Ceiling light - how to connect wires (photos)

DorianN · 23 Jul 2023

Hi all. I'm struggling to figure out how to replace the ceiling light.
The bottom photo is a bit blurry but you can see how they're connected currently. The top photo (with brown and blue cables only) is the new light.
I'd rather avoid the trial-and-error route, so thought I'd ask here.
Should I connect the red wire to the other side of the terminal connected to brown wires and black to the one connected to blue wires?
The ceiling cable also has the yellow/green wire (earth) which is not connected to anything. What do I do with that one?

Any help would be appreciated.

EFLImpudence · 23 Jul 2023

Your old brown and blue are the wrong way round.

Connect the new browns to the red and the new blues to the black.

EFLImpudence · 23 Jul 2023

I think the middle connector of the block of three should be connected to a metal tab on the base and then the earth wire to the middle block.

EFLImpudence · 23 Jul 2023

Is this a tab?

old duffer · 23 Jul 2023

EFLImpudence said:
Your old brown and blue are the wrong way round.

Connect the new browns to the red and the new blues to the black.

DorianN said:

Hi all. I'm struggling to figure out how to replace the ceiling light.
The bottom photo is a bit blurry but you can see how they're connected currently. The top photo (with brown and blue cables only) is the new light.
I'd rather avoid the trial-and-error route, so thought I'd ask here.
Should I connect the red wire to the other side of the terminal connected to brown wires and black to the one connected to blue wires?
The ceiling cable also has the yellow/green wire (earth) which is not connected to anything. What do I do with that one?

Any help would be appreciated.

View attachment 309048 View attachment 309049

Click to expand...

DorianN said:
Hi all. I'm struggling to figure out how to replace the ceiling light.
The bottom photo is a bit blurry but you can see how they're connected currently. The top photo (with brown and blue cables only) is the new light.
I'd rather avoid the trial-and-error route, so thought I'd ask here.
Should I connect the red wire to the other side of the terminal connected to brown wires and black to the one connected to blue wires?
The ceiling cable also has the yellow/green wire (earth) which is not connected to anything. What do I do with that one?

Any help would be appreciated.

View attachment 309048 View attachment 309049

does not have an earth wire so none to connect. If it makes you feel better you can connect the earth wire to the metal tab but first you need to create a bayonet type fitting on it.

RandomGrinch · 23 Jul 2023

old duffer said:
does not have an earth wire so none to connect. If it makes you feel better you can connect the earth wire to the metal tab

EFLImpudence said:
the middle connector of the block of three should be connected to a metal tab on the base and then the earth wire to the middle block.

old duffer said:
but first you need to create a bayonet type fitting on it.

???

pete01 · 23 Jul 2023

old duffer said:
does not have an earth wire so none to connect. If it makes you feel better you can connect the earth wire to the metal tab but first you need to create a bayonet type fitting on it.

I don't follow, the fitting is metal it needs earthing.

old duffer · 23 Jul 2023

pete01 said:
I don't follow, the fitting is metal it needs earthing.

why does it? it will be safe enough without it...hundreds of thousands of lights right now working perfectly without an earth.

EFLImpudence · 23 Jul 2023

Nothing to do with working; it is about stopping people being killed.

pete01 · 23 Jul 2023

old duffer said:
why does it? it will be safe enough without it...hundreds of thousands of lights right now working perfectly without an earth.

Dont be daft, working doesn't always mean safe.

pcaouolte · 23 Jul 2023

old duffer said:
why does it? it will be safe enough without it...hundreds of thousands of lights right now working perfectly without an earth.

Because if one of the wires come out of the connector block and touch the metal case it will become live. User touches the metal case and he/she becomes live. It definitely isn't "safe enough" without an earth, it could kill.

Sureitsoff? · 23 Jul 2023

EFLImpudence said:
Is this a tab?

View attachment 309051

looks like it so connect the middle connector to the tab and the green yellow cable to the other side of the connector block and if it is easier cut the three way connector block into singles by carefully cutting between the blocks with the connector screws in

RandomGrinch · 23 Jul 2023

old duffer said:
why does it?

...just to add, there are double insulated metal light fittings that don't require an earth - this is not one of them; the internal cabling is not double insulated, the metal rose will often have an insulating plastic lining, and the connection block can be in its own small enclosure.

DorianN · 23 Jul 2023

EFLImpudence said:
Your old brown and blue are the wrong way round.

Connect the new browns to the red and the new blues to the black.

That's what I thought, but then why is it working fine? I'd expect it to blow up the fuse if it was the wrong way around?

EFLImpudence said:
I think the middle connector of the block of three should be connected to a metal tab on the base and then the earth wire to the middle block.

I intend to connect the earth wire directly to that tab, without going through the middle block. Should have the same effect, right?

terryplumb · 23 Jul 2023

DorianN said:
That's what I thought, but then why is it working fine? I'd expect it to blow up the fuse if it was the wrong way around?

I intend to connect the earth wire directly to that tab, without going through the middle block. Should have the same effect, right?

Use the terminal block provided,that's what it's for.
The previous pendant was not polarity sensitive ,that's why it worked fine.