Replacing standard lighting fitting...

[Marcus Fox]

Have a standard lighting fitting which seems to be connected up as follows

||-|||-|| | | L N

What I mean by this is the first two wires (coloured black) are wired together into one metal terminal with the brown wire to the light fitting. I have marked it as L, but as it's a light, it doesn't really matter which end is connected. The three wires in the middle (coloured red) are wired together. The next two wires (coloured black) are wired together into a third metal terminal with the blue wire to the light fitting. I have marked this as neutral.

These standard light fittings seem to have fitted metal terminal blocks so I can wire these together. They seem to be held in place by the plastic fitting and can clip out.

I have seen some other lighting fittings which just have a live and a neutral terminal and nowhere to wire in all these extra wires. Is it acceptable to use the terminal blocks from the standard fitting each with the respective wires in place protected with insulating tape? I'm guessing not, but what is another solution? I don't think chocolate block will fit.

Marcus

[John Rumm]

Are you sure it is not just one wire plus the brown to the pendant?

Normally you would expect to see two neutrals together (in from previous light and out to the next) plus one side of the pendant joined together. Three lives together (one in, one out, and another to the switch) joined, and finally one return from the switch (probably a black wire - but also a live (ought to have red tape on it)) that should connect to the other side of the pendant.

Unless the fitting has a screw connection rather than bayonet...

All you normally need is one extra terminal connection to common the lives. So stick the wires currently connected to the pendant wires into the terminals on the new light, and use a small insulated terminal for commoning the three lives.

You need an insulated terminal really. A single connection cut of a 5A strip of chockie block ought to be plenty small enough for most light fittings - remember it can be pushed into the ceiling void if required. There also ought to be plenty of space it one for the three 1 or 1.5mm^2 wires in a typical lighting circuit. If you really need a smaller terminal then an insulated crimp connection could be used.

I note that you made no mention of earth connections. If there are none (common on older wiring) remember that you may not fit metal clad light fittings.

[Marcus Fox]

Sorry, forgot to mention that there was an earth connection!

Marcus