Ceiling wiring

pendulum

Hi,
In my bedroom, for a light, I just have a cable hanging down with a socket on the end for a bulb. The cable has no earth that I can see. It just has a live and neutral.

I did want to install a more modern looking light, such as this:


But I realise I cannot do it safely without an earth wire as they're metal. And I won't run the risk either. I will just make do with a modern looking lampshade on the existing setup if I can't find a way to do this properly.

So, does anyone know the cheapest way I could go about getting a safe setup here? I know that the house uses junction boxes. Could it be as simple as finding the junction box in the loft and somehow running a new cable down with an earth included? Or not? How would you run it down?

I haven't done much with electrics before, but I do know to switch off everything at the fuse box and remove all the fuses, and to check with a multimeter anyway before touching any wires.

Ps I did replace the old metal light switches in the living room with new metal light switches a few weeks ago, and earth wires did exist behind them. There's just no earth wire coming down from the ceiling.

pendulum

Another p.s.! I do realise you can get double insulated metal lights, that don't need an earth, and I could look in to that as well, but would like to make sure there's no easy/cheap way of getting an earth wire first.

eco-friendly_2

" I did replace the old metal light switches in the living room with new metal light switches a few weeks ago, and earth wires did exist behind them. There's just no earth wire coming down from the ceiling."


Strange! could the earth have been terminated/snipped at the ceiling roses? it could be singles wired through conduit tubing with the earth omitted.

lagi

I would suggest do what eco-friendly suggested and strip back out casing (after turning off electric) incase the earth has been trimmed back or snapped.

If not you need to get up in the loft, it should be pretty easy to find. Follow where the cable comes through and see if it does enter a junction box, if there are earths in there you can just buy a new length of twin & earth cable and do a replacement job.

keith969

pendulum wrote: »

Hi,
In my bedroom, for a light, I just have a cable hanging down with a socket on the end for a bulb. The cable has no earth that I can see. It just has a live and neutral.

This is quite normal, a cable to a lamp socket does not need an earth. If you unscrew the ceiling rose the cable comes from, there should be an earth in the terminal block.

vegasvisitor

Can't you earth it onto the conduit itself?

ormus

how old is the wiring and what colors are the wires?

andrew-b

Impression i get is the OP is trying to wire the new light to the old pendant rather than correctly replacing the ceiling rose ..i.e don't know what they are doing so should get someone in.

pendulum

I think the first thing I need to do is clarify my understanding about what you all mean by ceiling roses. As I understand it, it can refer to two things, a ceiling rose can be a plaster decorative thing stuck on the ceiling (which I DO have!), or a plastic box with wires in which I understood was an alternative to junction boxes. I know my house has junction boxes and didn't think I had the ceiling roses you talk about? I can't see any circular boxes on the ceilings.

ormus

this is a normal ceiling rose fitting.
if you dont have pendant lights, then the connections maybe just block connectors instead.

zax47

pendulum wrote: »

I think the first thing I need to do is clarify my understanding about what you all mean by ceiling roses. As I understand it, it can refer to two things, a ceiling rose can be a plaster decorative thing stuck on the ceiling (which I DO have!), or a plastic box with wires in which I understood was an alternative to junction boxes. I know my house has junction boxes and didn't think I had the ceiling roses you talk about? I can't see any circular boxes on the ceilings.

If your lighting is indeed wired via the junction box (JB) method then you will need to add a new cable (twin core & earth) from the junction box and connect this to your fitting. The appropriate junction box will be located in the loft above the bedroom and should be easy enough to trace. DO TURN OFF THE POWER before opening it, or, even better, get someone in who knows what they are doing.

As you suggested, a ceiling rose (in this context) is basically a decorative junction box, designed to be on view. :T