electrical light wiring

[firehazzard]

i am fitting new ceiling light in lounge, it says that it needs to fitted with earth wire but my lights and switch have no earth wire and that is the same all over thehouse . there is no earth cable on light circiut, can i earth the new fitting without re-wiring the whole house?

[Clanad]

All I can speak from is my experience here in the U.S. Realizing ya'll use 220v while we use 120v, the concept should be the same. In most homes constructed since about 1960 or so, a grounding wire (equivalent to your earth wire, I'm sure) which is a bare copper or green insulated third wire in all wiring, follows the power wires to the circuit breaker box. From there it is attached to another wire that runs outside the house and is embedded in the ground several feet (usually to the water pipe coming into the house) to do as its name implies. In older homes, they are not so equipped. I, personally see no harm in simply bending your "earth" wire out of the way and not use it. Other, more knowlegable with the U.K. systems may have different advice.
Having said all that, the best possible fix would be to install all new wiring, a new circuit breaker supply box, new fixtures and all with grounding wires. You are in some peril not having the system properly grounded, but you can see the cost involved in converting. I grew up in a house that was the old style wiring and never had a problem, but the newer ones are superior. Best of luck...

[buildersmate]

Its presumably a metal fitting. If so as you rightly say, it must be earthed. I wonder how old this house is - houses with PVC coated twin-cable and earth have been around since the 60s. Such cable runs up to the ceiling rose and the earth connection is terminated in there. What exactly have you got under there, on the ceiling.

[firehazzard]

hi builders mate, i have a red wire and a black wire and thats it. And yes the house is around 1940's, the electrical meter and fuse box was most probally here b4 the house, it looks that old. all my light fittings and switches are plastic, which is most probally why it wasnt earthed, but i want to install new metal light fitting and metal switch plates, but dont want to electricute myself. is there a way where i can clamp an earth wire in side the fitting to make it safe. thanx.

[raysparx1]

firehazard, you will need to call in an electrician, any upgrading of circuits requires certification and unless you want to inform building control at your local council that you are doing the work,they will then send an electrician out to check the work,and charge you, but the easiest thing to do is call in a self employed sparky who is registered under part P,who will advise you of what is involved, the daft thing is if you weren't putting up a metal fitting, and all switches are plastic, mounted to plastic pattresses with a normal ceing rose, there is no regulation that says you need an earth wire on a lighting circuit,but in your case you really do need to call in an expert, good luck, Ray

[firehazzard]

Thanx raysparx1 . very helpfull.