Ceiling wiring got me worried

[Tony Humphreys]

Hi all,

I took down a kitchen light fitting and expected to fit the new one the same way - nope, nothing so easy eh? I am NOT an electrician but equally really don't want to pay the £100 to have someone come and do something I am sure I can do myself given a bit of advice.

The light fitting has just a L and N fitting so sorting out so many wires has got me puzzled. There is no ceiling rose either.

20190311_125202.jpg - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1X-v8eknbivtEBWl0YZRZmDobISkCAjB7

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

 

[ElectricSeamus]

1. Spend a little time researching wiring diagrams and electrical safety.

2. Trace where as much of the cables run to as possible.

3. Buy a voltage detector.

4. Use common sense and your new knowledge and tools to complete the task safely and sit back chuffed at your accomplishment wondering why you thought it was so hard in the first place.

There's a reason why it is considered perfectly safe and legal for a homeowner to carry out basic tasks like these with no need to notify the authorities or have it inspected.

 

[telectrix]

So glad you found it so funny Tony.

at least the thread has done more for him than his dodgy DIY lighting.

 

[telectrix]

1. Spend a little time researching wiring diagrams and electrical safety.

2. Trace where as much of the cables run to as possible.

3. Buy a voltage detector.

4. Use common sense and your new knowledge and tools to complete the task safely and sit back chuffed at your accomplishment wondering why you thought it was so hard in the first place.

There's a reason why it is considered perfectly safe and legal for a homeowner to carry out basic tasks like these with no need to notify the authorities or have it inspected.

yeah, but that's for home owners that realise that electricity can kill, is more complicated than plumbing....unlike shyte, electrickery don't run downhill, it runs down you.

 

[ElectricSeamus]

yeah, but that's for home owners that realise that electricity can kill, is more complicated than plumbing....unlike shyte, electrickery don't run downhill, it runs down you.

I'm pretty sure anyone competent enough to register on and start a new thread on a forum will be sane enough to realise the dangers presented by mains electricity.

 

[Midwest]

I'm pretty sure anyone competent enough to register on and start a new thread on a forum will be sane enough to realise the dangers presented by mains electricity.

I dunno; think someone once said that Albert Einstein had so much intelligence, he could predict where an asteroid would strike the Earth, but wouldn't have the common sense to get out of the way.

 

[CACJL]

Hi all,

I took down a kitchen light fitting and expected to fit the new one the same way - nope, nothing so easy eh? I am NOT an electrician but equally really don't want to pay the £100 to have someone come and do something I am sure I can do myself given a bit of advice.

The light fitting has just a L and N fitting so sorting out so many wires has got me puzzled. There is no ceiling rose either.

20190311_125202.jpg - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1X-v8eknbivtEBWl0YZRZmDobISkCAjB7

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

View attachment 48265

Read up on Loop In and Loop Out.

 

[l4urence]

Here's a thought for the Op. Once connected all back and working - is the job really done? Most DIYers think 'working' is enough and they are handy at electrics - but this is just a functional check. How do you know it'll stop working if there is a fault? This is the purpose of the testing, it confirms to the electrician that the circuit is within tolerance to operate the protective devices in place, it's physics not magic.

 

[John Arnold]

Light fittings again, diy's always dismantle then? So follow pete999 advice it's sound and excellent value. Hey magnoliafan89 dump the choc blocks and get some wago's the new way, you won't regret it.

 

[Paul Williamson]

I went to a house fire caused by an incompetent diy’er doing the same thing, just changing a kitchen light fitting. He connected all the Blacks together and all the Reds and turned it on. It didn’t blow the fuse as he had rewireable fuses wired in very heavy copper wire, this caused the cable to get very hot under the floorboards catching things alight. He learned a lesson, get the professionals in and pay the small fee.