Three gray cable hell

[jontheaker]

Hi

I have just moved in to my new house today and I've hit a problem.

There is a hole on my landing ceiling which i guess should have a light fitting in it. There is a switch at the top of the stairs and a switch at the bottom of the stairs.

Two gray cables come out of the hole in the ceiling:

Cable 1 has: Two black wires and two bare copper wire

Cable 2 has: one black, one red and one bare copper wire.


I've bought a spot light bar that has a single live earth and natural connector, which wires go where?

Any help would be brilliant, I've shut off all power for the moment due to the naked wires hanging out of the ceiling.

Thanks

 

[Sintra]

Hi I have moved your thread into our DIY forum and given you permissions to post.

 

[markc123]

Naked wires

You'll need test equipment mate, so i advise on calling an electrician. It's clear that the wires haven't been marked, so been able to tell which is which without gear and online is impossible.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Naked wires

You'll need test equipment mate, so i advise on calling an electrician. It's clear that the wires haven't been marked, so been able to tell which is which without gear and online is impossible.

He's right, you need as a minimum, a good quality continuity tester, and the knowledge of how to use it.

Cheers............Howard

 

[Des 56]

Cable 1 has: Two black wires and two bare copper wire

I would be very interested to see a picture of this cable if you will be so kind

 

[markc123]

As des says, OP sling a picture up if you're still about.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

No cable has two black and two bare.....that 'one' will be two cables with red/black/bare and there will be a connector on the two reds stuffed up in the ceiling.

(like the terminology tho'...'naked..bare...natural'..are you on the right forum?)

 

[jontheaker]

Ha ha yes im on the correct forum i think!

Ill take a picture in the morning and post it, defiantly as described though.

I've just used some electrical tape around the "bare" wires until i can get the light rigged up

 

[markc123]

I hope you haven't taped both 'bare' wires together, because one of the bare wires has to be a black/red that has been stripped completley...you don't get two CPC's in the same cable....

So for god's sake don't turn the power back on if you have.

 

[jontheaker]

Ha ha no, i might not be an electrician but i have common sense, i ain't messing with unknown wires, thought it was best to tape them individual and spread them apart just in case

 

[Edd]

and thats the earth lost to the rest of the lighting system!! sorry yer I think a pic would save a thousand words here... remember leaving stuff disconected and seperated doesnt just efect the light your working on but others. hence my remark about the earth ...