Light fitting and switch wiring for conservatory lights Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Rich2021]

Two of the lights in my conservatory are no longer working.
I had to take the switch and light fittings off to put some wall paper up and didn’t take a picture/ note down the wiring configuration. Now I can’t get the wiring right and have come to a bit of a dead end on what to do.
There is a cable in to the switch, two cables in the first light and one cable in the second light.
Using a voltmeter I confirmed that the right hand cable in the first light is the one that feeds the second light – all good.
When I connect the voltmeter up to the black wire at the switch I get a reading in the grey, brown and black on the right hand side of the first light fitting. The red cable doesn’t get any reading.
It is 3 core and earth that runs to the light fittings and standard 2 core and earth to the switch.
I am hoping that someone has seen this wiring before and can tell me what goes where in the light fitting and switch?
I have added some photos to help.
Thanks,
Rich

[Mr White]

I would suggest you establish what the wires at the switch do. Logically, one cable should go to your first light, but as I did not wire it, I do not know, hence the reason to find out.
I could guess, but guess wrong and..............

[Rich2021]

I did not wire it either and can't take the floor up to hunt for a junction box so am left with the wires that I can see.

Connecting a voltmeter up to the black cable in the socket gets a reading on the grey, brown and black at the first light.

Every time I connect the cables up at the socket and turn the switch it trips the downstairs lighting.

I was hoping that someone might have seen this way of wiring before or could suggest something as I don't really know where to go from here.

[Mr White]

There is no definitive colour code for wiring lights, it is the choice of the person who installed it. Since we do not know how it was wired the next thing to do is to test it, since you can not do this, for your safety I suggest you engage the services of an electrician.