Is it safe to change a pendant light bulb holder DIY?

Jeepers_Creepers

Hi Wolff.

I'd do as hasbeen says too - buy the holder that's similar to yours as this will save you having to trim the wires or fiddle around with the gripper thingy.

Also buy this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-electrical-mains-tester-screwdriver-100-250v-ac-slotted-3-5mm-x-130mm/8606x

To use the screwdriver, you always check it works first by touching it on the live contact with the power on - make sure it lights up. Also test the other contact tobesure tobesure. Then test it after turning off the power - check that it no longer lights up.

If you just turn off the mains isolator switch on your 'fuse box' - the BIG one - then everything will be off.

Undo the terminals and swap like for like with the new. Refer to your photo (below) and ensure the wire wraps around the restraint lugs.

Jobbie jobbed - provided you did remember to slide the new cover up yer wire first...

Oh, and the terminals are interchangeable - there's no L and N.

Any problems, come back.

fenwick458

Would be a lot easier to just buy a 6" pendant, remove the cable from the base and fit that into the base thats already installed on your ceiling. 

Jeepers_Creepers

fenwick458 said:

Would be a lot easier to just buy a 6" pendant, remove the cable from the base and fit that into the base thats already installed on your ceiling. 

You mean 2 wires to swap and two wire-restraints to twiddle around?

Unlike... :-)

MalMonroe

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Hi Wolff.

I'd do as hasbeen says too - buy the holder that's similar to yours as this will save you having to trim the wires or fiddle around with the gripper thingy.

Also buy this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-electrical-mains-tester-screwdriver-100-250v-ac-slotted-3-5mm-x-130mm/8606x

To use the screwdriver, you always check it works first by touching it on the live contact with the power on - make sure it lights up. Also test the other contact tobesure tobesure. Then test it after turning off the power - check that it no longer lights up.

If you just turn off the mains isolator switch on your 'fuse box' - the BIG one - then everything will be off.

Undo the terminals and swap like for like with the new. Refer to your photo (below) and ensure the wire wraps around the restraint lugs.

Jobbie jobbed - provided you did remember to slide the new cover up yer wire first...

Oh, and the terminals are interchangeable - there's no L and N.

Any problems, come back.

I know that this is not my thread but could I just ask a quick question please? I was thinking that this was something I could do in my own home (need some new replacement light fittings) but now I'm a bit confused. You say there's no L (brown) and N (neutral) but those wires are there in the photo and there's no earth? Is it safe? I may have to get a professional in after all. 

Davesnave

MalMonroe said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Hi Wolff.

I'd do as hasbeen says too - buy the holder that's similar to yours as this will save you having to trim the wires or fiddle around with the gripper thingy.

Also buy this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-electrical-mains-tester-screwdriver-100-250v-ac-slotted-3-5mm-x-130mm/8606x

To use the screwdriver, you always check it works first by touching it on the live contact with the power on - make sure it lights up. Also test the other contact tobesure tobesure. Then test it after turning off the power - check that it no longer lights up.

If you just turn off the mains isolator switch on your 'fuse box' - the BIG one - then everything will be off.

Undo the terminals and swap like for like with the new. Refer to your photo (below) and ensure the wire wraps around the restraint lugs.

Jobbie jobbed - provided you did remember to slide the new cover up yer wire first...

Oh, and the terminals are interchangeable - there's no L and N.

Any problems, come back.

I know that this is not my thread but could I just ask a quick question please? I was thinking that this was something I could do in my own home (need some new replacement light fittings) but now I'm a bit confused. You say there's no L (brown) and N (neutral) but those wires are there in the photo and there's no earth? Is it safe? I may have to get a professional in after all. 

 Jeepers means that for your purposes it doesn't matter which way around the wires are connected. Yes, they are blue and brown, but that's irrelevant at this point in a lighting circuit. An earth would be needed if the fitting was metal, but as it's outer part is non-conducting plastic, it isn't required.

fenwick458

MalMonroe said:

I know that this is not my thread but could I just ask a quick question please? I was thinking that this was something I could do in my own home (need some new replacement light fittings) but now I'm a bit confused. You say there's no L (brown) and N (neutral) but those wires are there in the photo and there's no earth? Is it safe? I may have to get a professional in after all. 

what he means is there is no polarity on a bayonet light fitting, so you can put brown to any terminal and blue to the other and it won't make a difference. Its because the bulb can go in any way. theres no earth required because its made of plastic and theres no exposed metal 

Ebe_Scrooge

MalMonroe said:

I know that this is not my thread but could I just ask a quick question please? I was thinking that this was something I could do in my own home (need some new replacement light fittings) but now I'm a bit confused. You say there's no L (brown) and N (neutral) but those wires are there in the photo and there's no earth? Is it safe? I may have to get a professional in after all. 

What he meant was that it doesn't matter which way round the two wires go - either wire can go into either terminal.  It depends on the fitting - on some fittings it will be clearly marked which is live and which is neutral, but very often on something simple like a pendant, it doesn't matter which way round they go.

The Earth wire is not needed if the fitting is double-insulated - again, very often you'll find that simple fittings where the outer casing is made of plastic do not need earthing.  As a broad rule of thumb, if the fitting is made of metal then you will need an earth, if it's plastic then you won't.  But again, if an earth is required, its terminal will be clearly marked.  There will be (or there should be!) an earth wire in the cable.  Don't cut it off - you'll need it in the future if you change to a fitting that needs earthing.  Just tuck it out of the way.  If it's not sheathed, you *should* put a bit of green/yellow sheathing over it, although it's not strictly necessary from a functional point of view, assuming the sheathing on the live and neutral wires is undamaged (which it really ought to be!).

Hasbeen

fenwick458 said:

Would be a lot easier to just buy a 6" pendant, remove the cable from the base and fit that into the base thats already installed on your ceiling. 

Good idea. If you can actually unscrew the ceiling rose. Most are painted at sides and sometimes difficult to unscrew.

Have struggled in past LOL

Next the Link you quoted is £7:89 inc delivery. But here it is £1.20 collected:  6" Pendant BC White | Light Fittings | Screwfix.com

Up to Op really still 2 wires, 2 lugs. Depends on cable required drop, as these are 6"

But will have to disconnect new backplate?

But not really much difference in price. But the OP has had to ask the question re changing 2 wires?

If opening up a ceiling rose, might be a little bit overwhelmed?

Apodemus

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Also buy this: https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-electrical-mains-tester-screwdriver-100-250v-ac-slotted-3-5mm-x-130mm/8606x 

To use the screwdriver, you always check it works first by touching it on the live contact with the power on - make sure it lights up. Also test the other contact tobesure tobesure. Then test it after turning off the power - check that it no longer lights up.

. 

Just in case it needs saying...   You absolutely must understand how a circuit testing screwdriver works if you are going to rely on it.  The blade end touches the wire and you put your finger on the metal cap on the handle to let a small amount of current leak to earth through your body, allowing the neon indicator to light up.  It is not the same as a pen-type voltage detector that simply glows when near a live wire.   ...don't ask me how I learned this lesson as a teenager, many, many years ago! 

Interesting video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLAJ-keFmpk

Jeepers_Creepers

Thank you Dave, Fen and Abe for explaining what I mean - I really must write longer posts in future  

As for the choice betwixt swapping just the lampholder or the holder+flex, the former is surely significantly easier - unscrew cover, and swap the two wires which can only go in their respective places - at a nicely reduced height from the ceiling.