Replacing a light fitting

liamus · Post by **liamus** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:40 am

Hello. Help very much appreciated please!

I am replacing standard ceiling rose with pendant fitting. The current ceiling rose is wired as per the image. The two brown wires from the ceiling connect to the same terminal. My question is I want to wire these two a Wago connector (second image) but the two wires won't fit in the same hole. Can I put one in one hole the other in the other and the brown from my actual light to the third or must they be wired I'm same terminal. Thank you!

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:42 am

You have a 3 terminal wago, use all 3 terminals. You are only meant to put 1 wire in each terminal. (You can also get 5 terminal wagos)

liamus · Post by **liamus** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:54 am

Excellent thanks for quick response. To save me some space in the fitting can I use this one then like so:

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:56 am

You can get

: wago.jpg (25.2 KiB) Viewed 1610 times

As well, smaller than the ones you have, better than the white ones.

Why not do what you should do, use which ever wago, put them in a wago box, poke the wago box up into the ceiling.

liamus · Post by **liamus** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 12:15 pm

But that's what I'm doing...asking what I should do. I'd like to know if what I have is suitable?

Scotty001 · Post by **Scotty001** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 12:59 pm

Liamus, yes what you have is suitable, as said with wago only 1 wire per terminal hole, if you have 2 brown wires coming from the ceiling and 1 wire coming from the light unit then you need a minimum 3 terminal wago, same for the blue, although the earth is in 1 sheithing it has 2 cores, if the pendant and light does not need an earth connection then you will want a minumum 2 terminal wago (but to future proof changing the pendant again in the future for One that does need an earth use a wago with a minimum of 3 terminals so you can connect an earth into it.
The white wago you picture can be harder the re use and release from the cable but they are more compact, the grey one and one that SE pictured is easier to re use as they have levers on them but take up more space.

If you put them into a wago box make sure that there is enough room push the box onto the ceiling and retrieve it at a later time when needed. The box may be bigger than the hole on the ceiling where the wires come through, or there could be an obstruction (joist) in the way.

liamus · Post by **liamus** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 1:49 pm

Thanks Scotty. So the new fitting doesn't need an earth. For earths can I put both into screw cap connectors?

Scotty001 · Post by **Scotty001** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 1:53 pm

So long as the earth's are joined then yes but screw cap connectors are not the best.

if you have a spare white wago just put them into that. or if you are going to bin the original ceiling rose, just take the terminal block that the earth was screwed into out of the ceiling rose and put them in that (probably the most space saving way.)

liamus · Post by **liamus** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 7:04 pm

Great thank you. Will do that.
Out of interest what is the problem with screw cap connectors?

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 8:21 pm

They were banned from use in the UK many years ago. The main problem is they easily go high resistance, leading to Fire.
Also they can become loose over time, giving high resistance causing Fire
The regulations have changed and most terminations must be accessible for inspection (If that is done or not is a different question.)
However wagos are what is known as "maintenance free*" ..............so wagos it is then.

*They have to be accessible with use of a tool, so they should be put in a wago box and a zip clip put on the box so you can't open it without cutting the zip clip.

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 9:30 pm

Someone-Else wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 8:21 pm
However wagos are what is known as "maintenance free*" ..............so wagos it is then.

*They have to be accessible with use of a tool, so they should be put in a wago box and a zip clip put on the box so you can't open it without cutting the zip clip.

Now that's interesting, didn't know that.

But, S-E, keep up - OP's wires are all solid, not requiring the lever type connectors - the latest incarnation of Wago 2273s for solid cores up to 2.5mm sq. are tiny (and brilliant).

Now they need a new smaller box!

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:04 pm

I believe you will find that 2273 wagos came out around 2013 so they are not the latest. Lever type wagos are good for everything and easy to re use.