Wiring for Lights

Interesting101

Hey,

I currenlty have a regular light fitting in my house (cable and bulb holder hanging from ceiling.. for a screw in light bulb).

I just bought a new light fitting over the weekend (one that goes flush to the ceiling with 5 arms coming from it).

I was going to wire this up myself but i noticed on the new light fitting there was an earth wire to be connected up.
The instructions say the earth wire must be connected but when i removed the old fitting from the ceiling there is no earth wire.

It is ok to connect this up without wiring the earth? or should i get someone to look at it?

DublinDilbert

This is a big problem when putting up a light fitting in an older house, in Ireland. The UK have been running twin + earth cable to each light for years.


You have 2 options, Run an earth wire to the fitting or get a "double insulated fitting" hence no earth wire required.

Some guys would just wire up the fitting and forget about the earth, but to be honest i'd never do this.

Interesting101 wrote: »

Hey,

I currenlty have a regular light fitting in my house (cable and bulb holder hanging from ceiling.. for a screw in light bulb).

I just bought a new light fitting over the weekend (one that goes flush to the ceiling with 5 arms coming from it).

I was going to wire this up myself but i noticed on the new light fitting there was an earth wire to be connected up.
The instructions say the earth wire must be connected but when i removed the old fitting from the ceiling there is no earth wire.

It is ok to connect this up without wiring the earth? or should i get someone to look at it?

Carlow52

Interesting101 wrote: »

Hey,

I currenlty have a regular light fitting in my house (cable and bulb holder hanging from ceiling.. for a screw in light bulb).

I just bought a new light fitting over the weekend (one that goes flush to the ceiling with 5 arms coming from it).

I was going to wire this up myself but i noticed on the new light fitting there was an earth wire to be connected up.
The instructions say the earth wire must be connected but when i removed the old fitting from the ceiling there is no earth wire.

It is ok to connect this up without wiring the earth? or should i get someone to look at it?

I would follow DD's advice.
earth or change the fitting
running an earth is not as daunting as it seems unless it is unusually awkward: think about the run of the ceiling joists and where u have sockets in the room above.

bridging/noggins can be got around easily enough: you may need to repaint the ceiling but worth doing
come back if u want more input

Interesting101

cheers lads,

im afraid it does sound a bit daunting to me....i wouldnt be confident enought to do this myself.

i need to get an electric shower installed soon so i think i'll have then do the lights aswell (more money )

Carlow52

Interesting101 wrote: »

cheers lads,

im afraid it does sound a bit daunting to me....i wouldnt be confident enought to do this myself.

i need to get an electric shower installed soon so i think i'll have then do the lights aswell (more money )

The elec shower will be some job: 6 sq or even 10sq straight from the board to the shower via a big mother of an isolation switch:)

If u have a socket in the room above and u figure out which way the joists are going I will pen a few lines on how to do it
what construction are the walls?

2011

need to get an electric shower installed soon so i think i'll have then do the lights aswell (more money )

good idea! This is a bit more invloved as Carlow52 points out.