Help! Ceiling Lamp Not Switching Off / Or Not At All ...

OlivierS · Nov 21, 2014

Hi,

I'm trying to replace our ceiling lamp and I'm running into issues.

In the entrance, we have 3 switches:

- one for outside

- one for the entrance

- one for upstairs (can switch the upstairs light from upstairs too)

No other switches (as far as I know) for the outside and entrance lamp.

Now, in the ceiling, I have a tons of cables:

3 reds

2 blacks

one blue

one yellow

And another 3 yellows

I think the previous lamp was set as:

- all 3 red cables together

- all blue and black together

- the yellow on its one

- the three yellows together

And the lamp was plugged in a way that:

Reds was going to a brown cable

Blue/Blacks to a blue cable

Yellows to the earth

I've tried to reproduce the same scenario with my new lamp

Reds together to the Brown cable

Blue and blcks to the blue

Yellows to the earth

In that scenario, the light was on, but the switch had no effect

I then tried to liked all the red together, and left them as it is.

Linked the black togethers and plug them to my brown cable (on the lamp side)

Linked the blue to my blue cable (lamp side)

And the yellows to the earth

Like that, nothing is happening.

So ... I'm stuck!

How should I plug my ceiling lamp to get some light, with a working with ...

Note: the outdoor light wasn't working (hasn't been working for ages). So I've removed it. I don't think it should make a difference ...

Thank you

ProDave · Nov 21, 2014

NO1 to ANYONE reading the thread. PHOTOGRAPH and record what you have BEFORE you remove ANY wires.

too late for that now.

First and most important "all the yellows together" Are you SURE that's not three GREEN and Yellow's? That's VERY important. It would be highly unusual to have that many yellows.

So all GREEN and yellow's are earths and join together into the earth terminal of the light.

Next you need to determine which CABLES each colour comes from.

you will have two 2 core cables, (red and black) and a 3 core cable (red yellow and blue)

Now before we can untangle that lot, answer the following:

Is this light switched from just one place? or is it 2 way switching with 2 switches able to control the light?

Second question, if you isolate ALL cores so none join to each other and insulate them all. Turn the lighting circuit on. Do any other lights work, or more importantly do any other lights not work? (trying to establish if there is a loop through this fitting)

Blue Duck · Nov 21, 2014

Make up a bell set with a buzzer and a 9v battery to check continuity ?

My money's on a twin red for the switch as it hasn't gone bang yet!?

Edit: one of the "yellows" could be the switch maybe the one without the green on it?

Do you have rewireable fuses?

Murdoch · Nov 21, 2014

Hum..... without a tester you are a bit stuck! If you've got rewireable fuses make sure you have plenty of 5A before you start guessing!

Blue Duck · Nov 21, 2014

I was wondering if he has 230v going down the earth when he tries to switch it off.....

:lol:

:coffee

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Cheaper than a Megger!

OlivierS · Nov 21, 2014

@ProDave I know, I should have taken photos ... I was going to then got disturbed ...

If I figure out how to upload photos on here, I will show you how it stands right now.

As said earlier, we have in the entrance a with with 3 buttons. From left to right: upstairs light (2 way), entrance light (1 way), outside light (1 way)

Now, if I open the switch, and number the connection from top left to top right then bottom right to bottom left, I have:

Top (left to right)

1- yellow

2- blue

3- a red wire going to 6

4- red

5- nothing

Bottom (right to left)

6- red wire going to 3

7- nothing

8- yellow

9- red

I have also 2 cables (black and blue) tight together but not attached to the switch.

And the earth, a yellow and green cable, wider than the other yellows.

In my entrance ceiling, I have:

2- blacks

1- blue

3- yellow and green (earth)

3- red

1 yellow (and not green!)

If I use my electrician screwdriver:

No light when touching the blue and black cables

Always a strong light when touching the red cables (all tight together)

Always a light on the yellow cable. but the light is stronger depending on the switch position

Does that help?

Thank you

NozSpark · Nov 21, 2014

I doubt that you'll sort this out without propped test meters... There are probably 100's of combinations that these cables could be connected

OlivierS · Nov 21, 2014

@NozSpark

If I remember well, on the previous ceiling light, I had:

On the left, the small yellow cable, in the middle the red wires, all together, then on the left the blue and black cables, link together.

Then, the light (blue and brown cables) were plugged to the yellow and blue/black ones. Not sure how. Maybe yellow to brown and blue to blue/black ...

Would that make sense?

Sharpend · Nov 21, 2014

I would suggest that the yellow is your switch wire so brown from light to yellow, the blacks are neutral so blue from light to these. All three reds together as these will your permanent lives.

I'll take another look at your descriptors and check back with you.

OlivierS · Nov 22, 2014

@Sharpend

Indeed, yellow is the switch wire. And red are permanent lives.

So, yellow went to brown, reds all together and blue+black to blue.

Work like a charm

Thank you

Help! Ceiling Lamp Not Switching Off / Or Not At All ...

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