Hello, I need to remove a 5' flourescent light with a normal light. The wires in my attic seem to run in 3 separate ways and down to the light. Can I pull my 3 wires back into the attic and fit them into a circular 'box' then feed down a cable (2 or 3 strand?) for the normal lamp? is there any issue(s) around earthing? I am a complete novice. Thanks for any useful advice. Allen
If you have three wires to the current fitting, it will probably be a "loop in, loop out" system, so you have the following in three core cable, (assuming it is earthed, if not it will be 2 ore)
The light fitting should have a connection to the blue or black of the loop in/out cable to its neutral, and the live connected to one of the switch wires, all the earth wires should be connected together, and also connected to the light fitting assuming it needs one.
The other switch wire will be connected to the brown or red (live) wire from the loop in/out cable. Generally from my experience the power to the switch tends to be on the brown/red wire, and the return from the switch on the blue/black wire, which should also be sleeved in red or brown, but often isn't, however I have seen it done both ways, and without sleeving.
All these can connect to a standard ceiling rose without the need for a separate connection box in the attic, as the rose will have 2 x 3 connection blocks a 2 connection block, and an earth terminal (which may be a 4 way block).
Here is a diagram
Here is another diagram
and another
before you disconnect the current fitting, you need to identify the cables to see which are for what - take a picture of the connections if you are unsure and post it here (via Dropbox, tinypic or similar)
The question's too unclear. Maybe post a pic of the wiring there
NT
Yes, I now realize how difficult I made this request and I will attempt to redress the issue as soon as I can! please see my response to Toby, I have relly torn my lower stomach and at 74 yrs I want to be able to get back into attic where I hae to crawl undet arches & over beams to get 15' to the cable/light point. I will be posting a photo of the cables into Florescent light a.s.a.p. Thanks again Meow.. Allen
I wonder if the OP meant 'three wires' as in 3 x T&E or 'three wires' as in 1 x T&E with three conductors?
He also said they run three different ways in the attic, so I assumed it was three desperate cables :-)
A picture will reveal all!
*seperate!
SEPARATE!!!!!
Disparate also works.
Sid.
I preferred the original typo.
Or disparate, if they're all diferent types.
What a pity. Three desperate cables running in three directions conjoured up some interesting images!
SteveW
sound like description of our former theatre fund-raiser "Jumps on his white horse and gallops off in all directions simultaneously".
CONJURED!!!!
OK, here we go......... ;-o) The 3 cables from their fixture in the florescent light go up into the attic and then each cable goes off to different areas (other lights/Junctions etc.?) I do want to replace the current florescent light with a light fixed into the ceiling where the current florescent light is fastened.
So, I presume I require a 'rose type' fitting to take the new 'single' hanging light. I do not have any idea what type is neccessary, or what 'connections are involved within the 'Rose fitting?.
I have posted the florescent light wiring connection photo onto Tinypic at
PS This is my first try at posting on tinypic If this doesn't work I will have to try another method. Allen
Well I can see the image, to that's a good start!
That doesn't look like I was expecting though, unless there is another connector block hiding?
the wire at the bottom (red one, connecting to a brown one in the fitting) is that as it looks in the picture ,just on it's own with not other wires connected in the cable?
If so, is the switch a multi-way switch, controlling other things in the room?
Is there are just three connections up there, with two back wires in the terminal that connects to the blue wire, two in the one sleeved in green/yellow, and that red one, then that is what you need to connect to the new rose, and then connect your new light to the same wires as this light connects to.
Pot, Kettel, balck! :-)
You just need to duplicate the connections inside the ceiling rose. Any standard ceiling rose will do
NT
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