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Ask The Trades › DIY Forum › Electrical Questions › Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth?

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Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? (Read 7383 times)

Lukas GDPR opt-out	Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Feb 26^th, 2011, 3:18pm Hi I ripped out some old strip lights and I am replacing them with spot lights. The cable coming out of the wall is three core and earth (black, brown, grey, earth) but the spot lights are intended for two core and earth. Is there an easy way to fix? Any help much appreciated!
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CWatters Super Member Offline "Daddy fick it" says James Posts: 5150 Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0 Gender:	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #1 - Feb 26^th, 2011, 7:06pm How were the old spots wired?
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Lukas GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #2 - Feb 27^th, 2011, 8:10am Hi The lights that I took down were fluorescent striplights connected in series. The picture shows the how the first one was wired to the mains.
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CWatters Super Member Offline "Daddy fick it" says James Posts: 5150 Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0 Gender:	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #3 - Feb 27^th, 2011, 10:31am Looks like you have a dimmer switch?
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Lukas GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #4 - Feb 27^th, 2011, 10:52am There is no dimmer switch
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Lectrician Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Ask The Trades Posts: 8814 Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0 Braunton, North Devon United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #5 - Feb 27^th, 2011, 2:02pm Photo of the switch? Including inside it? It does look like a dimmable fluorescent - relatively rare. It has been connnected up as if there is a dimmer, and was wired with three core for that reason. We need to see the switch to be able to advise how to wire it.
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Lukas GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #6 - Feb 27^th, 2011, 5:49pm Not sure this makes it any clearer - lots of shadow, but basically two black, one brown wire (all other cables isolated). There could well have been a dimmer on there once, but if so it's been replaced. We have dimmable fluorescents in another room.
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Lectrician Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Ask The Trades Posts: 8814 Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0 Braunton, North Devon United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #7 - Feb 27^th, 2011, 10:03pm Are you UK based? This wiring suggests not?
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Lukas GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #8 - Mar 1^st, 2011, 5:04am No - I'm an expat based in Norway. I have decided to remove the 3c+e cable and pull a 2c+e cable through instead, since it looks fairly straightforward.
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CWatters

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Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth?
Reply #9 - Mar 1^st, 2011, 12:17pm

I wouldn't do that unless very easy to pull through. I'd Just leave one core disconnected both ends. Put the unused ends into a terminal block and insulate.

Norwegian wire colour codes here ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-phase_electric_power

suggest if you decide to use the existing wire you use..

Live = Brown
Neutral = Sleeve the Grey wire both ends with Blue sleeve
Earth = green/yellow wire (or sleeve).
Black wire unused.

Obviously need to comply any local regulations.

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Lukas GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0	Re: Three Core and Earth into Two Core and Earth? Reply #10 - Mar 12^th, 2011, 5:52pm Thanks - i ended up plugging the lights into a nearby socket as a temporary solution (while i finished tiling the bathroom). I have just wired in the lights as per your advice and everything works perfectly. Many thanks for your help!
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