My husband fitted a new light fitting in our lounge. He says it was quite straightforward, although fiddly. It looked great once we put all the light bulbs in, but now it won't switch off unless we turn the fuse off!
The light switch we have is a dimmer, and worked perfectly for the old light fitting - any ideas?
2007-02-11 07:10:11 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
He has mixed the wires up at the fitting. There will be mains feed, a loop feed (if it's not the last light in the line) and a wire that goes to the switch. There is also a return feed (neutral) but he has obviously fitted this one correctly or it would keep blowing the fuse. He needs to take the fitting off again and put the two wires that are connected to the return into the centre position of the connector block and the wire left over feeds the light !!
2007-02-11 07:24:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The Answerer "It's Me" is probably an American. Unless you are one too then ignore his answer as it will kill you. The wiring colours and system in the UK is not the same as in the USA.
Basically, your husband cocked it up. There can be up to 13 wires in a ceiling rose so it's easy done.
The blacks are all "Neutral" except for one which should carry a short red or blue sleeve. This one carries switched power FROM your wall switch. It seems as though he's mixed this up with one of the other blacks and has by-passed the switch.
At the ceiling rose the 'sleeved black' should be connected to the blue wire from your new light fitting using one of the two-way brass blocks on the ceiling rose.
The other blacks should be connected together at the other two-way brass block on the ceiling rose.
All the red wires must be considered as "Live". These must be connected together at the three-way brass block on the rose.
Connect the brown wire from your new light fitting to the brass block with the other reds.
All earths (green/yellow) must be connected together at the single brass block on the ceiling rose.
Do all this with the power Off at the fuse box/consumer unit.
If you are in doubt or your wiring does not match the above description then don't guess - call an electrician.
2007-02-11 16:33:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, carefully disconnect / tape over the end of your wall switch,...does the light go off?
Yes...its your dimmer, No, its the wiring at the fitting.
If you are in UK, like as not you have a 'ring main' circuit for your lights. With a ring main there will be 3 pairs of wires at the cieling rose, unless someone has put in a 'spur' circuit. Assuming there are 3 pairs, imagine a loop of wire from your consumer unit, round the ground floor, then back to the consuner unit. Similarly, for upstairs.
OK, so now we want a light wherever, so, we cut into the ring, (that gives you 2 cable ends, ok... but, we need a switch as well. hence, 3 cable ends. Put the power off first...So, with the ends at the rose all terminated separatly with 2 pieces of connector block each, three double blocks each with a red & black in each terminal.Now, put power on, and check the voltage (little test screwdriver) at each block. You should find 2 blocks with power on, and one that is dead. The 2 blocks with power on are the 2 ends of your ring main, the dead one is your switch. Power off...remove one block which was live, slip those ends into the other block that was live....We have restored the ring of cable.
Now, you have one block with 4 ends and one block with 2 ends. take the block with the single red and black, remove the block, connect the red of this pair to the block with 2 reds already in. you have a black wire left...this is your 'Switched Live.' Your light fitting now connects between the switched live and the black of the ring, so the light will go on and off controlled by the sweitch.
2007-02-11 15:54:03 · answer #3 · answered by johncob 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The most plausible explanation is that your hubby made a mistake in the straightforward wiring of your new light fixture that replaced the old one. It is unlikely, but possible, that the new light fixture is faulty. (What can be wrong with it if all its lights light if it doesn't have its own switch??)
It seems that in wiring the new fixture in he has bypassed the original switch. Perhaps he's grounded one of the fixture wires inadvertently so that the fixture circuit is always closed now. Were you/he to describe in great detail what's exposed/showing in the junction box that he rewired maybe help would be easier.
2007-02-11 15:42:24 · answer #4 · answered by answerING 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the switch worked fine before then you have a wiring error in the junction box behind the light fixture. The fixture is connected to a constantly live wire (or group or wires) and not to the wire from the switch. Take the fixture down and figure out which wires come from the switch.
2007-02-11 15:24:47 · answer #5 · answered by frozen 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
lol... he didnt wire the light switch into the light... so its getting fed directly from the breaker... without a switch to turn it off... its inposable to know what all is in the box that the light is mounted too... so i cant say how to fix it... but generaly all the white wires should be connected together... and the black wire from the light should go to the switch... and the other wire of the switch should go to the black wires... if you guys cant figure it out... just hire someone to do it... the only thing that might need to be replaced is the dimmer... it could have fried if it gets conneced wrong..
2007-02-11 15:22:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its obviously been wired wrong at the fitting end. Best bet is to get an electrician in to sort it. I always make a note of the wiring before I change a light fitting because I know of quite a few folk who have had your problem.
2007-02-11 15:20:36 · answer #7 · answered by Mogseye 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i did this myself and felt proud that i had put the light fitting up but then it would switch off
people have given lots of solutions but then its pretty simple
i think i had three red wires, two black and the earth switch
i had connected all the red ones to the same socket but that was my mistake
my partner sorted it by finding out which of the red wires was the one for the switch
everything is fine now
i hope this helps
2007-02-11 17:08:26 · answer #8 · answered by mjammy1978 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like he bipassed the switch. But on your husband defends a dimmer switch won't work on a flourescent fixture. the fixture has to be of the incandescent kind.
2007-02-11 17:21:32 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
mmm sounds like ya dimmer or light is wired wrong way round take it down and check
2007-02-11 15:17:24 · answer #10 · answered by shaun2dance 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋