I. want to replace an old ceiling fan/light with a light fitting. There are 2 cables from the ceiling with 1 black 1 red and one bare earth wire.

[Henry krinkel]

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question

 

[littlespark]

Do you mean there’s 2 cables with a red, black and earth wire EACH?

Can you remember how the old fitting was wired?

Normally red to L, black to N and bare cable to the earth of the fitting, sleeved in green/yellow...

HOWEVER, I am thinking this is end of line of the circuit, so the two reds together without being connected to the light in any way.... one black is the neutral (N) and the other black may be the switched live, be sleeved in red, or brown nowadays and go to L.
Without testing you can’t tell which black is which.

Its difficult to advise further.

 

[James]

We love pictures.
If you can show us what you can see it would help us a lot.

 

[Henry krinkel]

Do you mean there’s 2 cables with a red, black and earth wire EACH?

Can you remember how the old fitting was wired?

Normally red to L, black to N and bare cable to the earth of the fitting, sleeved in green/yellow...

HOWEVER, I am thinking this is end of line of the circuit, so the two reds together without being connected to the light in any way.... one black is the neutral (N) and the other black may be the switched live, be sleeved in red, or brown nowadays and go to L.
Without testing you can’t tell which black is which.

Its difficult to advise further.

Hello Littlespark thanks very much for getting back to me so quickly. I couldn't reply sooner as I was working.
I didn't see how it was originally wired as it had been cut off. I agree it looks like the end of a circuit. I'm going to get a multimeter to find the switched live. When you say put the 2 reds together do you mean in the connector box or just taped up separately?

 

[littlespark]

I mean the two red together in a connector, but not to the light fitting. This would be a permanent live. Make sure the circuit is isolated.

Like I said, this is just one of many possible configurations, and if it’s the wrong one, you cold end up with live and neutral across the switch. Big Bang!

It will be tricky to test it with a multimeter unless you know what you’re doing