Help installing ceiling fan/light with red blue brown and green wires.

estoril

Hi,

I hope somebody can help. I just bought a ceiling fan/light from B & Q. The instructions are very vague (or i am very thick). The fan/light has four wires coming from it labelled as follows, Blue - Neutral, Brown - Live, Green/Yellow - Earth & Red - Light.

My ceiling rose has standard uk type light wiring with 9 wires. 3 earth wires (connected together) - 2 black neutral (connected together) - 1 black live - 3 red loop wires (connected together). My current light is very simple, a brown and blue wire, live and neutral.

So on the new light, obviously, brown = live, blue = neutral, green/yellow = earth but what do i do with the red wire labeled "light" on the new fan/light. The instructions do not mention the red wire only the brown, blue and green/yellow.

Help!! Where does the red wire from the ceiling fan go? Is it another live to be wired with the brown?

The instructions do say not to connect the loop wire from the ceiling rose to the fan, so i presume the red doesnt go there.


Many thanks in advance. I hope somebody can help.


Estoril

YorkshireBoy

Perhaps it would have helped if they'd labelled the brown wire "fan".

Sounds like the unit is designed to be fed from two switches...one for the fan, and one for the light.

If you couple the red with the brown you'll have fan + light. Is there some other way to isolate the light so you can have fan only...perhaps a pull switch on the unit itself?

estoril

The unit has a centre pull for the light on/off and a side pull for cycling 3 motor speeds. I presume you switch it on at the light switch and if you want the light off but fan off then you pull the motor pull for desired speed and pull the light pull to switch light off and vice versa for light on and no fan. And obviously switching the light switch on the wall from on/off will switch on/off.

So you think the red "light" cable is the live for the light side. I was of the same thinking re: coupling it with the brown.

Can anybody else confirm?


Thanks for your help so far.

Estoril

YorkshireBoy

estoril wrote: »

Can anybody else confirm?

It's always good to get a second opinion, but just so you know...I'm an electrical engineer.

Why not couple the unit up without connecting the red wire (just terminate it in a strip connector) and see what doesn't work?

victorias_dad

yes that is correct

YorkshireBoy

SAFETY WARNING
=============

You do know the 3 red "loop" wires in your existing ceiling rose are permanently live...even with the wall switch off?

Isolate at the fuseboard...and preferably at the main switch.

Pennylane

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

SAFETY WARNING
=============

You do know the 3 red "loop" wires in your existing ceiling rose are permanently live...even with the wall switch off?

Isolate at the fuseboard...and preferably at the main switch.

Thank goodness someone has some sense Yorkshireboy!:A

For some people it is NOT a good idea to try DIY electrics just to save a few bob!:p I also worry about people following the "practical" advice that some people on this forum give - if you tell them to do something and they injure themselves ... I guess you are liable (or Martins Money Tips).

estoril

It worked, thanks yorkshireboy. It was as you said, needed to be connected with the brown live.

I disagree though with the comments re: trying to save a few bob??? Its a ceiling fan/light, not a house rewire. About as easy as changing a plug but in a very awkward position. I am able to do these types of small jobs given clear instructions. The problem was the instructions don't mention the red "light" wire. Whereas an electrician would know instantly where it should go, i would also have known had the instructions been clear. My limited knowledge did presume it would go with the brown and if i got no response that is where it would have gone.

Thanks to all for your help


Estoril

victorias_dad

from what the op has said if you dont connect the red wire the light wont work but one more point the op said the instructions were vague but you can be sure they said turn off the electricity

ormus

Pennylane wrote: »

I also worry about people following the "practical" advice that some people on this forum give - if you tell them to do something and they injure themselves ... I guess you are liable (or Martins Money Tips).

there is obviously a happy medium to be reached here. most diyers can do simple electrical/plumbing work etc.. with some advice if required.
the whole aim of this site is to save money. and i hate peeps being ripped off by so called pros, esp for small simple jobs.
and another problem is just getting a pro in to do minor jobs. just try getting a sparky to change a light switch in the london area! never mind the cost.

we cant protect any numpty who fails to switch off the mains when working on the sparky stuff. even my DD knows to switch off the mains first, if she was going to remove a switch plate.

in common law, you cannot be held responsible for free advice, unless you are a competant person. ie a qualified auto mechanic giving advice re a car, can be held legally responsible for that advice.

any advice given on here by me and others, is given in good faith. the usual warnings always apply.
we should not have to state legal/H&S terms after every post.

Pennylane

Glad you sorted it estoril but I still stand by what I said - some people & DIY just don't go together! I used to be a volunteer at a charity shop and if you saw some of the electrical stuff that people brought in as donations, it sends shivers up your spine!:eek: They hand you something like an electric fire and say "My hubby has put a new plug on here & it still won't go so we've bought a new one & thought you might like this." We used to see bare wires, screws missing, wrong size bulbs in things etc etc. All potentially lethal and they THOUGHT they knew what they were doing!:p