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Replacing wall lights

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Allycee | 00:02 Mon 10th Sep 2007 | DIY
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Can anyone tell us where we are going wrong?? We have been trying today to replace some old metal wall lights with ceramic wall washers. When the old light was taken down there were only black and red wires - a red and black in grey cable and a red/red in grey cable. We thought that we had wired them up the same way that they came off but the lights will not work. We have two wall lights that are controlled by one switch. Where are we going wrong? The new light has a blue (neutral and a brown live.) We don't seem to have an earth at all.
Any advice greatfully received!
Allycee
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You say you have two wires one with red/black the other with two red, what is there at the other wall light ? can you please let me know before i can say what you might have done wrong, I will look later to see if you have replied, Ray
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Hi Ray
The other wall light just has a red and a black separately.
Cheers
hi, by the sound of it,at the light with the two cables, put one of the reds (from the cable with two reds) and tape it up, then connect the other ed and black to the fitting, but obviously I am only assuming thsi sis how it has been wired, without actually testing it it hard to tell, i can only assume that the wire with two reds is the switch feed and return and the red/black wire at the first light is the live pair feeding them, please ensure you turn off at mains before doing this, (sorry to say the obvious,of course you would) if it goes off with a pop, please come back and let me know, but I think that is how it is wired, good luck, Ray
Question Author
Thanks Ray
We will try that on Saturday (too dark to turn power off by time husband gets home from work!).
I'll let you know if we are successful.
Ali
If an earth wire is required for the new lights then dont play about. Get a reputable electrician in. Theres a good chance the rest of your lighting needs upgrading if class 1 fittings are in use[i.e. metallic parts exposed to touch].
Question Author
The new lights are double insulated and require no earth. These are the only lights in the house that are metal fittings
Thanks

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Replacing wall lights

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