Wiring A Plug.

[rsvp]

I have to change a plug on a lamp - the plug is a three pin but the flex has only two coloured wires. Can I do this (put a two core wire into a three pin plug) and am I correct in putting the blue wire on the left and the brown on the right - therefore ignoring the centre one.
Many thanks

[EcclesCake]

Fine and you are correct; blue left, brown right.

[RATTER15]

Yes you can and yes that is the correct way to wire the plug.

[douglas9401]

The terminal for the blue wire should be marked with an 'N' and the one for brown with an 'L'.
Your positions are correct as you look at the opened plug.

[hippyhoppy]

Being a single Gal and having to do these chores for myself, you're right - BLue (bottom left) and BRown (bottom right).. Here's hoping you don't blow up the house!! ;-) xx

[rsvp]

EcclesCake,Ratter15 and Douglas 9041 thank you so much for the quick replies - am off to wire my first plug at the age of ........well lets leave it at am off to wire my first plug! Thank you again.

[jomifl]

Most light switches only disconnect one of the pins in the lampholder. If you wire it the other way round the light will switch on and off but the lamp socket will always be live until it is unplugged. That is why it is important to get it right.

[Tilly2]

Put your glasses on first, rsvp!

[rsvp]

Thanks for the support hippyhoppy.
Thanks for the info jomifl and thanks for the suggestion tilly2.
All done and dusted now.

[Tilly2]

That didn't take long. I'd still be looking for a screwdriver.

[TWR]

Just to add Rsvp, If you intend to wire a 3 pin Plug, when stripping the wires back, make sure there are no loose wire threads touching any other pins within the plug.

[Old_Geezer]

Yes. Brown one goes to the fused part (right as you look at it from the back of the plug, with its back off). If no earth is provided then the lamp needs to be designed such that it isn't possiible to touch anything live. Blue goes to the other side. The top pin remains wireless.

[Old_Geezer]

I can not believe this laptop froze for so long that my post, when it finally decided to go, was not the first >:-(

[jomifl]

You have to be quick to get a gold star OG :o)

[Jeza]

I'm surprise that no one told rsvp that blue is neutral and brown is live and green and yellow is earth.

[Old_Geezer]

Oh I was. And then I saw the laptop just sit there. I was hoping it had posted and was simply having tropuble updating the screen, but it appears not.

[douglas9401]

I'm surprised that no-one has picked Jeza up on the colours possibly being : red - live, black - neutral and green - earth.

Doesn't really matter though as the lamp's working.

Let there be light!

[rsvp]

Sorry was not able to come back on here last night so haven't thanked all the other ABers who very kindly came and joined in the thread. So.....thank you very much!

[Hopkirk]

Douglas you are showing your age!

As methyl says, lamp flex hasn't been red / black for so long that it would be perished now.

[mesmerred]

No one mentioned that you need a low rated fuse for a lamp. 3 amp is ideal. Well done.