Plastic light fitting

ChristopherJoe · Jul 27, 2019

Hi to anyone who could help please,

In the below light fitting I have connected a single (red) wire to one side and a single neutral(black) wire on opposite side. There’s a spare black wire and three earth wires which I’ve connected to wago connectors. There are three spare reds which are isolated with tape that are not touched. When I turn the mains on the light comes on but cannot switch off. When I took the previous light fitting off the live, neutral and earth were connected correctly to respective terminals and could switch off fine. Why am I unable to turn off the light does anyone have an idea please

Thanks
Chris

littlespark · Jul 27, 2019

The “spare black wire” is a little concerning.
You really need to employ an electrician to trace the cables and find out which ones are live, switched live and neutral.

We can possibly “best guess” but we are unable to give step by step instructions due to forum rules.

If you post your location, there may be a forum member local that can help out

Deleted member 105166 · Jul 27, 2019

Did you take a photograph of the old fitting, before disconnecting anything?

John Arnold · Jul 27, 2019

The commonest error of d.i.y light fitting changes in homes. Don't undo the wires at all until and unless you know where the wires should go. Now call an electrician in to sort the wiring for you.

ChristopherJoe · Jul 27, 2019

littlespark said:
The “spare black wire” is a little concerning.
You really need to employ an electrician to trace the cables and find out which ones are live, switched live and neutral.

We can possibly “best guess” but we are unable to give step by step instructions due to forum rules.

If you post your location, there may be a forum member local that can help out

TonyMitchell said:
Did you take a photograph of the old fitting, before disconnecting anything?

Hi,

Thanks for your reply yes I’ve attached below, there’s two black neutrals and a single red. With the new fitting I’ve used the same red and one of the blacks used a wago connector on the other. To be honest I’ve tried both blacks on their own and together in the new fitting and I have the same problem?

Thankd
Chris

Des 56 · Jul 27, 2019

Probably the red in the fitting at the moment is a permanent live
The wiring connections seems to have been messed up by yourself

It would probably be a very simple job for a spark, so hopefully it may be not be too costly

davesparks · Jul 27, 2019

ChristopherJoe said:
Hi,

Thanks for your reply yes I’ve attached below, there’s two black neutrals and a single red. With the new fitting I’ve used the same red and one of the blacks used a wago connector on the other. To be honest I’ve tried both blacks on their own and together in the new fitting and I have the same problem?

Thankd
Chris

What you have done here is create a very dangerous situation by disconnecting the outgoing neutral wire, this will lead to it becoming live and a number of light fittings in the property not working but having both connections live.

It would be best to get an electrician to fix this for you and I would advise switching off the lighting circuit until it is fixed.

Deleted account · Jul 27, 2019

You are presuming all the black conductors are neutral. In lighting circuits that isn’t nessisarily the case. Agree with above get an electrician in.

One of the most common call out I get are customers swapping lights and getting confused.