hi,
I am replacing a light fitting with an LED, when I remove the fitting I find attached. Can someone explain the wiring please?
Just connect your wires into the new fitting as originally done
earth(green/yellow)
neutral(blue)
switched live(brown single,the one with black tape)
don’t connect anything into the last remaining connector with the multiple brown cables. This is a permanent feed
ensure power is turned off at the distribution board for safety
Yah turn off power at the board as there's a permanent feed
Light switch won't isolate supply
Thank you.
What does permanent feed mean?
Unswitched wires.
Wires that stay live even when you turn off the light switch.
Is it sufficient to turn off the upstairs lights fuse in the fuse box or should the main switch be turned off when working on the light fitting?
If in doubt turn off the main isolator
Light switch never really isolates anyhow with looped neutrals unless you have a single t+e at the luminaire , light switches are not designed to isolate anyhow only control the light
MCB may not even isolate either if your in bad luck separating neutrals and there's a borrowed neutral connected
You're supposed to be proving the supply is dead after switching off which can be problem for DIY
At a minimum you want a voltstick if you're not doing above
A Chicken stick is a visual guide at best. Prices of multi meters are so cheap I would recommend a meter. A phase tester would be better than a chicken stick and that’s clutching at straw’s
What's a chicken stick
If you're deriding the voltstick you probably don't use them very much
Phase testers and multimeters are not much good
4 groups of incoming wires
CPC/Earth yellow/green
Neutral blue
Brown with black switched live
Brown live <-DONT CONNECT TO THIS
I never liked that 3-plate system except for bungalows maybe where it was a convenient system for wiring
Most things domestic should be idiot proof so the loop to switch and single t+e to the light was a safer system where the homeowner is liable to be changing fittings
Is the purpose of the 3 unswitched wires to provide power to other lights independently of this light?
Must these 3 wires be joined to the same single connector.
Ya that's it and they go back the way they are
Why are there 2 neutral wires as opposed to just one?
One is fed from previous light (or distribution board)
the other then connects to the next light
the last light on the circuit will only have one
The neutral and feed are both being looped from light to light to supply each one
There's 3 feeds cos you have to drop one to the switch and the single back (black tape at the light there ) switches on the light
I don't really like it for domestic , the single t+e at the light , supplied from the switch is a better system
Neutral at switch then also covers you for smart wiring
have managed to install the LED light. It requires the light switch on the wall to be left on 24/7 in order that the remote control can turn the light off and on, change brightness etc.
Is it safe for the wall switch to be in the on position continuously?
Depends on the fitting really , install method etc., lot of factors but probably not a hazard
Anything electronic energised continuously can be a hazard to a degree
AFAIK there's no regulation says you need a lightswitch , control however you like and MCB protects circuit and isolates supply
Safe enough yeah, you might consider changing the switch to something like this
https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/1146392
and mounting a remote next to it
