Metal ceiling light with no earth

[AlwaysInAPickle]

That's pvc twin & earth. Very old solid green sleeving, so early 70s probably. But doesn't mean the earth core is actually doing anything.

Switches might've been moved at some point and cable added to.

The insulation at the lights doesn't look red. One of them at the light looks like could be black sleeving which seems odd.

checked a few more switches around the house and they all appear to have the same set up. The other reachable light appears to have the earth cable.

is there anything I can do to check if the earth in the living room is doing anything?

if there is an earth wire at the switch is there likely to be one pushed up into the ceiling?

 

[SUNRAY]

checked a few more switches around the house and they all appear to have the same set up. The other reachable light appears to have the earth cable.

is there anything I can do to check if the earth in the living room is doing anything?

if there is an earth wire at the switch is there likely to be one pushed up into the ceiling?

I predict you are going to be OK. I assume you have the typical loop-in arrangement of 40 years ago at the ceiling rose (Confirmed by the recent ceiling pic) and following on from our assumptions there were previously different light fittings without the facilities for terminating all the red and earth wires, in which case they are usually/frequently joined and pushed into the ceoiling void, then when those clear plastic (a fairly recent product) ceiling roses were fitted they didn't bother disturbing the hidden joints.

If you mark the single black wire with tape, or something else secure like paint, disconnect and remove the rose, I think you'll find those joints.

Obviously make sure the power is off and take care with climbing up there.

 

[AlwaysInAPickle]

I predict you are going to be OK. I assume you have the typical loop-in arrangement of 40 years ago at the ceiling rose (Confirmed by the recent ceiling pic) and following on from our assumptions there were previously different light fittings without the facilities for terminating all the red and earth wires, in which case they are usually/frequently joined and pushed into the ceoiling void, then when those clear plastic (a fairly recent product) ceiling roses were fitted they didn't bother disturbing the hidden joints.

If you mark the single black wire with tape, or something else secure like paint, disconnect and remove the rose, I think you'll find those joints.

Obviously make sure the power is off and take care with climbing up there.

thanks everyone for your help, my father in law is popping around this weekend to help me.
I’ll make sure to mark the wires before disconnecting and make sure the power of off.
I’ll update everyone with the outcome!

 

[SUNRAY]

thanks everyone for your help, my father in law is popping around this weekend to help me.
I’ll make sure to mark the wires before disconnecting and make sure the power of off.
I’ll update everyone with the outcome!

Unless the wires have been cut short I think you'll be ok. Good luck.

 

[securespark]

Interestingly, I have a sample of rubber twin and earth.

Don't know its installation date, though.

I did not find the solid core, but have a photo of another rubber T&E taken from an old lighting circuit in 1996.

 

[securespark]

This was a teaching board to show younger sparks the sort of cables installed in the past.

On the other side are samples of DNO and street lighting supply cables and cut-out fuses.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I did not find the solid core,

1/044 was the solid core you might have come across.

 

[securespark]

Yes, it was.

 

[AlwaysInAPickle]

Just to let everyone know the light is up and working. We killed the power to the house, took down the current plastic rose and there was an in-loop set up with the earth just sitting up there.

my partner has the light she wanted and is very thankful! So thank you everyone!

 

[SUNRAY]

Just to let everyone know the light is up and working. We killed the power to the house, took down the current plastic rose and there was an in-loop set up with the earth just sitting up there.

my partner has the light she wanted and is very thankful! So thank you everyone!

Phew. We can make our observations and predictions from experience but We've also encountered the unexpected situations.

Glad it went well for you.