Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Installing external flood light

  • 21-01-2025 06:07PM
    #1
    Ronser123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭


    Hi

    I'm hoping to install an LED floodlight outside the back door. It's an old house. The light worked for a while but now doesn't.

    There seems to be a junction box on the wall. There's a second light connected to this junction box.

    The middle wire in the pic comes from inside. It has a red and black wire.

    The wire on the left is from the second light, it has blue and brown???

    The wire on the right is from the one I want to replace. That has orange(?) and black.

    It seems the red/orange/brown go in 1 terminal block.

    Then 2 blacks and 1 blue in the other terminal block.

    Then there's what I presume are some earth wires floating around unconnected...

    How do I square this away with modern wiring in the LED???

    Thanks for any help. There's a mix of old and new wiring in the house tbh. I'm considering calling an electrician already tbh.

    20250121_160824.jpg

    20250121_161104.jpg


Comments

  • #2
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,311 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    You need to establish if the old light circuit from the jb is working before fitting the new light

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



  • #3
    standardg60
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭standardg60


    The new light will have brown and blue, brown to the red/orange connector and blue to the blue/black one. Earth taped up and left floating as there isn't one to connect to.



  • #4
    mickdw
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,887 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    Your new light will have brown blue and yellow green earth.

    It's only a matter of pulling out the old light with orange and black and likely an earth and putting new one in with brown wire in with the reds and browns and the blue wire in with the blues and blacks and join up all the earth's.

    Personally I take everything out of that box and start with a good clean mains wire and then join up new light to that red to brown and blue to black and earth's together and get new light working, then look at other remaining old light, check over cable, cut fresh ends on cable and connect it up.



  • #5
    Hooked
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,908 ✭✭✭Hooked


    It seems the last installer just used the plastic connectors (usually used to join two wires, at either end) to just "common" up those live and neutrals. Earth is probably redundant if it's an old gaff, as my last house had a lot of lighting wired with no earth visible. The new LED may not even have an earth.

    So my reading of it is that you have the feed coming from the house, split into 2 more feeds - one going to each of the 2 lights? Straight swap so.

    Head to your local electrical factors. Get a new junction box and some 3-way WAGO connectors. And some new wire if you need to extend. Little 10/15 euro Screwfix phase-tester would be no harm - to ensure the power/breaker is definitely "off".

    PS - I'm NOT an electrician. Just an avid DIYer.

    Post edited by Hooked on


  • #6
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,868 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123081719#Comment_123081719

    Agreed, I'd definitely replace that little box as it has signs of water ingress and it's very tight (not that it's going to have much effect with no earth). They are only 4 EUR at a wholesalers.



  • Advertisement
  • #7
    GreeBo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,474 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Deffo check the fuse is off and dont just rely on the switch. In old houses its not uncommon to get a bit of a buzz from the neutral as they can be connected to all sorts of things…



  • #8
    Ronser123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭Ronser123


    Thanks for all the advice. This is a great help.

    Got a larger function box and wago 3-way in Screwfix. I'll give this a go and post an update. Should I just use electrical tape on the end of the Earth wire of the new LED light? Or perhaps terminate it in of those white blocks the previous owner had?



  • #9
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,868 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Terminating it in a screw terminal looks more pro!



  • #10
    Mr321
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 773 ✭✭✭Mr321


    If its a fully plastic led light that's suitable for outdoors they generally come pre wired with just live and neutral and dont need the earth. So be mindful of that when buying your new light



  • #11
    GreeBo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,474 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123084436#Comment_123084436

    Use a black box for that extra "pro" look, especially if your walls are white…



  • Advertisement
Advertisement