I DID NOT TAKE THE OLD FITTING DOWN'
I AM LEFT WITH 3 WIRES. TWO ARE RED LINKED TOGEATHER, TWO BLACK, TWISTED TOGEATHER, THEN THE EARTH ONE IS TWISTED ROUND THE TWO BLACKS, IF I SEPERATE THE TWO BLACKS THEN THIS PUTS THE OTHER BEDROOM LIGHTS OUT.
THE NEW FITTING HAS THE NORMAL BLOCK CONN, E.BROWN, AND BLUE.
I KNOW THIS SOUNDS DAFT BUT THIS I CAN NOT SORT OUT.

Mr E Holcroft, July 2007

i am putting up a cenral light in the lounge the light is a ikea light with a junction box for nuetral and live but from the ceiling i have three black which i know are old nuetral and three red which are live and a bare twisted wire which i think is earth which should i use many thanks elaine

elaine smith, August 2009

i have 3 red 2 black and 2 yellow and green wires and my new light will not work in the sitting room can you help thank you

maria, January 2009

Paul is describing US wiring. The UK is DIFFERENT so take no notice.

What you have is a UK style 'Loop in' rose. The two black are Phase Neutral; one goes back to the consumer unit and the other one to the next fitting. (Which is why your lights go out when you part them.) The two reds are Phase Live. (They are permanently at live voltage - 230 v ac.)

Now here's the rub. You don't have an Earth (green/yellow) nor the two wires from a switch - a pair of red and black, the black having a red circle on it. The red connects to the two reds, goes off to the switch and back to the light fitting Live (Brown).

Normally you would connect the blue of the fitting to the two blacks, the brown to the black with a circle an earth the the green/yellow but you can;'t soi that because those wires are missing.

You may guess what I am going to say next. Get and electrician before you have an accident. Apart from anything else it is illegal in the UK not to earth a fitting that requires earthing.

t, July 2007

Make sure power is off at the breaker and test the room for power after it is off to be sure. Remove old fixture, the two blacks together put with black on new fixture, there should be a white wire in the box that is neutral, put with the white wire on new fixture. The blue wire on the fixture is usually for lights on the fixture, put with the black wires. The e.brown, if it is a bare wire with no coating, it is ground. Ground to fixture and to box, if metal box. The red wires are usually used for passing power on three-way switches, no need to hook up.

Paul, July 2007