Hi,
I recently tried to change an existing ceiling light to a row of spotlights,after unscrewing the ceiling rose I found 2 wires both containing red/blue/earth which is obviously the old colour wiring,but then I never checked before the wires came out to see which was the switch/live wire and then noticed it wasn't marked up.I then just wired it up anyway and turned on the mains and then the light,it came on but then when I turned it off at the switch I think it tripped and broke the switch as the switch would no longer turn back on after the trip was reset.So I have bought a new switch,tested the wires to find out which is the switch/live,wired it together again and now it doesn't work at all.All the other lights work in the house but I don't know if this kitchen light is part of a ring or it is the final part,from what I have read it is the final part as there is just two wires?
I have just bought a multimeter and tried testing it for continuity which was there,but also voltage when turned on by touching red/earth but there was no voltage reading,did I test it correctly?Also all the fuses look to be pressed up in the correct position.
Any advice is much appreciated.

Gaz, March 2013

Thanks Peccavi,
Sorry I meant to say black/red wires from the ceiling,I have connected the wires again using a terminal block from a ceiling rose so it is small enough to fit under the new light centre,it's probably correct to wire it back up using a junction box placed under the floorboards?but as my bathroom above has laminated floor it would mean a lot of work.I established which one is the the switch/live wire by using a multimeter and checking for continuity on both neutral wires and just one beeped so I presume that is the switch/live.I then wired it up correctly and switched it on and got nothing,I am not sure if it's part of a ring,it may actually be on it's own as all the other lights are working fine,so I need to establish where else the problem lies,possibly a fuse tho they are all pressed up correctly,I guess I will need to do a live test?...It scares me even typing about it! :-(

Gaz, March 2013

It may well be that you have discarded the old ceiling rose - this will mean that you will have "lost" a connection.

You may well need to use a piece of terminal-block strip to connect together the incoming permanent live and the outgoing permanent live to the switch - just these together and to nothing else.

Peccavi, March 2013

You have made a wiring error at the ceiling and have taken switched live (from the switch - a neutral coloured wire) and have connected it directly to Neutral.

This will have the effect of having the lamp On when the switch is Off and the Fuse Blow when the switch is ON.

i.e. You did not switch the lamp off - you switched it on - the fuse blew and the lamp went out.

One of your neutral looking wires at the ceiling will be switched live - identify and mark up this wire.

Connect together the two (three?) Red wires and to Nothing else.

Connect the new lamps to Your marked up (switched live) on one side and Neutral on the other side.

The lamps should now work - if they don't - go looking for the mains power - check fuses and breakers - it will appear first at the ceiling on one of the Red wires.

Your statement about having Red & Blue wires at the ceiling sounds wrong. You may have Red/Black house wiring and Brown/Blue wiring in the new lamp.

Do not neglect your earth connections and remember Lord Finchley...

Lord Finchley tried to mend the Electric Light
Himself. It struck him dead: And serve him right!
It is the business of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan.

Take care...

Peccavi, March 2013