Help needed: Wiring a pendant light with 2x3 wires

PowerAL · 3 December 2017 at 4:21PM

Hi all,

Trying to wire my bedroom pendant light. It has two thick wires running into it, both with a black, red and earth (pic attached). I made the mistake of not checking how it was wired before I took the old one down.

I'm not sure if this is right but my plan is to do the following.

Both blacks into the blue pendant with the N
One red into the brown LINE
One red into the LOOP
Both earths into the earth (at the bottom of the pendant pic)

Can you tell me if this is right please or do I need an electrician?

Thanks v much,
Alex

I'm a new user so i can't post links. Pics here:
imgurDOTcom/a/hgYmO

Warwick_Hunt · 3 December 2017 at 4:29PM

Yes that sounds right.

https://m.imgur.com/a/hgYmO

PowerAL · 3 December 2017 at 4:36PM

Great thanks - does it matter which red goes into the LINE and which one into the LOOP?

EachPenny · 3 December 2017 at 4:45PM

Warwick_Hunt wrote: »

Yes that sounds right.

Hold on!

It would appear one of the T&E cables is being used as a switch wire - in which case one of the black wires (which ought to have sleeving) should probably be connected to 'Line' and the red from that cable connected to Loop with the other red.

Connecting the two blacks together could result in a short circuit and a loud bang.

OP - is this the only light fitting in the room?

Risteard · 3 December 2017 at 4:46PM

Warwick_Hunt wrote: »

Yes that sounds right.

https://m.imgur.com/a/hgYmO

I can assure you that it isn't correct and will not work.

However my only advice will be to contact an Electrician. Don't mess about with things you don't understand.

molerat · 3 December 2017 at 5:02PM

If this is the only light in the room then :
Turn off at the mains.
Take one of the cables and connect the red and black to the brown and blue of the pendant. Put a light bulb in. Turn on the mains. Does the bulb light ?

Turn off mains. Remove wires previously connected. Connect other cable as previously. Turn on mains. Does bulb light ?

Turn off mains.

The pair that illuminated the bulb is your live supply that you connect black to blue and red to loop. Then connect the other pair red to loop and black (which should have a piece of red tape on) to brown. Sleeve the earth conductors and connect to earth terminal.

PowerAL · 3 December 2017 at 5:37PM

Hey all, thanks for your input.

@molerat - ok what you said makes sense so I'm tempted to give it a go. This is the only light in the bedroom yes. It's hard to tell from the loft where the wires go - I can see a wire goes in one way and out the other but I lose it under the joists and insulation (added a pic to the imgur link). I suppose i can pull up all the insulation if you think it looks funny.

PowerAL · 3 December 2017 at 8:04PM

Amazing. Worked like a charm.

@EachPenny - thanks for the heads up
@molerat - you're instructions were spot on.

Really appreciate you guys taking the time to get my light working.

tower · 3 December 2017 at 8:05PM

Could you not just connect the reds(live) together in the loop connector providing the feed to the switch. Then one black to the neutral connector and the other black to the live connector (switch line) in the ceiling rose.

molerat · 3 December 2017 at 8:08PM

tower wrote: »

Could you not just connect the reds(live) together in the loop connector providing the feed to the switch. Then one black to the neutral connector and the other black to the live connector (switch line) in the ceiling rose.

Yes that would work but could, if an E27 fitting was used, lead to the outer contact being live.

Help needed: Wiring a pendant light with 2x3 wires

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