Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Ceiling lighting has 3 sets of wires - help.
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davemichael
12-24-05, 10:26 AM
I replaced my existing ceiling light with a new ones. The old ones had one light bulb per connection the new one three.
There are two sets lights in the room, one with a normal switch and another with a dimmer.
The one with the normal switch was easy and I connected that without any problems. Connected Red to Live, Neutral to Neutral and the Earth to earth.
However when I took the other one down there were 3 sets of 3 wires. The 3 red wires were just connected together. The Earth was connected to nothing, although I suspect it may of been in the past but the wire deteriated? And the other 3 black wires were connected - with 2 to the Live one on the lights and the other to the Neutral (or maybe that was 2 to neutral and 1 to live) unfortunately I can't remember.
This disn't make much sense to me, especially 3 red wires seemingly going nowwhere. But anyway after connecting the wires as I thought they should be which was red to live etc I gave up on that and tried to connect them as before. With 3 reds together, 2 black to one and another black to another. I did connect the earth up though.
Problem is it blew the fuse a couple of times when I connected it one way. Another way the one switch in the room turns both lights on and the dimmer switch does nothing. Which is how I left it, as I didn't fancy spending christmas in the dark.
Anyone offer any advise or point me to a site that has wiring instructions for this?
There are two sets lights in the room, one with a normal switch and another with a dimmer.
The one with the normal switch was easy and I connected that without any problems. Connected Red to Live, Neutral to Neutral and the Earth to earth.
However when I took the other one down there were 3 sets of 3 wires. The 3 red wires were just connected together. The Earth was connected to nothing, although I suspect it may of been in the past but the wire deteriated? And the other 3 black wires were connected - with 2 to the Live one on the lights and the other to the Neutral (or maybe that was 2 to neutral and 1 to live) unfortunately I can't remember.
This disn't make much sense to me, especially 3 red wires seemingly going nowwhere. But anyway after connecting the wires as I thought they should be which was red to live etc I gave up on that and tried to connect them as before. With 3 reds together, 2 black to one and another black to another. I did connect the earth up though.
Problem is it blew the fuse a couple of times when I connected it one way. Another way the one switch in the room turns both lights on and the dimmer switch does nothing. Which is how I left it, as I didn't fancy spending christmas in the dark.
Anyone offer any advise or point me to a site that has wiring instructions for this?
Snoonyb
12-24-05, 10:59 AM
Interesting, no mention of a neutral in the "dimmed" ceiling box.
Leave the red conductors twisted and then wire nutted.
Disconnect the black conductors and let hang loose. Next, with a cheap multi-tester, and the dimmer either removed or in the off position, test between each of the black conductors and the ground or bare copper conductor.
One should be hot.Wire nut it.
Next, describe the wiring in the dimmer switch box.
Leave the red conductors twisted and then wire nutted.
Disconnect the black conductors and let hang loose. Next, with a cheap multi-tester, and the dimmer either removed or in the off position, test between each of the black conductors and the ground or bare copper conductor.
One should be hot.Wire nut it.
Next, describe the wiring in the dimmer switch box.
classicsat
12-24-05, 12:27 PM
Sounds like you may be in the UK. The systems are a bit different, but the principal is the same.
Two of the reds should be in one cable, which would be your switch loop. You connect one to the red in the red/black cable, and the other to the fixture. Black and earth to the other fixture wire. (brown=hot, blue=neutral)
Two of the reds should be in one cable, which would be your switch loop. You connect one to the red in the red/black cable, and the other to the fixture. Black and earth to the other fixture wire. (brown=hot, blue=neutral)