Too many wires on ceiling rose?

Avokado · Aug 11, 2022

Hi all,

I stupidly unplugged all the wires from my ceiling rose to install a light instead of plugging it into the available spaces on the block. Now I'm trying to put the wires back in but there is 1 wire extra! Please see the image included. Any help will be great, thanks!

Avokado · Aug 11, 2022

Please see image for the monstrosity

[ElectriciansForums.net] Too many wires on ceiling rose?

littlespark · Aug 11, 2022

The benefits of taking a photo before disconnecting....

I'm afraid any suggestions would be just guesswork. Even if someone says put this here, and that there... they cant be 100% accurate.

You're going to need the services of an electrician with the proper test equipment to work out what wire does what.

Any members Cardiff based??

Dustydazzler · Aug 11, 2022

You got some singles there , some 3 core cable and some twin cable

Time to call Del in ?

telectrix · Aug 11, 2022

wot he sed^^^^^^^. get a sparks in. take under an hour to sort.

davesparks · Aug 11, 2022

Be very careful with that, the single core cables could indicate that a common 'borrowed neutral' situation exists here. This can lead to the neutral wire becoming live despite the circuit being turned off.

Avokado · Aug 11, 2022

Hi all,

Many thanks for your valuable advice. I have managed to connect everything back together now apart from the bulb. So the other lights part of the loop now work but I cannot put the light that was on this rose back on as there are more wires than terminals! Image attached. Any way I can still attach the light? Whoever installed it must have used 1 terminals for 2 neutrals?

brianmoooore · Aug 11, 2022

New rose needed. Earth terminal is missing.
It also needs testing to verify that the earth wires are actually connected back to the earth bar in the CU, just in case the ancient singles are the supply.

Dartlec · Aug 11, 2022

Definitely needs a proper tester to identify for sure which wire is which.

A pic of what is at the switch might help narrow it down, but it's entirely possible that part or all of the lighting circuit is no longer earthed - if you have any metal fittings or switches, then it's important that the earthing is addressed as it's there to allow your fusebox/consumer unit to detect faults and trip/blow before it causes danger.

Less than an hours work for anyone competent with the right test equipment...

timhoward · Aug 12, 2022

You have taken a major risk and guessed.
I have particular doubts about one of your guesses.
We can’t tell you the complete answer for reasons already given. If you post a picture of behind the switch/switches we might be able to say that one detail is definitely wrong.

You really need someone to check this out as there’s a lot more going on there than most ceiling roses.

Electro-tech · Aug 12, 2022

Red to Red, Black to Black, Blue to bits. Obviously do not try this, just a sick joke that has been going around for years.

Dustydazzler · Aug 12, 2022

I have come across houses where the installer / DIY derek has used the yellow of a 3C cable as earth Which really baffles the homeowner when they go to put up their new fangle Ikea light they park the yellow core in with the live terminal and it keeps going bang bang everytime they reset the Mcb