Too many wires - Swapping outdoor lighting - Help!

im.ron.burgandy, Jan 14, 12:42am
Hi there,
I removed an exterior flood light with the intention of moving it to our entrance way as it made more sense to have this area lit up instead.
There was an existing outdoor wall light installed in the entranceway which I took down. This light was connected via a thick black cable split in two that ran into a connection block. I also think the same cabling is part of a circuit for the rest of the garden lighting.
The flood light has black, white and yellow wires but the connection block only has two terminals.
Does anyone know how I should be connecting the wires to the block (other than ringing an electrician)?
I have a feeling the flood light isn't made for the existing outdoor lighting set up and vise versa.
Cheers
russ18, Jan 14, 1:12am
So you don't know what you're doing and you're describing some dodgy wiring but don't want to get an electrician. this is going to end well.
im.ron.burgandy, Jan 14, 1:30am
As long as the power is off, she'll be right.
russ18, Jan 14, 1:36am
Sure, as long as the power stays off.
neell, Jan 14, 1:57am
If you have to ask you shouldn't be touching it, get a sparkie.
im.ron.burgandy, Jan 14, 2:10am
I have a sense of adventure.
bluecat1529, Jan 14, 5:09am
And idiot proof insurance?
im.ron.burgandy, Jan 14, 5:37am
And GFY!
gabbysnana, Jan 14, 6:34am
Only thing in my diy adventures that i dont touch, electricity, it kills.
_atomant_, Jan 14, 6:56am
Ok I'm with Russ, we are both sparkies so have an idea of what you shouldn't play with and this light/circuit is in that catagory, the flood light with black white and yellow means nothing to us. The thick black wire could be old trs which needs to be replaced. I can't give you any advice from what you have posted other than to get a sparkie in. It may just save you or your house.
aredwood, Jan 14, 11:39am
Black and white are the American colours for their wiring. But they still use green for earth. So doubt that that fitting would be compliant in NZ if it is wired to American standards. Especially as their mains voltage is only 110V compared to 240V here.
captaingraham, Jan 14, 6:03pm
How boring. Where are all the DIY experts on this one?
ryanm2, Jan 14, 6:44pm
Many light fittings from China and Eastern Europe ( Philips stuff a lot of the time) have white and black. It makes more sense than brown and blue.
nicc4, Jan 14, 7:52pm
If there are three wires, test it out with your mates trident.
kenw1, Jan 14, 9:03pm
Well some are in hospital from dealing with shocking wiring, whilst others are at ohm with a low resistance to earth.
neell, Jan 14, 9:05pm
The brown, blue, green/yellow combination is meant the be better if you are colour blind
macman26, Jan 14, 10:44pm
You could call my mate for advise. He would just say keep moving wires until it gets worse then call a Sparky and say it was always like that.
macman26, Jan 14, 10:48pm
Except black is active and white is neutral. Unless white is a live switch wire.
kam04, Jan 14, 11:13pm
Yep, might get out the pop corn and see how this progresses. Someone will soon come on board say how easy it is, tell them how to fix it and say what a thieving bunch of pricks us sparkies are
tintop, Jun 11, 7:57pm
It's not meant to 'make sense' It's to comply with a standard that anyone doing that sort of work will know and understand.