New ceiling lights wiring help.

Tiddler · Jan 7, 2022

Hi, I'm after a bit of help if you can. I have 2 ceiling lights to replace and was wondering if someone could tell me where I should be attaching the different coloured wires in the new light. The 2 old lights I'm replacing have slightly different wire setups.

The first pic is the first old light.
The second pic is the second old light.
The third pic is the new light connection.

Any help would be much appreciated, thankyou.

Tiddler · Jan 7, 2022

Just realised I think this should be in the DIY forum section. Please feel free to move it there if needed. Sorry about that.

Tiddler · Jan 7, 2022

Also this is in the uk. Thanks

westward10 · Jan 7, 2022

Your new light fittings require an earth, the green wire but your existing lights have no earth present.

SJD · Jan 7, 2022

The recessed very-old-style connection box will have an earth terminal, which MAY provide an earth, provided there is an earth in the wiring - which means it needs testing to check, rather than assuming it is earth.

Note also there will likely be a permenent live terminal in the recessed box (perhaps accessible only on the other side), so it is imperative you don't mix that up with the earth, which would be quite dangerous!

NB: the recessed box will likely be screwed to a timber noggin between two joists, with the fixed wiring terminated on the other side. Hence the short fly-leads in odd colours (like orange) from the terminals to the newer ceiling rose.

brianmoooore · Jan 7, 2022

As said above, an earth as part of the supply wire is essential for the light you are trying to fit.
There also appears to be something a little odd about the existing wiring. The live wires appear to be orange, rather than red, and there's no sign of the outer sheath of the cables (which should come all the way into the fitting.
If your wiring really does not have an earth wire present, it's time to consider some re wiring, since it must be well over half a century old.

DPG · Jan 7, 2022

Live and neutral are connected incorrectly in the white junction box also.

littlespark · Jan 8, 2022

I think the original lights are wired in conduit… just a hunch.
There is space to make a joint in the conduit box and just bring a single live, neutral and earth into the fitting where they would connect into that silly little box.
Doesn’t help that you may need an earth wire in the supply.

Is your new fitting metal, plastic,?

Tiddler · Jan 8, 2022

littlespark said:
I think the original lights are wired in conduit… just a hunch.
There is space to make a joint in the conduit box and just bring a single live, neutral and earth into the fitting where they would connect into that silly little box.
Doesn’t help that you may need an earth wire in the supply.

Is your new fitting metal, plastic,?

It's metal

westward10 · Jan 8, 2022

You are going to need an electrician to verify if the metal conduit box behind the rose is effectively earthed and if so how to connect an earth to it, depending on age it should have a threaded connection point.