I have removed an existing light fitting (fitted by me) and then fitted a new one but it either remains on all the time or off all the time. When I first fitted the new light it blew the fuse which I have replaced. The wall switch does not operate the light. There are two red cables and two black cables. Help !

Keith Bibbey, March 2012

it sounds like you are connecting the wrong switch wire that is why it blew one of the black wires is supposed to act as a live should be two red and one black joined together if it blows again turn the black wires around it should solve the problem

brian, April 2012

Do you know what you are doing?

I doubt it.

Get hold of a qualified electrician before you kill yourself (which is probably a good thing as it will remove your genes from the gene pool) or soneone else (which is a bad thing).

Badass, April 2012

do you have a test meter?if so,its very simple to worrk out,first switch power off to lights at consumer unit,next take one pair of cabels,red and black,put meter on resistance scale (ohms)get some one to turn light switch on and off,till you get a reading,of one of the pairs of wires,this is the switch wire,now,put one side of this wire into the terminal that the flexi cable from light goes into put other end of the switch wire in middle terminal with or red or reds,put black wire to the teminal that the other flexi cable from light goes to,this is neutral return ,so there you have it,never,ever work on a live circuit,

mm, March 2012

If the 2 red cables are at the light fitting, 1 is probably live (check very carefully), & connect it to the other red cable which (probably) leads to the switch. When switched on, one of the black cables will be live, which is switch return. (not both of them), which will be dead when the switch is off The other cable will be neutral. Be very careful! Hope this helps.

davidj, March 2012