Ceiling light not working

[Nicola]

Hi there. I’ve recently removed a light fight and replaced it with just a simple pendant wire with just a live and neutral. Old light was working fine but now the pendant does not. From ceiling there is just 1 live, 1 neutral and 1 earth but no earth wire in new fitting. I took a photo but don’t know how to upload it. I have just replaced light switch too in case that was problem but still not working. Please help! Thanks in advance 

 

[binky]

We need an admin to sort out uploading pictures, the forum has a block on this function for people that have posted less than 10 times to prevent spam.

 

[Doc Hudson]

Most probably you had just connected a wire wrong at the light fitting. Absolutely no logical reason to replace the light switch if as you say it was all working OK before took down the light fitting. It could be a wire not correctly secured inside a screw terminal in the pendant. Or a faulty bulb?

Doc H

 

[Evans Electric]

It can only be something simple but you may have made it worse by changing the light switch .

If there is no more than the two wires  L & N  then make sure you have  killed the circuit      try undoing your connections and see if you have connected onto the  insulation  for a start .

Make sure you have a good lamp .

If theres a passing Admin  could you enable  Photo uploads  please.   

 

[Nicola]

Thanks for replies. I have wired it correctly. Shame I can’t show you a photo. Wondering if there’s something gone wrong other side of ceiling in roof that I can’t see. Doesn’t make sense as only had to wire a live and neutral from new fitting into ceiling terminal. Thankfully i don’t live in house at

mo or id be digging out a candle! 

 

[Andy™]

im guessing that you have a junction box above the ceiling with 1 cable coming down, and you have pulled a wire out from it (it was probably already loose) when you changed the light

when you changed the switch, how many wires was there?

 

[Evans Electric]

There is a simple answer to this ,  its just that not being there we have to keep prompting you .

As Andy says ,  make sure the switch is connected OK ,  how many wires there?

If its OK  ...remove the light base ,  try pulling wires to see if a junction box or connectors will appear , and check all the connections in it .

ALL WITH THE POWER OFF. 

Edit :   No Admins about yet ...you could  do another 7 posts  and then upload photos. 

 

[Nicola]

Thanks guys. When I changed the switch there were only 2 wires. I’m going to take a look tomorrow and have a feel around through the hole in ceiling. At the moment I can see two grey wires, one is neutral and the other grey has a live and an earth coming out it. Maybe I did yank it out the ceiling and there’s something else lurking up there! Ha

 

[ProDave]

Thanks guys. When I changed the switch there were only 2 wires. I’m going to take a look tomorrow and have a feel around through the hole in ceiling. At the moment I can see two grey wires, one is neutral and the other grey has a live and an earth coming out it. Maybe I did yank it out the ceiling and there’s something else lurking up there! Ha

Your terminology could be a bit clearer.

A "wire" is a single piece of copper covered in insulation.

A "cable" is one or more wires with or without insulation covered in an outer sheath.

If I am understanding what you are saying, you have 2 CABLES each covered in a great outer sheath.

Cable 1 has a black wire emerging from it.

Cable 2 has a red wire and a sleeved earth wire coming out of it.

That leaves some things missing. BOTH cables should have an earth core and the two earth cores should be joined together.  Both cables should have both a red and a black wire as well.

It sounds to me like the missing cores are poked up through the hole in the ceiling, and probably jooned in a connector block. Not the right way to do it but encountered frequently especially with some light fittings that just don't have room to terminate all the cables properly.

Chances are the hidden connection in the ceiling has failed.

What yo need to do is retrieve both grey cables in their entirety from within the ceiling so you can see what you have got and connect them properly.

 

[Doc Hudson]

That leaves some things missing. BOTH cables should have an earth core and the two earth cores should be joined together.  Both cables should have both a red and a black wire as well.

Not if they are singles.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/162087433057

Doc H

 

[Evans Electric]

They sound like singles to me too Dave  ,  one Red /E   & one Bk 

 

[Hefferl]

They sound like singles to me too Dave  ,  one Red /E   & one Bk 

I've seen T&E carved up like this too with the unwanted cores cut out - often when its a borrowed neutral with one cable coming from one circuit and the second from another circuit.

 

[ProDave]

Not if they are singles.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/162087433057

Doc H

Both should have a CPC, only one earth mentioned.

More details needed from the OP. Until we know that anything is possible.

 

[Evans Electric]

May not be the case Dave ... sounds like  a L+E   (6241Y)    and a N   (6181Y )    So its wired in singles  ...earthing via the live & switch wires   and  just a neutral round the lights. 

We need photos  .  

 

[Doc Hudson]

Both should have a CPC, only one earth mentioned.

More details needed from the OP. Until we know that anything is possible.

Not necessarily CPC with a single core sheathed cable. They are available from 1.0mm to 35mm as standard wiring cable. 

https://www.precisioncables.ie/images/building_wires/6181Y_08272010.pdf  

Quite common to have lighting circuits wired with single 'L+E' and single 'N'. especially where lives are looped at switch and neutrals looped at light.

Doc H. 

 

[kerching]

+1 to the above two posts. Common practise in the late 70s early 80s. I have done more than I care to think about using that method

 

[Geoff1946]

My money would still be on something daft wrong with the new light drop. Are you sure you haven't misunderstood the terminals in the new ceiling plate?

 

[Nicola]

Thanks everyone. Not had chance to get back to investigate this but to answer Geoff, I’m confident I have not misunderstood terminals.   Will try and post photos 

 

[Andy™]

thats wired correct, but how to you plan to attach the light to the ceiling since the base is missing?

have you tested to see if the its live or neutral not working?

could do with a pic of the switch too

 

[binky]

can't really get that one wrong! Daft question , but have you tried a lamp that you know is working?