Changing VERY old light fitting

Ardent

Hi all,

I just replaced a light fitting in our 1970-built house. I matched the wires exactly as they were before and everything works beautifully, however I have a question/concern -

The wiring from the attic to the light is very old - black and red. Of the 3 wires in total, two of them were joined together at the same terminal in the light fitting. I presumed these are neutral and earth combined?

Should I be worried about how these two wires are combined? Or is this cowboy practice that needs to resolved?

meercat

Ardent wrote: »

Hi all,

I just replaced a light fitting in our 1970-built house. I matched the wires exactly as they were before and everything works beautifully, however I have a question/concern -

The wiring from the attic to the light is very old - black and red. Of the 3 wires in total, two of them were joined together at the same terminal in the light fitting. I presumed these are neutral and earth combined?

Should I be worried about how these two wires are combined? Or is this cowboy practice that needs to resolved?

It’s unlikely you have an earth at the fitting
The joined wires are most likely a neutral and looped neutral to the next light fitting

If you haven’t installed a metal light fitting then there’s nothing to be concerned about

Ardent

meercat wrote: »

It’s unlikely you have an earth at the fitting
The joined wires are most likely a neutral and looped neutral to the next light fitting

If you haven’t installed a metal light fitting then there’s nothing to be concerned about

Ha. It's a metal light fitting.

meercat

Ardent wrote: »

Ha. It's a metal light fitting.

And where did you connect the earth wire that’s on the fitting to?
It’s not permitted to connect it to the neutral terminal

Ardent

There was no earth on the new fitting - just live and neutral.

meercat

Ardent wrote: »

There was no earth on the new fitting - just live and neutral.

All good so.

Xertz

1970s isn't really "very old" by wiring standards. At least it's likely to be relatively modern PVC insulated and fairly safe. The regulations have evolved since then, particularly with earths at light fittings and switches, but overall wiring from that era is not 'very old'.

Go back a few decades earlier and you'll encounter perished rubber insulation and even further back cloth insulation in metal ducts - round tumbler light switches and remnants of Schuko or UK style round pin sockets is usually the sign of absolutely ancient wiring.

Black (N) Red (L) and Green (E) core colours on fixed cabling changed much, much later than on flex. So, you'll find it in relatively 'modern' installations. I can't remember exactly what year it changed in Ireland but it was definitely after the 80s.

So, while you wouldn't find red / black / green wiring in a plug unless you're looking at an appliance from the 1960s sometime, you're fairly likely to find it in most house wiring pre 1990s.

The main thing is do not add any metal light switches or fittings without having the wiring upgraded. Plenty of potentially dangerous DIY retrofitted metal switches with no earths connected.