Old Wiring and a new ceiling rose (diy-er needs help)

[markj]

Hi,

I am attempting to wire a new ceiling rose onto a bedroom ceiling.

When I took down the old one I found:

2 grey cables - one with red, black and earth wires

- one with red, white and blue wires.

After looking on the internet I can't seem to find what the red, white and blue wires (one of each) are for and just wondered if anyone here had any idea what they are and how to wire them into the new rose.

(One site suggested that r, w and b wires could be 2 way switch cables???)

Any help would be great.

Mark.

 

[Badger]

it could be a neutral on blue, permanent live on red and switched live on white, to be honest those colours on that cable sound like an older out of date cable, and would be best being traced and reqired... do you know where it goes to ie another light fitting elsewhere?

 

[Lurch]

Well the obvious answer is put them back where they came from. By the sounds of it you've done what most people and just pulled everything apart and then looked at the wores wondering what to do.

The red, white and blue cables will unlikely be anything to do with 2 way switching as 2 way switches are wired between switches, not between roses and switches.

The only 3 options you have left are;

1: guess

2: find the other ends of the cables and see what they are connected to

3: test the cables and find out what they do

 

[electro]

Get a spark to come around and do it as they can test the cable to see where they go. Cable could be anything. I have seen black as live b4 and red as nutral with other mixed in, took my ages to find were they went. lol

 

[Blue Fox]

Have you checked the light switch to see what colours are in there. Could be someone moved the switch and wired it in what ever was lying around, if so that should give you a good idea what should go where

 

[Blue Fox]

In future make a note of where the cables go or take a photo with your phone to remind you - saves a load of hassle later!

 

[a1]

Well the obvious answer is put them back where they came from. By the sounds of it you've done what most people and just pulled everything apart and then looked at the wores wondering what to do.The red, white and blue cables will unlikely be anything to do with 2 way switching as 2 way switches are wired between switches, not between roses and switches.

The only 3 options you have left are;

1: guess

2: find the other ends of the cables and see what they are connected to

3: test the cables and find out what they do

4. Come on here to seek help and advice - like Mark has done.

 

[Lurch]

4. Come on here to seek help and advice - like Mark has done.

Which leads nicely back to the 3 options I mentioned.

 

[Doc Hudson]

Hi,I am attempting to wire a new ceiling rose onto a bedroom ceiling.

When I took down the old one I found:

2 grey cables - one with red, black and earth wires

- one with red, white and blue wires.

After looking on the internet I can't seem to find what the red, white and blue wires (one of each) are for and just wondered if anyone here had any idea what they are and how to wire them into the new rose.

(One site suggested that r, w and b wires could be 2 way switch cables???)

Any help would be great.

Mark.

Hello MarkJ, DIY'ers are very welcome on the forum. Some quick questions that may help our other guys point you in the right direction.

Do you have any basic test gear, such as a voltage tester or a multimeter to identify live cables, voltages and continuity? Could the white cable be a faded light yellow cable? Has your fuse box got switch fuses or wires?

Doc H.

 

[jdmjrmdam]

Hi MarkJ

Does the grey cable with the three Red,Blue,White (or Yellow) wires also have a bare earth wire in it? It may be cut back at the grey sheath.

Are there any other light fittings or things like ceiling fans etc in the room?

Is there only 1 switch that operates the light in question?

 

[Mr Smith]

get a spark to cum round and do it as they can test the cable to c where thy go cable could b nething i have seen black as live b4 and red as nutral with other mixed in took my ages to find were thy went lol

mr king

we would ask two things

no text speak you may not be able to spell everything but there is no need for the b4 and c

helpful posts are asked for your post did not provide any use to the original poster

thank you

mr smith

 

[markj]

Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions.

The cables I am having trouble with are all in a flat roof so I don't have the option of going in the loft and seeing where they come from/go to.

The grey cable with the blue, white and red wires in it did at some point join 2 ceiling roses - but that was before I moved into this house. The room had 2 ceiling roses originally then someone before me worked with the cables to have a a single light in the middle of the room. You could see where the 2 old roses had been and I was hoping to go back to two and then found what I described in the place where one of the roses had been.

The white wire (with the red and blue,) is definately white - there's no discolouration and its outer coating is pvc, not rubber (so one thing to be thankful for!)

Any idea how much it might cost to have someone come round and see whats going on?

Thanks again,

Mark.

 

[batty]

Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions.The cables I am having trouble with are all in a flat roof so I don't have the option of going in the loft and seeing where they come from/go to.

The grey cable with the blue, white and red wires in it did at some point join 2 ceiling roses - but that was before I moved into this house. The room had 2 ceiling roses originally then someone before me worked with the cables to have a a single light in the middle of the room. You could see where the 2 old roses had been and I was hoping to go back to two and then found what I described in the place where one of the roses had been.

The white wire (with the red and blue,) is definately white - there's no discolouration and its outer coating is pvc, not rubber (so one thing to be thankful for!)

Any idea how much it might cost to have someone come round and see whats going on?

Thanks again,

Mark.

I think there are a few from oxford on here. I am in the next county Bucks and it really is to far for me to come to sort a light out. Generally I charge a minimum of

 

[Doc Hudson]

Anybody on our directory near to you MarkJ?

http://www.talk.electricianforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2370

Doc H.

 

[markj]

Just thought iI'd thank everyone for all the help that was offered.

As Badgers signiture says at the start of the thread if it doesnt go right then give up - I couldn't sort it out so made everything safe, covered it up and put up some battery operated lights instead.

Thanks to admin for asking how things went.

Markj