I have just bought a nice new fancy light for my newborns room from a certain diy chain and proceeded to fit it with my limited knowledge... how hard can it be i said??? hmmm
silly i know but please help as i cant afford a sparky right now...!!
i had a normal bulb with a rosette at the top and took the rosette off to reveal 3 sets of wires each with 3 wires in it...
i stupidly assumed that i should join all 3 of the same colour from each wire to each terminal in my new light ie 3 live 3 neutral and 3 earth together..!
i then turned the power back on and the switch doesnt work and my light is now permanantely on!!!
how do i solve this?
i have previuosly wired in new wall sockets and dimmer switches which have turned out fine. so a bit gutted that this has beaten me..! realised now in hindsight that i have made a permanent circuit but am not entirely sure how to solve it. have an idea but just want to make sure.
any advice greatly appreciated..!

Antonio, December 2008

Hi, I have the same situation.
3 blacks (one bad), 3 reds, 3 green/yellows.
I'm fitting them to a brown, a blue and a green/yellow.

So, is this right?
bad black with the brown
2 good blacks with the blue
green and yellows happily live together
the 3 reds get tied up in insulating tape? thank you

kredman, January 2011

im straight down the diy shop in the morning its about time i got myself one of these screwdrivers..!

havent had a chance today as have been at work but many thanks for the advice and i will let you know how i get on tomorrow.

Im going to check out this Lord Finchley aswell..!

Antonio, December 2008

And if you can't easily identify which is the scary wire at the ceiling rose do this...

Disconnect all three Black wires and leave them hanging in the air.

Switch the system on and turn the light switch to its on position.

Take a mains tester screwdriver (about £1) and carefully touch the conductor of each Black wire. One of them will make the neon glow in the handle of the screwdriver when you touch the top end of the screwdriver. This is the Switched Live. Put a sleeve on it after you have switched off the power.

Peccavi, December 2008

Three reds together is good... All Live... One in, One out and One to the Switch.

One Red goes to the switch and the wire coming back from the switch is Black - This wire is NOT a Neutral it is Switched Line (Live) and is scary and dangerous. It should have a Red or Brown sleeve on it to show that it's special.

This Switched Live wire (the scary one) joins with the Brown going to the lamp - just the two of them - nothing else.

The Blue wire coming from the lamp joins with the other two Black wires.

Take Care and remember Lord Finchley (look him up)

Peccavi, December 2008

im sorry forgot to mention it did trip when i pressed the switch blew the switch..! but i have since fitted a new switch but have not turned it on..! as i guess it will blow again. sorry for the confusion..!
at the switch i have 3 wires from one cable. One is Black, One is Red and the other Green/Yellow striped.
am having to use the fuse box as an on/off switch for going upstairs..! dark now so cant solve until the morning..!

Antonio, December 2008

What you say does not ring true - at some point your fuse/breaker would have blown/tripped and yet you do not mention it - this make me reluctant to help because I do not understand your wires / colouring.

What colours do you have at the switch?

Peccavi, December 2008