Lights will not go off! Any help welcome
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stephenah
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Lights will not go off! Any help welcome

by stephenah » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:30 pm

I am replacing a ceiling light that operates from two different switches. When I took the old light down it had a blue (neutral) wire and this was connected to two black wires in the ceiling. The light also had a brown (live) wire and this was connected to a yellow wire in the ceiling (Earth?). There was also two red wires in the ceiling that were islolated and not connected to anything. My new light has blue, yellow and brown wiring. I wired the two black wires in the ceiling to the blue wire. I wired the yellow wire in the ceiling to the yellow earth wire. I wired the two red wires to the brown wires. The light works but it will not swtich off at the switch so there is something not right. I cannot identify the live switch cable and don't know if it is one of the black wires or red wires.
Can anyone help me with this problem?

kbrownie
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by kbrownie » Fri Aug 01, 2008 5:20 pm

stephenah
Connect back as before Two reds together but not connected to anything else. The Brown on light to Yellow cable (I don't think this is an earth probally two way switch wire, earth is green or green and yellow banded) and blue to blacks.
I'd be concerned that you don't have an earth connection and this should be looked at by qualified electrician.
Regards
KB

ericmark

by ericmark » Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:53 pm

Earth in light fitting are normally bare cables covered with yellow and green sleeve.
Yellow cable is often found in triple and earth cable and in theory it should be sleeved but often the sleeves are missing. Normally it would go between the switches and not to the ceiling rose so it would need checking with meters etc to be sure what it is in your case.
It is normal to have two or three red wires not connected to the lamp and they would go to loop termials.
Your new lamp should not have a yellow cable it should be green and yellow.
If I am reading your post correct you have connected the switch wire which it seems is yellow to earth and the loop wires to the brown line wire this will not only cause the lamp to stay on but will make the whole lamp live when switched on.
From what you say the yellow wire should go to the brown wire on new lamp and it seems you have no earths?
Since the new lamp has an earth connection it would not be suitable and a double insulated model would need selecting.
My advice is to get some one qualified to check it all over as from what you have said it is now in a very dangerous state.
Hoping you are able to read this before anyone gets a shock Eric

BLAKEY1963
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Re: Lights will not go off! Any help welcome

by BLAKEY1963 » Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:30 pm

[quote="stephenah"]I am replacing a ceiling light that operates from two different switches. When I took the old light down it had a blue (neutral) wire and this was connected to two black wires in the ceiling. The light also had a brown (live) wire and this was connected to a yellow wire in the ceiling (Earth?). There was also two red wires in the ceiling that were islolated and not connected to anything. My new light has blue, yellow and brown wiring. I wired the two black wires in the ceiling to the blue wire. I wired the yellow wire in the ceiling to the yellow earth wire. I wired the two red wires to the brown wires. The light works but it will not swtich off at the switch so there is something not right. I cannot identify the live switch cable and don't know if it is one of the black wires or red wires.
Can anyone help me with this problem?[/quote]

stephenah

AS kbrownie and ericmark have correctlty pointed this
this could be a very dangerous situation , with possibly NO earthing not giving the nessecery protection against shock
and fire.
be on the safe side and get in an electrician A.S.A.P

BLAKEY1963

stephenah
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Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:00 pm

lights will not go off

by stephenah » Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:33 pm

Thank you for your replies. They have been very helpful. Thankfully no one has received a shock from the light.

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