Wiring a pendant light ?

[Mike P the 1st]

I have removed a light which was a a strip of four halogen bulbs from the ceiling.

There are two blocks coming thru the ceiing.

The old light was wired onto one block which has two BLACK and one earth wire.

There is also another block which has two red wires only which was not being used.

The pendant light has the Blue (neutral) and the live (brown).

There is only one light switch for the room.

Do I just wire the pendant using the block with the two black wires and the earth wire?

I assume I need to run an earth from the block to the pendant.

Mike P the 1st

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yup. One of the blacks is the return from the switch and should correctly be sleeved or identified as a 'live'.

[The Medway Handyman]

Sounds to me like its the last light on the circuit. One black & red pair from the previous light, one black & red pair to the switch.

In which case one of the blacks should have a red sleeve, but probably doesn't. In which case the blue & brown should go to a black and IIUC it doesn't matter which way round for a bog standard light.

I think so. Hopefully a sparky will be along soon to confirm.

If the new fitting is class 1 then yes, class 2 then no.

As I said though - hopefully a sparky will be along soon to confirm.

[John Rumm]

Sounds like this is the last light on the circuit - so there is a live in, and a live out to the switch, but no live out to the next light.

So the one with two blacks is probably the neutral in, and the switched live returning from the switch. (it should have been marked with red tape - but alas its often not)

Yup.

Probably not - if its the usual plastic type then they are only designed to take two core flex.

[John Rumm]

If its a traditional UK style BC lampholder then this is correct. However some screw fitting holders pose a shock risk if live is taken to the screw mount rather than the back contact.

[Mike P the 1st]

On Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:13:08 +0000, Mike P the 1st gently dipped his quill in the best Quink that money could buy:

Thank you everyone ... The live was not identified, so I chucked away the block and wired the blue and brown to the blacks and the earth to the pendant earth. Having read the posts afterweards it seems I was ok doing that. The light worked fine.

Mike P the 1st

[The Medway Handyman]

Good point - noted. I was thinking of the BC lampholder.