How do i wire my spotlight? Electrician please :)?

Question

Sounds simple, but, i have 3 wires coming out of the ceiling, each of those has 3 wires.

2 of them are the same with a red, a black and an earth.

The other 1 of them has 2 reds and an earth.

The spotlights have 1 red, 1 black and 1 earth.

Wot goes where? I have tried but succeeded in fitting a light that stays on all the time!!

Answer 1

The 2 cables with red, black and earth should be commoned together

The cable with 2 reds is the live to the switch (1 red ) and the switched live (other red)

The switched live goes to the red of the spotlight.

The black from the spot goes to the other blacks and earth to earth

Answer 2

You need 4 terminals

TERMINAL 1. NOT CONNECTED TO THE SPOTLIGHT.

Red from red & black

red  from red & black

ONE Red from red & red.

TERMINAL 2

Black & Black (which goes to spotlight neutral)

TERMINAL 3

'spare' red (which goes to spotlight live)

TERMINAL 4

& all the earths together...

EDIT:

If your spotlight has only three terminals, then that is the crux of the problem. You need a fourth, it's not possible to wire it correctly without. You can get them from wilkinsons/ B&Q/ wickes...

Answer 3

connect the 3 earths to spotlight earth terminal, connect the 2 blacks to neutral then you are laft with 4 reds, the wire with 2 reds should be your switch wire with 1 of the reds from the wire with 2 reds take it and put into a seperate connector block with the other 2 reds that have a neutral  now you wil have 1 red wire that goes in spotlight live

Answer 4

the 2 reds with the earth put the 2 reds into a connector  the cable  with the red black and earth connect to the same colours at the light the earths all go together try that

Answer 5

hello I just asked my brother he's an Electrician and he said Jigs answer is the only answer that's  correct , he also said use a mains tester and get some one to switch the switch to find out which is the switched live , when you find the live that goes to the + on your light , then all the black wires should be connected to together with a connection to your neutral on your light fitting then earth wire connected to fitting to

hope that helps if in doubt get some one to do it for you, don't take chances with electricity !!

Thanks for the thumbs down from some idiots who probably can't even tell the time :P

Answer 6

You have connected the switched wire and one or more non-switched. That is why it is always on, it is being fed from multiple circuits.

Earlier today there was a great answer that asked about the country. It gave a lot of good info about wiring, in general. Why is it gone?

It had several thumbs down, but it was a fantastic answer. I'm new here, what is up with that?

Answer 7

You will have to go from a new 16AMP MBC in your consumer unit, unless you want to split an allready existing radial light circuit in your house, which is a load of hassle.

Dead easy, Neutral, live and earth. The swich wire will go from the switch to the live or loop. Where you place the switch in the switch, will determine the on and off point.

Answer 8

well isn't there a connector block some where,? the wire with rhe 2 reds will be the feed to and back from your light switch, so you need to connect 1 side ot that to the other 2 reds, no doubt it's looped and feeding other lights in your house, so the red back from your switch goes to + on your light, then of course you need your earth connection and a neutral

EDIT, some times they just use the black wire as the switched live, in that case the black should be sleeved red