pm Not quite sure why they guys above spent more time bantering than answering your question, given that this is a DIY forum, and DIY installation/replacement of a light fitting isn't an unreasonable task. RR came closest, but he's not named that for no reason, and a picture might be easier to follow: It's not quite as helpful as it could be, as it shows two reds going to the switch, when in 99.999% of cases it's a length of T&E, with the red used to take the live feed to the switch, and the black used to bring the switched live back.  This is supposed to be marked with a bit of red tape or red sleeving, but often this isn't done.  It also doesn't show the earth wire going to the switch, which is naughty. Anyway, you should be able to see why you have 3 cables.  Rather than post more pictures here, I'll point you at this web page: http://www.diydick.com/index.htm?http%3A//www.diydick.com/Electrics/electrical-content-pages/lighting-circuits.htm where they do a good job of building up from first principles to show how all the various conductors in the ceiling rose work.  It's very simple once you get the hang of it, and once you have, then if you need to replace the rose with a light fitting that has only L/N/E connections, you'll be able to work out which wires you need to join yourself with junction boxes or choc-block.   Apart from turning off the power, the most important thing you need to do, before you disconnect anything, is to look for the black wire that is not connected to either of the other two black wires, but instead is in the same terminal block as one of the light pendant wires.   This is in the cable that goes to the switch, and you need to make sure you mark that so that you know which is which when you connect it all back up.

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by L.Spark on Jun 1st, 2004, 4:27pm good old BAS with some pictures there  ;)

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by rabbit_rabbit on Jun 1st, 2004, 10:02pm Most impressed BAS, especially with the red and red t/e. Seen it for sale never used it though. No mate THAT was a good job to post pictures - 9 out of 10 mate! RR

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by Lectrician on Jun 2nd, 2004, 7:48am Is that a borrowed pic, or did ya do it BAS?  Top marks to you :-) Twin red, i have seen installed on some council jobs, only available in 1.5 i think.

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by rabbit_rabbit on Jun 2nd, 2004, 9:16am Probably a borrowed picture. Reminds me about a company that copied a map where their offices were reproduced it and put in their catalogue. They were sued by the map copyright holders and had to pay £15,000 (and that is a true story). And dump all their catalogues. Why ya sweating BAS?  ;D Ray

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by ban-all-sheds on Jun 2nd, 2004, 9:41am wrote on Jun 2nd, 2004, 9:16am: Probably a borrowed picture. Certainly is, although "borrowed" probably not the right word... Quote: Reminds me about a company that copied a map where their offices were reproduced it and put in their catalogue. They were sued by the map copyright holders and had to pay £15,000 (and that is a true story). And dump all their catalogues. Why ya sweating BAS?  ;D Ray I'm not sweating, as I've not borrowed/copied/downloaded/reposted anything from the DIYDick website - just included a hyperlink in my posting to the original.  No copyright issues whatsoever.

Title: Re: how do i add a light? Post by L.Spark on Jun 2nd, 2004, 3:33pm lol, now now, this is going off topic!  ;)

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