Ceiling light electricity wire colours

Hi

The new apartment has most light fittings apart from two indoors in the lounge area, one in the outside utility area and two outside on the terrace. The wires are currently hanging loose and I intend to fit my own fittings when we finally get the place. I did notice however that the wiring is a different colour in Spain to the UK. Whereas we have red and black, I think they were brown and blue (can't be sure, bad memory, getting old ). Can someone tell me which colour is live and which is neutral please?

Mark

[quote]Marksfish, when did you last do any wiring? We haven't had red and black for years. Blue is the standard colour for live, and brown for neutral, but that is in the UK. I can't actually speak for Spain as I don't live there (yet!). In any case, I wouldn't trust anybody else's wiring, but get a simple live testing screwdriver and see for yourself.[/quote]

Two weeks ago!! Bought some new light fittings for the lounge at home and a replacement dimmer switch. All the main wiring in the house is red & black and the house is 9 years old. Yes I realise blue is neutral and brown live in a 3 pin plug for the end user, but whenever I have looked into the wiring before the end user i.e. back of plug sockets, light switches it has always been red & black, but I suppose it makes sense.

Mark

"A little research shows me that the harmonisation regulations came in 2004"

Quite true, although somewhat of a surprise to me because for some reason I was sure blue was live and brown neutral! I recently had a complete re-wire done in an apartment here (Spain), and when we inadvertently ran out of brown cable at one point, just used black instead. Now, having completed the re-wire, I had an official inspection by an authorised electrician, who checked the installation and issued the all-important "boletin", which to all intents and purposes is official certification that everything has been done according to current legislation etc. Admittedly this "inspection" took all of 30 seconds and consisted of opening the fuse box, making some admiring sounds, and then closing it again, but nevertheless.....it's official - it doesn't really matter what colour cable you use!

And apart from that, forgive me for being thick, but does it actually make any difference which cable is live and which is neutral when connecting your light fittings?

IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL DIY'ERS

Hello all

The wiring colours in Spain are the same as in the uk. The harmonisation has seen to that. They only really become confusing when three phase is used, the rest is simple.

Brown replaced the red and blue replaced the black. So now BROWN is the live connection and BLUE is the neutral. This IS important as the blue neutral could be connected to other fittings which otherwise might be turned off, creating a potentially live circiut , which could be very dangerous.

As always, switch off the electricity at the mains and do not rely on the light switch to isolate the electricity, and dont forget , it bites.

Steve

I believe that ring mains are to be 'outlawed' in the new edition of BS7671 (what is being commonly called the 17th edition) and that radials will become the norm in new build and rewires in the UK.

Don't think that ring mains are superior, if badly installed i.e. spurs off spurs then they can be a fire hazard.  Radials make for easier installation and fault finding.

One word of advice, don't trust a neon screwdriver for testing or proving dead, always use a 2 pole voltage indicator usually termed as Test Lamps and it is VERY important to get the live and neutral the right way round on a lighting circuit, otherwise the switching is carried out in the neutral part of the circuit instead of the live.

Kelju

Just a few words.

If it is an old property you are looking at then be ready to be amazed. Any colour goes (it seems to depend on what colour they had spare at the time) and any configuration goes too.

I have also seen lighting circuits wired using bell wire and cable runs which were too short being simply joined by twisting the wires together and being left bare.

Once you have sussed which is which however the general wiring is very simplistic. I would always use a multi-meter to chack if the circuits are live.

Correct colours are as below Brown (old Red) Live and Blue (old Black) Neutral.

Although in theory it is not important which colour is 'live' in a circuit you have to realise that if someone has a basic knowledge and they are doing some work they may electrocute themselves if the wiring is the wrong way round.

If it goes 'buzz' then you know you have power!

Other than that good luck!!!!

Think I will be taking my meter with me .

Mark

"....if someone has a basic knowledge and they are doing some work they may electrocute themselves"

Surely, if someone has a "basic" knowledge, they'd switch the power off first !!!!???!!!! 

Hey Roberto,

While the comment you made makes sooooo much sense..........you would be suprised!!!!!

I have seen people that call themselves experts do things that defy logic. Not just in electrics either.....worrying

Fair point!

I posted a thread about jobs in my trade as a electrician, and if there was a demand for it,

By the sound of this lot I should get some work if only after the fact of bodies hanging from light fittings or call out to get the power back on after the diy job.

Stop telling all that its OK to DIY with electrics, would you with Gas. or even a bomb,

 IT KILLS, get a tradesman in get the job done and feel safe for it.

I spent 4 years learning my job, not 5 mins on a web site.

Sorry for going on but I've seen the results of DIY electricians.

Hey Jonty,

Some of the people that do DIY are very experienced, however as a whole I agree with you.

I spent a lot of years learning as ´time served´means nothing now though. There are some people out there that know the job, but I think if someone is only used to a little electrics then they should leave well alone.

Where are you coming out to?

It´s a great life out here as long as you just chill a bit and work a bit (unless of course you´re rich enough not to have to do the last bit!!!)