Ceiling rose (page 1) - identifying cables

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Identify the cables

Switch off the power supply at the consumer unit and remove the fuse for the circuit.

Unscrew the ceiling rose cover and examine and identify all the cables.

Light switch cable

Firstly, identify the switch cable. This will have its red conductor attached to the live terminal, and its black conductor (which should have been tagged with red because it is the switch return conductor) attached to the live flex terminal. This same terminal will have the brown (live) of the flex going to the light itself.

If there is no switch cable here, then it will have been switched via a junction box system in the lighting circuit above.

Label the cables once they have been correctly identified.

Other light circuit cables

All other cables should have a red to the live terminal block, and a black to the neutral terminal block. These are all part of the lighting supply circuit.

All cables will also have a green and yellow sleeved earth connected to the earth terminal.

If your ceiling rose houses cabling which you are unable to identify, or differs from this description, or has no earth conductor, seek the services of a professional electrician.

Continued...

• Lighting circuits
• Connecting a pendant light