How to fit a ceiling light with too many connectors

[anonyrat39]

Replacing lights in a house we've just moved into, they're all like this: 

In some places I'm fitting standard pendant lights, in other places light bars or chandelier style lights... But in almost all cases there isn't enough space in the light fitting for all those connectors. So none of them sit flush to the ceiling.

What can I do about this?

 

[Andy™]

buy another light that is suitable

of lift the floor board above and put the connections into a proper junction box then run a single cable to the light. or re-wire the lights with loop through switch

 

[anonyrat39]

buy another light that is suitable

Most of them are just standard pendant lights like this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/6-pendant-white/8974J

Do you know of anywhere I can get these a bit deeper, to hold the connectors inside?

 

[Andy™]

Most of them are just standard pendant lights like this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/6-pendant-white/8974J

Do you know of anywhere I can get these a bit deeper, to hold the connectors inside?

erm... youre supposed to use the termianls built into the pendant. think you need to get someone competent to do it...

 

[kerching]

Exactly what Andy above justvsaid

 even though they are from ScrewUfix they are designed for the job

 

[ProDave]

As Andy says those wires will fit into a standard ceiling pendant, it's what they are designed for and what would have been there originally.

Did you buy the house and move in without any light fittings?

If you are not competent to do it yourself then get an electrician, it will be a quick and reasonably priced job for someone that knows what they are doing.

If you are going to attempt it yourself, then it is VERY important that the cluster of red wires into that right hand terminal block are all identified somehow so you don't get them muddled up, and they all go into the "loop" terminal.

 

[Doc Hudson]

This is a fairly standard wiring arrangement that will comfortably fit into a standard pendant that you have illustrated. They have terminations inside the rose to accommodate, Perm Live, Switched Live, Neutral and Earth connections. Any competent electrician can do this sort of task second nature. However it is also a task that if you get some connections wrong then various symptoms can include; Lights in other rooms only work when you turn on the first room. Fuse blows when you turn the switch on. Some lights stop working altogether. Unless you are 100% confident about identifying the correct supply & switch wires, I would think the cheapest and quickest option is to get an electrician.

Doc H 

 

[Evans Electric]

As the guys have said above , if unsure get someone in .

A brief summary of the problems you could end with doing it yourself  follows . 

After you have replaced all your fittings : 

1)    Nothing works at all .

2)   There is a big  bang and all the power goes off .

3)   All the lights work but at half brightness. 

4)   Your RCDs keep tripping because you connected  N to E    

5)   The first light works but nothing else .