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Introduction
This ‘How to’ describes the two types of lighting circuits and explains
how to identify which type operates in your home. It then takes you step
by step through the process of removing an old ceiling light.
This is not a difficult job, but you must take care and observe all safety procedures.
If you're at all unsure about working with electrical wiring, use a professionally
qualified electrician. .
x Safety Disclaimer:
Please note that all diagrams relating to electrical wiring have been created in a colour format. If you
are printing this document in black and white, we advise you to follow these basic safety precautions:
1. Make a careful note of the colour diagrams as seen on your screen. Note the colour and
position of each wire in the diagram.
2. Follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer of the equipment you are using.
3. If in doubt, contact a qualified electrician.
Loop-in system
A feed cable runs from the consumer unit (fuseboard) into each ceiling rose, out again
and onto the next rose. A switch cable runs between the rose and the switch (fig. 1).
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HOW TO: Remove a ceiling light
About lighting circuits (cont.)
The circuit
In both systems the circuit is protected at the consumer unit by a 5 amp
re-wirable or cartridge fuse, or by a 6 amp miniature circuit breaker (MCB).
The fuse or MCB is identified by a white spot or switch. fig. 1
A circuit run via a loop-in system can feed up to 1200 watts. A junction box
system can feed up to 1400 watts. With 100 watts usually allowed per lighting
point, small houses and flats will only have one lighting circuit. Larger dwellings
may have two or three.
The conductor cable should be 1mm2 or l.5mm2 PVC-insulated twin & earth.
The live conductor (L) is red and the neutral conductor (N) is black. The earth
wire is not sleeved in the cable, but green and yellow sleeving is fed over it
at terminations. fig. 2
Safety tip
If your cables don't have an earth wire, or the covering is rubber or even lead,
the wiring is very old, potentially dangerous and should be replaced.
Figure 3 shows the wiring for a typical ceiling rose on a loop-in system. Figure 4
shows the last rose on a loop-in system.
Some light fittings are wired to the ceiling via connector blocks rather than a
ceiling rose (fig. 5).
fig. 4
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HOW TO: Remove a ceiling light
Identifying the connections (cont.)
Switch cable:
• Red goes into the feed 'L' terminal
• The black conductor, which should have a red tag or sleeve, goes into the fig. 5
switch terminal.
All earth wires with green and yellow sleeving terminate in the earth terminal.
One cable enters the junction box ceiling rose:
• The red conductor goes to the terminal marked switch, line or load
• The black conductor goes into the neutral 'N' terminal (fig. 7).
fig. 6
Removing the light fitting
1. Isolate the light circuit
Switch the light on. Isolate the circuit at the consumer unit. If the board is fitted with
re-wirable or cartridge fuses, turn off the consumer unit mainswitch and remove the
circuit fuse. If an MCB is fitted, press the test button and tape vertically over the MCB
with red insulation tape.
Turn on the consumer board and check that the light to be worked on no
longer operates.
Hint
As a double check, use a power tracer on something that you know is working, fig. 7
for example a kettle. Touch the tip against the live kettle lead and it will glow red
(fig. 8). Now touch the power tracer against the light flex, while an assistant turns
the switch on and off. If the tip doesn't glow, the circuit is safe to work on.
Safety tip
Always turn off the main switch on the consumer board before removing or
replacing fuses.
fig. 8
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HOW TO: Remove a ceiling light
Removing the light fitting (cont.)
Hint
If the light fitting is bulky and/or heavy, have an assistant take the weight while
you remove it.
2. Disconnect fitting
Remove the screws holding the fitting to the ceiling and lower the fitting to reveal the
wiring. If the fitting is light, unscrew the rose cover. Do a careful drawing of the
wiring, then disconnect the fitting.
4. Make safe
Using a connector block
If there's no access to the floor above, use a connector block to insulate the wiring.
Wrap the ends of the cables and the connector block in two layers of insulation tape
and push into the ceiling.
Concrete ceilings will have metal conduit and boxes. Push the connector block into the
box and cover with a blanking plate to suit the box.
Ease the cables up from the hole, taking care not to dislodge the masking tape. Wire
the cables into a 20 amp four-plate junction box and screw the box to an adjacent
joist. Fit the lid.
If you need to enlarge the entry ports in the junction box, cut the edges with a junior
hacksaw, break out the plastic with pliers, then file off any rough bits.
Mix up a small amount of filler to a clotted cream consistency. Use the filling knife
to force the filler into the cable hole and screw holes. Don't try to create a smooth
surface, as the filler will sag anyway.
When the filler has set, use a block Surform and coarse abrasive paper to flatten it
off. Refill, making the surface as smooth and level with the surrounding ceiling as
possible. When this second layer of filler is dry, smooth down with the cork block and
fine abrasive paper. See How To: Prepare walls and ceilings for decoration. HB
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