Replacing no earth spotlights with earth spotlights

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

warning! im a DIYer, so don't know alot about electrics!

The current spotlights have a driver and no earth, they're connected to their driver with a 2 wire clip connector. The driver is then connected to the mains wires with a 3 pin clip connector.

The replacements are mains voltage (astro minima) and require an earth.

I assumed i could just wire the opposing 3 pin connector onto the new spots and connect it, but i was a bit confused to see that inside the mains side of the 3 pin connector there are 2 cables going into it... one with an earth and one without (see pic), so now im not sure if my plan is safe!

Pic here:

PXL-20211002-100039468-MP hosted at ImgBB

Image PXL-20211002-100039468-MP hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

in case its relevant there's also a PIR motiion detector in the circuit somewhere (im looking to remove that also, but not right now, unless it makes sense to do it while im swapping the downlights themselves)

westward10 · Oct 2, 2021

Both those wires have an earth they are just fitted through a single green/yellow sleeve.

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

westward10 said:
Both those wires have an earth they are just fitted through a single green/yellow sleeve.

ah, i didnt see that!, ok, so i should be able to just stick the other side of the connector onto my new lights and clip it on,

I need to buy some cable for this, is there a specification that i need to get? i'm seeing 1mm 2core and earth mentioned, would that be what i need for this (this would be to attach the 3 pin connecto to the light fitting itself

westward10 · Oct 2, 2021

Can you show the terminals of the light fitting.

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

westward10 said:
Can you show the terminals of the light fitting.

danturner said:

ah, i didnt see that!, ok, so i should be able to just stick the other side of the connector onto my new lights and clip it on,

I need to buy some cable for this, is there a specification that i need to get? i'm seeing 1mm 2core and earth mentioned, would that be what i need for this (this would be to attach the 3 pin connecto to the light fitting itself

Click to expand...

Here it is! it looks, in my undecuated opinion, like i could connect a length of 3 core cable to this and the other side of the 3 pin clip and then just clip the lights in to the clip from the first pic in the ceiling?

Thanks so much for the help btw!

[ElectriciansForums.net] Replacing no earth spotlights with earth spotlights

westward10 · Oct 2, 2021

You can do one of two things. Do as you say a short length of cable to the light and use the old connector or connect both cables to the new light. The new light has two cable clamps and the wires push into the connector which has two terminals for L, N and earth. You will need some 2.0 bore green/yellow sleeving to separate the earths. The cables will need stripping back slightly to give more wire length and fit the clamps over the grey sheath and not the wires, it will be fiddly but try and keep the wires contained in the clear plastic enclosure.

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

westward10 said:
You can do one of two things. Do as you say a short length of cable to the light and use the old connector or connect both cables to the new light. The new light has two cable clamps and the wires push into the connector which has two terminals for L, N and earth. You will need some 2.0 bore green/yellow sleeving to separate the earths. The cables will need stripping back slightly to give more wire length and fit the clamps over the grey sheath and not the wires, it will be fiddly but try and keep the wires contained in the clear plastic enclosure.

think im gonna go with the short length of cable and connector approach, i have 40+ of these to do and i can stick the connectors on on the ground and just clip them in which is a bit easier on the arms!

also i think the connecting directly feels a bit more complicated for a novice!

is 1.5mm 2core + earth cable suitable for the short cabling (e.g. Prysmian 6242Y Grey 1.5mm² Twin & Earth Cable 25m Coil - https://www.screwfix.com/p/prysmian-6242y-grey-1-5mm-twin-earth-cable-25m-coil/65696)

i havent seen cable with the earth unsleeved, should i be getting cable with all 3 sleeved?

(thanks again)

westward10 · Oct 2, 2021

That type of cable will always have an unsleeved earth and 1.0mm is easier to work with. Alternatively use three core 1.0 flex however those connectors may need a bit of pressure on the leaf to insert the wires. Solid wires which T&E have will push straight in but stranded wires of flex don't but they do fit by pushing down on the connector leafs. The advantage with flex is no sleeving.

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

westward10 said:
That type of cable will always have an unsleeved earth and 1.0mm is easier to work with. Alternatively use three core 1.0 flex however those connectors may need a bit of pressure on the leaf to insert the wires. Solid wires which T&E have will push straight in but stranded wires of flex don't but they do fit by pushing down on the connector leafs. The advantage with flex is no sleeving.

OK! thanks so much, feels like i can actually manage this myself now! figured if i can do some of the boring manual stuff i can save a bit on the electrics overall on our project! i'll get the electrician to double check one of the ones i do just to make sure i haven't misunderstood your advice ;p

Thanks!

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

danturner said:
OK! thanks so much, feels like i can actually manage this myself now! figured if i can do some of the boring manual stuff i can save a bit on the electrics overall on our project! i'll get the electrician to double check one of the ones i do just to make sure i haven't misunderstood your advice ;p

Thanks!

Last question! Can I just shove the earth in like this? I.e unsleeved etc

westward10 · Oct 2, 2021

No it is a requirement to fit sleeving.

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

westward10 said:
No it is a requirement to fit sleeving.

Ah bugger haha. If I use the 3 core flex I assume that covers it? Otherwise I need to buy something to cover the bare wire?

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

danturner said:
Ah bugger haha. If I use the 3 core flex I assume that covers it? Otherwise I need to buy something to cover the bare wire?

"The advantage with flex is no sleeving."
just re-read your post! d'oh! back to screwfix for me!

glad i checked though, thanks again

danturner · Oct 2, 2021

danturner said:
"The advantage with flex is no sleeving."
just re-read your post! d'oh! back to screwfix for me!

glad i checked though, thanks again

westward10 said:
No it is a requirement to fit sleeving.

possibly a daft question...

screwfix dont have any 1mm flex in stock
and they dont have any sleeves under 3mm...

im wondering if in the interim of ordering some 1mm flex whether i can strip earth sleeve from some 1.5mm flex that i have lying around and use that as sleeving for the 1mm T&E?

if so, Im assuming you just slide the sleeve onto the bare copper, do you need to do anything other than that?

westward10 · Oct 2, 2021

danturner said:
possibly a daft question...

screwfix dont have any 1mm flex in stock
and they dont have any sleeves under 3mm...

im wondering if in the interim of ordering some 1mm flex whether i can strip earth sleeve from some 1.5mm flex that i have lying around and use that as sleeving for the 1mm T&E?

if so, Im assuming you just slide the sleeve onto the bare copper, do you need to do anything other than that?

I don't see why not.

Replacing no earth spotlights with earth spotlights

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