Any electricians out there? Please?

Flex Your Head · Oct 11, 2014

Very frustrated.

Finally got round to replacing the ceiling light in the living room. Wired it up, turned the mains on again and, let there be light. Sure enough there was plenty of light, however, when I flicked the light switch to turn them off, they refused to comply and stayed on.

Checked it out on the net and a dodgy lightswitch seemed to be the likely culprit. So, off to B&Q, bought a new switch, mains off, wired it up, mains back on, lights back on, but still they won't switch off.

Please, has anyone got ideas what to try next?

Thanks a lot.

Soulman · Oct 11, 2014

Flex Your Head said:
Very frustrated.

Finally got round to replacing the ceiling light in the living room. Wired it up, turned the mains on again and, let there be light. Sure enough there was plenty of light, however, when I flicked the light switch to turn them off, they refused to comply and stayed on.

Checked it out on the net and a dodgy lightswitch seemed to be the likely culprit. So, off to B&Q, bought a new switch, mains off, wired it up, mains back on, lights back on, but still they won't switch off.

Please, has anyone got ideas what to try next?

Thanks a lot.

Ok, in the ceiling rose you will probably have 3 reds (if the wiring is over 12 years old) and 3 blacks.....the 3 reds go together, ONE of the 3 blacks is a switch wire (comes up from the switch) and goes in the live terminal, the other TWO blacks go in the neutral.....sounds like your light is permanently fed because of this problem.
When it was wired a red tape should have been put around the black coming up from the switch......if on further inspection you have lumped this wire in with the other blacks, then your light will stay on.
So......3 reds together, TWO blacks go in the NEUTRAL of the fitting/ceiling rose....and the SWITCH wire (BLACK) goes in the LIVE terminal of the fitting/ceiling rose.

Flex Your Head · Oct 11, 2014

Soulman said:
Ok, in the ceiling rose you will probably have 3 reds (if the wiring is over 12 years old) and 3 blacks.....the 3 reds go together, ONE of the 3 blacks is a switch wire (comes up from the switch) and goes in the live terminal, the other TWO blacks go in the neutral.....sounds like your light is permanently fed because of this problem.
When it was wired a red tape should have been put around the black coming up from the switch......if on further inspection you have lumped this wire in with the other blacks, then your light will stay on.
So......3 reds together, TWO blacks go in the NEUTRAL of the fitting/ceiling rose....and the SWITCH wire (BLACK) goes in the LIVE terminal of the fitting/ceiling rose.

Many thanks for the reply. Will have to wait till the morning when the light returns to take a look, so will update the thread then.

If there's no update, please send an ambulance

LowerWesty · Oct 11, 2014

As Flex says, but as a picture paints a ....... Maybe this will make it clear

View attachment 59281

wehatepalace · Oct 11, 2014

One of the red wires will be the ring main

Soulman · Oct 11, 2014

wehatepalace said:
One of the red wires will be the ring main

He's frustrated enough without you bringing in a completely different circuit.....he's on the lighting not the power :lolol:

wehatepalace · Oct 11, 2014

Soulman said:
He's frustrated enough without you bringing in a completely different circuit.....he's on the lighting not the power

You'll be pleased to know that I don't do any electics in my house, thankfully my best mate is a sparks !

Soulman · Oct 11, 2014

wehatepalace said:
You'll be pleased to know that I don't do any electics in my house, thankfully my best mate is a sparks !

Del Boy · Oct 12, 2014

Flex Your Head said:
Many thanks for the reply. Will have to wait till the morning when the light returns to take a look, so will update the thread then.

If there's no update, please send an ambulance

Nee-naw nee-naw

bhawoddy · Oct 12, 2014

Still no news?

Soulman · Oct 12, 2014

Hope there is light at the end of the tunnel...........

Flex Your Head · Oct 12, 2014

All is well, and thanks for the help :thumbsup:

Official Old Man · Oct 12, 2014

Many hands make light work.
Oh why did I have to write that? :lolol:

minkymorgan · Oct 12, 2014

Classic DIYer mistake that has kept jobbing sparks employed since electricity began , you have not connect your new light they way your old light was connected & there was nothing wrong with your old switch http://www.askthetrades.co.uk/howto/3plate.html

pauli cee · Oct 12, 2014

wehatepalace said:
One of the red wires will be the ring main

One of the red wines will be the main one?

happypig · Oct 12, 2014

I'm not a sparks but I understand electrics, had a call from my mate one day saying the loft light he'd fitted wasn't working. I asked him how he'd connected it and he said he'd opened a box by the trap hatch, found a live using a meter and tapped into that. Turns out he'd tapped into the "triple & earth" that turned the landing light on, so his loft light only worked if the upstairs switch was down :facepalm:

bhawoddy · Oct 12, 2014

happypig said:
I'm not a sparks but I understand electrics, had a call from my mate one day saying the loft light he'd fitted wasn't working. I asked him how he'd connected it and he said he'd opened a box by the trap hatch, found a live using a meter and tapped into that. Turns out he'd tapped into the "triple & earth" that turned the landing light on, so his loft light only worked if the upstairs switch was down

If he picked up the feed from the landing light switch then how did he pick up the neutral for the loft light?

Soulman · Oct 12, 2014

bhawoddy said:
If he picked up the feed from the landing light switch then how did he pick up the neutral for the loft light?

Exactly.....a bit of a porkie being "fed" there eh.

edna krabappel · Oct 13, 2014

I remember the good times said:
Many hands make light work.
Oh why did I have to write that?

I don't know, but I for one am glad you did

happypig · Oct 13, 2014

bhawoddy said:
If he picked up the feed from the landing light switch then how did he pick up the neutral for the loft light?

No idea, I told him I wasn't going to mess about with it and to get a qualified electrician in to fix it.

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