light wiring problem

**hologram** · 8th June 2006, 10:49 PM

hi all this is my first post.

today i installed 9 down lights, all fairly straight forward 3 x wiring connections, but when i got to the last light, i found the wiring was very different from all the other lights i had done, this is what i found;

wire one, had three inner wires, 1 x red, 1 x black, 1 x green/yellow
wire two, had three inner wires, 1 x red, 1 x black, 1 x green/yellow
wire three, had two wires, 1 x red, 1 x black

the above wires were connected to four point on the light housing as follows,

point one, all three red wires connected together
point two, both green/yellow wires connected together
point three, two of the black wires connected together (these are the two black wires from wire one, and from wire two mentioned above, the three wire wires)
point four, one black wire connected on its own point (this is the black wire from wire three, mentioned above, the two wire, wire)

my new light's has three connection points, and are as follows;

L
(A SYMBOL) i guess this where the green/ yellow wires will connect
N

does anyone know how i can wire in my new light's three connection points, to my old original light's, eight wires ?

any help will be very nice, and enlightening so to speak, it's a little dark in this room now. thank you

**Wood Butcher** · 8th June 2006, 10:56 PM

does anyone know how i can wire in my new light's three connection points, to my old original light's, eight wires ?

It has been said before, If you have to ask these sorts of questions then you should be paying a electrician to do the work.

**Guy** · 8th June 2006, 11:00 PM

I can understand what you are trying to do and can see how they are wired. However for your peace and mind call an electrician in to do the work

**hologram** · 8th June 2006, 11:44 PM

thanks for your genuine concern, but with, or without you, i will get it done, it's just a matter of connecting-all-the-dots, it's just that at the moment, when i try to connect the dots, i trip the fuse. don't worry i'm not going to electrocute myself, i got a good trip system.

**ozwinner** · 9th June 2006, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by hologram

thanks for your genuine concern, but with, or without you, i will get it done, it's just a matter of connecting-all-the-dots, it's just that at the moment, when i try to connect the dots, i trip the fuse. don't worry i'm not going to electrocute myself, i got a good trip system.

The problem is this.
If someone here advises you, and you follow their instruction and you die or your house burns down.

Who are you, or your kin, or insurance company going to blame.
I for one wouldnt be foolish enough to give such advise for all the world to see.

Call a sparkie.

Al

**Simomatra** · 9th June 2006, 09:32 AM

Listen to what the people on the forum are telling you.

If you have to ask about electricity then call the electrician.

Colours alone do not determine what is active or negative in lighting loops

You are playing with danger you are endangering your life and others!!

**Bluegum** · 9th June 2006, 09:35 AM

I absolutly agree with simo on this call a spakry. Your mad if you don't as you never know what may happen.

**johnc** · 9th June 2006, 09:56 AM

There are two things that should be left alone in a house, electricity and gas. Eventually you will move on from that house and what you will be leaving behind is sub standard wiring. If you have any consideration for safety and what you are leaving behind to an unsuspecting future owner get a sparky.

John.

**Pulse** · 9th June 2006, 09:58 AM

Hologram, what you are doing is very dangerous.

You are describing the wiring of the switch into the circuit. This can either occur at a light fixture (as yours does) at a light switch or in a junction box.

Comments like this frighten the sh*t out of me

(A SYMBOL) i guess this where the green/ yellow wires will connect

You don't seem to realise the seriousness of what you are doing. Electrical circuits will be there for the life of the building, hidden behind the walls. If you do not even know how to earth a light then you should stick to painting walls. Wiring rules are there for the safety of electricians and for the safety of your family and any future occupant of the house.

Do everyone a favour and get an electrician to wire it up for you, tell them you were stupid and tried to DIY and maybe they will have pity and help you.

We are a lot friendlier when it comes to non electrical things

Cheers Pulse

**hologram** · 9th June 2006, 07:53 PM

thanks again, but i got it working today, actually it was quite simple, two different light were connected to the same junction (hence the double wiring) and the other two wires were for a switch, which controlled one of the two lights.

i shouldn't have come here asking for help, purely because, after having studied the 8 wires more closely, theres' no way anyone could have understood what it was, i was trying to explain, so you were all right, in trying to deflect me from attempting it.

but i do thank you all for your concern.

**mic-d** · 10th June 2006, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by hologram

thanks again, but i got it working today, actually it was quite simple, two different light were connected to the same junction (hence the double wiring) and the other two wires were for a switch, which controlled one of the two lights.

i shouldn't have come here asking for help, purely because, after having studied the 8 wires more closely, theres' no way anyone could have understood what it was, i was trying to explain, so you were all right, in trying to deflect me from attempting it.

but i do thank you all for your concern.

Stupidity wins the battle yet again.

**Simomatra** · 10th June 2006, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by hologram

thanks again, but i got it working today, actually it was quite simple, two different light were connected to the same junction (hence the double wiring) and the other two wires were for a switch, which controlled one of the two lights.

i shouldn't have come here asking for help, purely because, after having studied the 8 wires more closely, theres' no way anyone could have understood what it was, i was trying to explain, so you were all right, in trying to deflect me from attempting it.

It is a pity that you do not listen to advice you may have the lights working but are they safe and comply with AS/NZS 3000??

What price do you put on a persons life??

but i do thank you all for your concern.

**Redgy** · 14th June 2006, 08:17 AM

Fark me :eek::eek::eek::eek:, one day someone who has posted here will get killed

. This forum's title should exclude the word electrical & just be called "plumbing, heating, cooling"

**Pulse** · 14th June 2006, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by Redgy

Fark me :eek::eek::eek::eek:, one day someone who has posted here will get killed

. This forum's title should exclude the word electrical & just be called "plumbing, heating, cooling"

Redgy I have to disagree, I think this post illustrates the fact that people will wire illegally anyway. What this forum missed was the opportunity to help someone to do it properly. The attitude of "don't touch it - its dangerous" is perpetuated throughout this country yet we have the highest rate of electrocution in the developed world along with Northern Ireland. Countries that allow DIY wiring such as NZ have much lower rates.

More people get electrocuted because of old wiring in split steel conduit that is not replaced because the owner doesn't have a spare $6000 to rewire the house.

I think it would be better if there were clear books available explaining how to wire things around the house. The industry doesn't want it to change either. I've heard attitudes from sparkies like "screw him if he doesn't want us to do the whole lot". What we need is a change in culture away from regulation and towards an open, collaborative approach between the home-owner, electricians and authorities.

Just my thoughts anyway
Pulse

**Redgy** · 14th June 2006, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by Pulse

Wiring rules are there for the safety of electricians and for the safety of your family and any future occupant of the house.
Do everyone a favour and get an electrician to wire it up for you, tell them you were stupid and tried to DIY

Originally Posted by Pulse

What this forum missed was the opportunity to help someone to do it properly. The attitude of "don't touch it - its dangerous" is perpetuated throughout this country

Not wanting to be rude here Pulse but have you not just perpetuated this yourself?

Anyway my point is that it's too easy to misinterpret things written in public forums so that the question might not be understood & the wrong advice given OR the advice is perfect & technically spot on but not understood properly by the person seeking the help. We have no idea of how much is understood or misunderstood which is what worries me about handing out electrical advice online. I am much more obliging when actually talking to someone in person as you can gauge a bit about how much is sinking in.

Just my thoughts too Pulse

Cheers
Redgy

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