Ceiling light question

[Bunty]

Dear All,

I wonder of you can help me please? We have bought an ex display Laura Ashley ceiling light. It has three screws bulbs. The problem is that it has 3 wires in the flex plus the green earth. The 3 wires are clear coloured. I have wired in lights with the 2 blue and brown wires, but never seen 3. How do I wire this in to the ceiling rose please? Kind regards and thanks in anticipation.

 

[Midwest]

I've put a few luminaires up in my new pad with similar clear flex. As snowhead link suggests, if you strip the cores down to the wire, you may find a very fine coloured thread, that will identify the wires accordingly. It is a very fine thread mind, and you can easily cut it & discard it without realising. Magnifying glasses might be necessary.

Edit; I'm talking of stripping back the end that terminates with the installation wiring.

 

[telectrix]

quite easy really.L goes to the centre pin if the lamp/s, N to the screw thread, and E to the holder. a simple battery and a bulb with a bit of wire can determine this.

 

[westward10]

Doesn't matter on modern ES lamp holders they are polarity biased.

 

[Bunty]

Dear All, many thanks for your wise words. It sounds like the ex-display bargain ceiling light that my wife bought from Laura Ashley is beyond my skill level to install! It is a shame the individual wires were not labelled when it was taken down. It's not that I am trying to avoid paying for an electrician, honest! In fact my father-in-law was an electrician in Hove for 40 years but sadly now has Alzheimer's so all his knowledge is lost to us. We will probably give up on this project...

 

[Pete999]

Dear All, many thanks for your wise words. It sounds like the ex-display bargain ceiling light that my wife bought from Laura Ashley is beyond my skill level to install! It is a shame the individual wires were not labelled when it was taken down. It's not that I am trying to avoid paying for an electrician, honest! In fact my father-in-law was an electrician in Hove for 40 years but sadly now has Alzheimer's so all his knowledge is lost to us. We will probably give up on this project...

You haven't told us where you are situated have you one of us may be able to help

 

[DPG]

Be nice if someone on here is near to you - wouldn't take long at all.

 

[Midwest]

I've put a few luminaires up in my new pad with similar clear flex. As snowhead link suggests, if you strip the cores down to the wire, you may find a very fine coloured thread, that will identify the wires accordingly. It is a very fine thread mind, and you can easily cut it & discard it without realising. Magnifying glasses might be necessary.

Dear All, many thanks for your wise words. It sounds like the ex-display bargain ceiling light that my wife bought from Laura Ashley is beyond my skill level to install! It is a shame the individual wires were not labelled when it was taken down. It's not that I am trying to avoid paying for an electrician, honest! In fact my father-in-law was an electrician in Hove for 40 years but sadly now has Alzheimer's so all his knowledge is lost to us. We will probably give up on this project...

Did you read my posy about fine threads. Thats about all I can manage at this time at night

 

[Bunty]

We live in Ashington, West Sussex. I'd appreciate any help as I am always keen too learn...

 

[Bunty]

And as a matter of interest, did anyone on the forum know my father-in law Fred George who had his own electrician's business in Hove until and 20 years ago?

 

[Deuce]

To be honest, if you want to complete this yourself and also learn a little, you can buy a multi-meter for about £10 these days and it won't take you very much to find out which wire is connected to what.

All you have to do is check continuity from the bulb holder pin, thread and the outer parts of the fitting to see which transmits current to which wire.

As you're obviously happy to do a bit of DIY then at the very least you should have a multi-meter anyway.

 

[Timbo]

I'm in Burgess Hill. I have a job in Peckham on Monday morning, but could pop over in the afternoon if that suits you?

 

[DPG]

I'm in Burgess Hill. I have a job in Peckham on Monday morning, but could pop over in the afternoon if that suits you?

Nice one!

 

[telectrix]

Doesn't matter on modern ES lamp holders they are polarity biased.

i know that, but i still put L to centre pin. you never know how old the fitting /lamp holders might be. same as marking cables on 3 plate lighting. i like to know which is in a nd out, in case i need to energise part of the ci

I'm in Burgess Hill. I have a job in Peckham on Monday morning, but could pop over in the afternoon if that suits you?

Nelson Mandella House by any chance? give my regards to DelBoy and Dave.
signed Trigger.

 

[Bunty]

Well I think I've worked it out with your help! I rigged up a bulb and battery in a circuit and tested each of the 3 wires in the flex against the centre pin, side contact and metal frame of the light. So I have been able to label each wire as live (pin), neutral (side) and the other one earth. Have I done this right?

 

[freddo]

Yes, good work!