Guidance require on connecting a light fitting

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Timmo

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Hi,
I need to connect a light to the light wiring. Due to the hazardless nature, and not understanding which wires do what or the terminology, I would like your guidance on the task.
An electrician recently connected a new light to old style wiring. A day later, I unscrewed the light casement so I could paint around it, the weight of the light casement hanging for the duration of the painting resulted in some wires becoming loose and the light no longer working.
Considering it should only be the case re-connecting the wiring, I feel I can do this myself but with guidance. I've included several photos to show the situation. The light trip-switch is off at the main switch box.
Photo 1: Before work - are the old style wires connected to the old light socket. I don't think you can tell from the photo but, from memory, there were three Red wires and three Black wires.
Before work.jpg

Photo 2: Wires came loose - is after the electrician attached the new light but with the wires coming loose due to the weight of the light casement. You can see one Black wire that has come out of the White connection box on the light itself. There is also another Black wire that was loose but I couldn't be sure if it was too connected to the White connection box or if it was just loose/exposed but, for safety, I have applied yellow electrical tape over it. I do know that the light did work when all the other wires were connected but this single Black wire (the wire with the electrical tape) was loose.
You can see from this photo, the Brown (Live?) wire is fixed into hole 1, the Blue (Neutral?) wire is fixed into hole 6. These connections are how the light was made.
Wires came loose.jpg


At this point, I was concerned the light would fall due to only being held up by two wires so I unclamped (by pressing the 'L' and 'Earth' plastic levers) to release the remaining Black wire and Earth wire.

Photo 3: Front of new wiring - this shows what the electrician has done. To clarify:
1) The original three Red wires have been placed into a transparent box thing where the wires go no further.
2) There is a wire (I don't think the wire is new) that has a yellow/green sleeve put over it (this sleeve is new). There are two yellow/green wires in use here, one comes from the ceiling wires and goes into a white terminal box and the other wire seems to be new. The new yellow/green wire has come loose but it's end 'A' went into the same end of the terminal box as the wire from the ceiling went into. From what I've seen online, the wire from the ceiling goes into one end of the termination box and the new wire is fitted to the other end of the terminal box - this isn't the case here. End 'B' of the new wire went into the 'Earth' hole on White connection box on the light casement.
3) The original three Black wires are still in use. I know one of them went into hole 1 (the first of the two 'Live' holes) - so directly opposite the Brown wire from the light casement. Another of the Black wires went into one the 'Neutral' holes (not sure if it was hole 5 or 6). The third and final Black wire, the one I've put electrical tape around, I'm not sure if it was connected to the White connection box or if it was always free. I do know the light worked when this third Black wire wasn't connected, so if it's not needed, should it be put in a terminal box or is the electrical tape suffice, or should this third wire go into the remaining 'Neutral' hole (as it was around the Neutral area when loose).
Front of new wiring.jpg


Photo 4: Front of light connector - this shows you the opposite of the light casement's White connection box where the wires, from the ceiling, went in to.
Front of light connector.jpg

It does seem like it's the case of simply reconnecting the now loose wires back into the holes on the light casement's White connection box - would you agree? If yes, please can you guide me on the following:
1) Can any one of the Black wires go into hole 1 (Live)? Would I be correct in thinking it needs to go in the hole directly opposite the Brown (Live) wire from the light itself?
2) Can any one of the Black wires go into hole 6 (Neutral)? Would I be correct in thinking it needs to go in the hole directly opposite the Blue (Neutral) wire from the light itself?
3) Should the third Black wire (the wire that has electrical tape) be placed in any hole or is the electrical tape suffice and Safe?
3) Should the free-standing Earth wire end 'A' (refer to photo) be attached to the same end of the terminal box as the Earth wire from the ceiling goes into (as the electrician did), or should the free-standing earth wire go into the other end of the terminal box as I've seen online?

I think it's just the case of doing the above. My concern is if I place any of the wires in the wrong holes (possibly due to the Black wires being different, albeit the same colour) then it may start a fire or someone may get electrocuted if they touch the metal/chrome light casement. Is this concern valid?

Any guidance or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
If you are certain you know which black went into hole 1 then push it back in. The other two blacks go into holes 5 and 6. The green/yellow into 3 or 4 it doesn't matter which one.
 
If you are certain you know which black went into hole 1 then push it back in. The other two blacks go into holes 5 and 6. The green/yellow into 3 or 4 it doesn't matter which one.
@Fleeting - thanks for your reply. A problem is, I dot not remember which Black wire went into hole 1 (the Live holes). Is there a difference between the three Black wires?
With me unsure if the third Black wire (the wire with the electrical tape) was connected or not, are you suggesting it should not be free and would have been placed in a Neutral hole?
 
You said you knew which one went into hole 1 if this is not the case under no circumstances guess because if you get it wrong you will create a dead short (one of the blacks is a live return from the switch).
 
You have three cables:

Cable (1) Live [red], Neutral [black], & Earth [Green/Yellow sleeve], supply from the consumer unit (or previous light in the circuit)

Cable (2) Live [red], Neutral [black], & Earth [Green/Yellow sleeve], supply onto the next light in the circuit.

Cable (3) Live [red], Switched Live [black], & Earth [Green/Yellow sleeve], cable from the light fitting to the light switch

The two blacks from cables 1 & 2 go into the neutral terminals 5 & 6.
The black from cable 3 goes into terminal 1

If you put the black from cable 3 into terminals 5 or 6 it will create a dead short circuit,
trip the protective device at your consumer unit and possibly damage the light switch contacts..

ALL of the wires from all three cables must be connected up.. they all serve a purpose.
 
@Fleeting - thanks.
@SPECIAL LOCATION - thanks for the detail about the three cables. I can see there are indeed three Grey cables coming from the ceiling that, when opened up, have the Red and Black wires in. It's good to know that the third Black wire (the one with the electrical tape on) was indeed in connect to the Neutral hole too and not left free.

I think the two outstanding questions are:
1) How would I determine which of the Black wires is the 'Switched Live' live and therefore goes in hole 1 (of the Live holes)?
2) The green/yellow wire that came from the ceiling into the terminal box at one end. Should the free-standing yellow/green wire (that's goes into the light casement) go into the same end of the terminal box (as the electrician did) or should it goes into the other end of the terminal box?
 
An electrician would carry out a continuity test but unless you have least equipment you are a bit stuck.
 
could go old school with a battery and torch lamp
this is probably the only way, if you don't have an electrical tester or want to call back your electrician , I see this way, you are in the same situation you started in, you had an electrician then so why not now?
 
Thanks for your replies. Due to the hazardous nature of the task, I had an electrician come and sort it. All done now.
you cant see it, smell it or hear it, yet electricity effing bites!I manged to get to retirement with only a couple of nasty reminders, in fact the best bit of being retired is not working with something that wants to kill me all day :ROFLMAO:
 
Thanks for your replies. Due to the hazardous nature of the task, I had an electrician come and sort it. All done now.

I think you made a wise choice...
DIY electrical work is legally permitted and some people can do a reasonable job swapping lights / switches etc..

BUT.. I always recommend.. "If in doubt" then "Dont"..

Electricity can kill a healthy adult in less than a second..
And falling off a step-ladder after touching a live wire, you can easily break a few bones even if you are not fatally electrocuted!

It is far better a pay someone qualified and competent to do the job...
than end up in hospital with a serious injury or leave your loved ones with a funeral to arrange because something you thought was dead was actually live!

In my opinion, sufficient knowledge and suitable test equipment are two key factors needed to work on anything electrical..
 
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