Wiring

[p.penn]

I want to change the white ceiling roses in the bedrooms for chandelier hooks. I have some of those see through connectors, but when I looked there are black and red wires in the ceiling. Which connects to which?

[Totally Scrambled]

Helen,
Black or blue wire is neutral.
Brown or red is live.
Yellow/green is earth.
Hopefully there will be a wiring diagram with the light.
You should have a brown, a blue and a yellow/green wire from the light fitting.
The ceiling rose could have just one cable or even two or three depending on what type of wiring system you have.
If it's just one the black will go to the neutral terminal and the red to the switch terminal and the light fitting wires will go brown to the live, blue to neutral and yellow/green to earth.
Dom

[AL37]

Don't do what I did, red to black, black to red and blue to bits!

[p.penn]

Ha ha Al!

Dom - there is no light fitting as such, I just want to replace the ceiling rose with a chandelier hook, but the wiring has to go through the hole on the centre of it so the white cable which would usually hold the lamp holder will be connected to a white plastic connector one end and to the black/red cable the other.

I don't think I had better do this myself - i will get one of my boys to do it, but when one of them took the ceiling rose down a couple of years ago, he didn't know which wire was which. It is still hanging off!

So, (just checking) red connects to brown, and black connects to blue. Just been to look and I can't see an earth. Will it be ok to put a brass hook onto it without one?

[Totally Scrambled]

Helen,
The brown wire and red wire go into the same connector, and the black and the red wire go in another.
I take it the green/yellow earth wire comes out of the ceiling, just connect that into a spare hole. Quite a few light fittings don't have an earth wire so it should be fine.
Dom

[p.penn]

No, I don't think there is a green yellow wire in the ceiling. Not sure - don't want to pull it further out in case I electricute myself

There is no light fittind. Just a see through plastic connector block so I can connect the down cable

[newto]

mmmmmmmmm

Lets hope it isnt like my flat was... a simple wiring job ( move a socket, add another, move light switch.. took 2 days..............

so badly wired , surprised the placehadny gone up in smoke.......

they´d used plain white cables, and sleeved the colours on...only had put diff colours on each end of same wire!!!

[foghornleghorn2]

If you have a red and black coming out of the ceiling into a block it is possible that the earth (wire which maybe just bare copper) is back in the cable sheathing as your light fitting may not have required an earth when installed and it is not uncommon to find the earth wire cut very short to keep it out of the way.

You would need to be 100% certain that the power is off and then gently try to pull some more cable through to see if this is what has happened.

Are you just taking the old fitting down and putting the brass hook up and then refitting the pendant set ?

[p.penn]

Yes. The (not wired in) chandelier will then hang from the brass hook ceiling fitting.

[foghornleghorn2]

If this unit has already been up and working with no problems then refitting it with the cable through a brass fitting should not make any difference.

This doesn't mean that the fitting shouldn't be earthed in an ideal world but you will be no better or worse off on a safety aspect.

Red to brown and blue to black

[foghornleghorn2]

Just a thought, how was this fitting held up if there was no hook

[p.penn]

It wasn't - there was just a normal lampshade. But my kitchen is full of chandeliers hangin on cup hooks from the beams, waiting for an electrician. Have been for at least 4 years.....

Thanks everyone.x

[p.penn]

There are another 4 behind me.....

[foghornleghorn2]

Soooo it hasn't been up and working then if it has a metal fitting anywhere near the lampholder it will probably need an earth, how many connectors does it have ? Is there a space for an earth wire ?

[p.penn]

It is just like a hanging thing. The original lampholder which has always been there will still be there on the original flex.