4 core wiring advice

beer enigma

Hey guys,

I'm just looking for some advice here. I'd be handy enough with electrics, but wanted to check out something first.

We recently extended the house & the electrician put in wiring for two outside lights (downlighters for the outside of the conservatory).

I've attached a diagram, but basically I have a wire coming through a hole on the soffit by the left hand door marked feed. Its 4 core, brown, black, grey & green/yellow.

Also through the hole is an identical unmarked cable (same colours) that goes across the extension, loops out of a hole at the other side of the extension by the other door & then goes through the wall to an indoor switch. The cable isnt wired to the switch yet.

My electrician told me that it was ready to be connected as soon as I had chosen the lights, but unfortunately he passed away before this was done.

I'd like to wire it up & presume I take the live from the feed cable & connect that to the other cable that runs to the switch, then come off the switch with the other live which acts as the return feed to the lights.

Problem is, I'm not familiar with the black brown & grey & just wondering which colour is likely to be the 'live' on the feed cable ?

Sorry if this doesn't explain too well, but hopefully the diagram will help.

M cebee

the supply cable is prob 4-core nym with 3P+E colours

you'll prob have to tape one up as the blue

tbh if you can't figure out which one is the feed i recommend you get a sparkie

beer enigma

M cebee wrote: »

the supply cable is prob 4-core nym with 3P+E colours

you'll prob have to tape one up as the blue

tbh if you can't figure out which one is the feed i recommend you get a sparkie

Thanks - I've been told that the brown & black are the live, grey is neutral & yellow/green being the earth, main concern is whether there's any standardisation on using the brown or the black for L1

Davy

Brown, Black, Grey is the EU harmonised colours, in that order. R,S,T, or L1, L2, L3 which ever you prefare.

pdiddy

Andip wrote: »

Thanks - I've been told that the brown & black are the live, grey is neutral & yellow/green being the earth, main concern is whether there's any standardisation on using the brown or the black for L1

dont think there shud be a problem with the lives but i think not 100% sure using the grey as a nuetral can cause a problem if it needs to be inspected by reci for a cert

like i said im not sure on that but i def know its a non starter to use a blue as a live

M cebee

the colours have to be continuous unless it's 6-core or more (numbered cores)-
then the neutral and earth have to be taped at the ends


if it's a 3-phase installation
you have to use the correct colours for 3-phase circuits but for SP final circuits you can use brown or the correct phase colours

there's a paragraph at the top of page 75(new rules) regarding taping-
which i'm not 100% clear on

beer enigma

Thanks Guys,

I got a neighbour of mine out last night who is an electrician & whilst he didn't have any gear to check whether the brown or the black was 'live' on the feed cable, he did confirm the cable is 4-core nym with 3P+E colours.

He suspects the black is the 'live', but I'm gonna get him to check ! - thanks for the advice

Just as an aside, the wires come through plastic soffit, so whatever lights I get will have to be outside lights & ones that don't get hot I presume, can anyone recommend a supplier or brand ? - basically looking for external downlighters

M cebee

they'll be mains ip-rated spots with either cfl or led bulb

for maintenance/heat/energy usage