We've just bought two new light fittings for the kitchen. Both have the standard live and neutral wires. Having taken off the two old ceiling roses there are two cables coming through at both points. One with a single live wire and the other with what seems to be two neutral wires. Do i have to connect both neutral wires to each light fitting? The sitting room lights are now also not working in the room beyond so must be on the same circuit. Yours, an electrical eejit.
Your nuetrals on the same lighting circuit should be coupled together as they usually loop to another fitting , if you leave one uncoupled then the next fitting on the circuit will not work .
The lighting will be on a ring, so somewhere there will need to be a live in and out and a neutral in and out, to continue on to the next light so you should have 2 live wires and 2 neutral wires to form the ring then also you should have a live wire going to the switch and then switched live back to the light itself. But as Redhelen states - if you arent sure get someone in who does know
I was trying to make sure Chutonred sought help but maybe didnt explain a lighting ring well -assuming thats what he had. I cant think of any system that has one live and 2 neutral wires at the rose though. I knew what I meant anyway.
Once went to a mates. He’d had a go himself at doing an outside light. Pissed missen laughing.”WTF as tha done here.” When he put outside light on hallway lights went half dim. When he switched hallway lights on initially. Living room lights turned off or summat like that. When he turned upstairs light on tripped breaker. .
I do have to say that we live in the house that Jack built. It's had many a tradesman shaking their head. And don't start me on the water supply.
Mine wasnt so well done either - previous owner took out an immersion heater by just cutting the wires and leaving them - live in the airing cupboard wired in a new mains socket using ordinary flex like you would put on a plug and I still havent figured out what he did with the light switches to the hall light - it has 2 switches - both turn it on and off as you expect but in one combination of off - if you have a long life light bulb in it sometimes flashes on and off - its only on for a fraction of a second but its really wierd as I cant figure out what can be wrong
Lots have.. most older wiring methods did. Not an house basher so to speak buts the way I have done extensions for families in the past preferring J boxes. Rather than ceiling rose.
Joint boxes are ok if you can get to them after. By far the best way to wire lighting is with singles but a bit more labour intensive
Just a pointer for all who like to fiddle with wires. Take a photo before you start to disconnect things. Marking each wire also helps.