Wiring 2 blue wires, 2 brown, copper one with 1 black wire and 1 white wire

Juan R · May 21, 2023

Hi All,

I have a terminal on the wall with 2 blue wires, 2 brown and a copper one (Photo 1), and I would like to connect a lamp which has 1 black wire and 1 white wire (Photo 2).

How should I connect them to make working the lamp?

Thanks in advance for your help,

Juan

Photo 1

[ElectriciansForums.net] Wiring 2 blue wires, 2 brown, copper one with 1 black wire and 1 white wire

Photo 2

brianmoooore · May 21, 2023

The blue and brown at the bottom of the pic and the bare copper wire is the incoming cable.
The black and the other blue is a dubious (and dangerous) cable to something else, as yet unknown.
Where did your light come from? If sold in the UK its wires should be blue and brown.
Is there a second light or a switch nearby that the blue and brown flex could be running to?

DPG · May 21, 2023

brianmoooore said:
The blue and brown at the bottom of the pic and the bare copper wire is the incoming cable.
The black and the other blue is a dubious (and dangerous) cable to something else, as yet unknown.
Where did your light come from? If sold in the UK its wires should be blue and brown.
Is there a second light or a switch nearby that the blue and brown flex could be running to?

I think the other cable also has blue and brown. Maybe a bit darker though.

Edit: ignore the above, I was looking at the wrong photo.

Juan R · May 21, 2023

brianmoooore said:
The blue and brown at the bottom of the pic and the bare copper wire is the incoming cable.
The black and the other blue is a dubious (and dangerous) cable to something else, as yet unknown.
Where did your light come from? If sold in the UK its wires should be blue and brown.
Is there a second light or a switch nearby that the blue and brown flex could be running to?

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, the lamp is an IKEA one bought in UK (I live in UK too).

I saw on internet that the IKEA wires colours are: black for live and white for neutral.

There is a switch indeed for this lamp, just below of the lamp. I add a picture below:

Thanks!

Juan

littlespark · May 21, 2023

If “photo 2” is the light fitting, those bare connectors should be held in an enclosure, and in no way touch each other.

The wall looks like a regular twin and earth feed, should be some green/ yellow sleeving on the bare earth. No idea where the 2 core flex could be going…. Another light?

Be careful drilling into the wall to fix the light…

brianmoooore · May 21, 2023

`This wiring has a very amateurish appearance to it, so I would advise that you engage the services of a competent electrician.
That 'switch' is a fused connection unit, and would not normally be used as a SP light switch. It would normally be used to 'step down' the fusing on a higher current supply to a lower current one, which may or may not be the case here.

oscar21 · May 21, 2023

Sparking must be the most frustrating job ever. question - "how much to put a light fitting up" answer "£4000 for a complete rewire", every time I go to a job.