Old Style Electrical Wiring To New Light Fitting

[wednesdayboy]

Hi, can anyone help me with this issue. I have old black and red wires coming from my ceiling, I have two black wound together three red wound together a single black and a single red. No earth from what I can see. When the old light was removed I didn't see how it was wired up. How do I need to do it my new light has a live neutral and earth connection.

The old light did have a green/yellow wire coming from a block so I presume somehow there is an earth?? Any help would be really appreciated.

[waterboatman]

The green and yellow is the earth.
The red is the live and the black is the return.

[Togo]

That light sounds like it has a two way switch operation wired. If you do not know how a two way switch operates or cannot recognise a two way wiring diagram you should not be trying to fit a new light. The black or red wires can be live depending on which way the switches are currently set or even which way the wiring was done.(There are a number of different ways of wiring a two way switch system) I think that you need a qualified sparks to sort it.

[Old_Geezer]

Live returns using the black ought to have red sleeving on them at each end indicating this. But given the ancient wiring, it may not. Very good point though.

[The Builder]

With just a voltage detector, it would take about ten minutes to figure this out.

I can think of possibilities from what you describe, but you really do have to be there.
An earth is essential for safety. Especially if the new fitting is metal.
Could be 2-way, but you can tell from the number of switches that operate it. It doesn't sound right for 2-way from what you describe. In older red/black wiring, 2-way would usually involve a red/blue/yellow 3-core cable, although it's quite possible to wire it with red/black.

Maybe it's a simple switched live one-way, and the twisted cables were just in a connection block.
Anyway, we could guess forever. Do get it figured out professionally Wednesdayboy. It's much safer.