Spanish Electrical Wiring

[alicia]

Hi

Am just doing up old house and wanted to replace a couple of ceiling lights. Thing is, when I took the old light fitting down, there were just two cables. Blue and Pale Grey. The new light fitting has three cables. Yellow and Green. The earth which I realise the Spanish don´t bother with. But the other two cables are white and black. Would anyone be able to tell me how to connect the light fitting up safely. Would be really grateful.

[country boy]

It doesn't matter for lighting if there is no earth (y&g). Just bung it in! It all goes round and round, push and pull, in one door and out the window, you cant go wrong if you avoid the earth terminal.

[gerryh]

Personally I would check to see which of the Blue and Pale grey wires are live.
Check to see which of the white and black wires are connected to the centre "pin" of the lamp holder.
Then connect whichever the live wire was to this wire.
Cheers
Gerry

[alicia]

Hi

Thanks "Country Boy" and "Gerry". Will check to see if I can see which is the "live" cable but failing that, if I´m not able to......then I´ll do as "Country Boy" advised and just "bung it all in".

Many thanks to you both for the help though.

[spanish_lad]

Hi

Am just doing up old house and wanted to replace a couple of ceiling lights. Thing is, when I took the old light fitting down, there were just two cables. Blue and Pale Grey. The new light fitting has three cables. Yellow and Green. The earth which I realise the Spanish don´t bother with. But the other two cables are white and black. Would anyone be able to tell me how to connect the light fitting up safely. Would be really grateful.

blue is neutral, pale grey is a switched live. a constant live in spain, is black.

so i would put the black from the light to the pale grey in the ceiling, and the white to the blue.

you can check which wire goes to the "centre" of the bulb, this should be the live cable.

of course it will work both ways round, but the way i set out above is the "right" way. (that is, of course, if the wiring in the house is the right way round.. hahahaha

if you dont feel confident doing it, please, find an electrician that does. electricity, especially in older spanish houses,can be dangerous.

[morlandg]

"blue is neutral, pale grey is a switched live. a constant live in spain, is black. "
Well I never!!

[spanish_lad]

not sure if you are being serious ?

electric isnt funny. i know what im talking about, having worked on electrics for the last 10 years, upgraded and re-wired many houses, dealt with endesa many times etc etc.

good luck with it.

[alicia]

Hi Country Lad

Many thanks for the post on what the different coloured cables here in Spain signify. The info is really helpful, especially to me as previously I was never quite sure. In fact all the info people have kindly submitted has been greatly appreciated. I have now put the light fitting up and connected it as you advised. It works a treat and as an added bonus looks heaps better as well.

So many thanks again.

[alicia]

Hi

Sorry that should of course have been "Spanish Lad". Am starting to lose it.

Thanks again anyway.

[gerryh]

What Spanish Lad quoted is indeed correct but it doesn't mean whoever installed your wiring did it correctly.
That is why I posted my method.
I always believe in being safe. No good me saying as I enter the pearly gates that I assumed the person who installed the wiring had done it correctly.
Cheers
Gerry

[spanish_lad]

hence my disclaimer gerry, dont want anyone buzzing themselves and blaming me

240 tiggles, 440 stings, combine 240 with water or an older person who cant take it, and it gets dangerous

[carrowcrin]

Thanks as i also found this thread very helpful as i did not know the colour code for Spain though i could not figure out this line.

"Then connect whichever the live wire was to this wire.in the live wire."

I hope i don't have to ask St Peter at those pearly gates mentioned earlier.

[Devils Advocate]

Never needed to touch any Spanish wiring fortunately...yet, but interested to hear the reference to the switched live being pale grey. Is that grey sleeving/tape on the neutral to identify it as SL or a seperate wire

On the house we're doing up here in the UK I've had hours of endless fun over the last few weeks with a multimeter as some bu59er had already removed all switches and ceiling roses.........and it seems the red identification tape on the switched lives ....spaghetti bloody junction on each switch!

[gerryh]

..though i could not figure out this line.

"Then connect whichever the live wire was to this wire.in the live wire."

The highlighted part shouldn't have been there.
I have removed it from the original post.
Cheers
Gerry

[country boy]

To get back to the OP question: It doesn't matter which way round she connects the fitting provided she avoids the earth...end of!

[barry]

Which one of my two bits of bell wire do I use then?

[gerryh]

To get back to the OP question: It doesn't matter which way round she connects the fitting provided she avoids the earth...end of!

Sorry but I must comment on this.
IT DOES MATTER.
If the live is connected to the screw thread part of the bulb holder, and hence, to the screw part of the bulb and the power is not switched off then there is a real danger of touching the live metal part as you screw in or unscrew the bulb.
The risk is to shocking, pun intended, to contemplate.
Cheers
Gerry

[annfoto]

Best not to touch the metal part anyway which is why European lampholders are designed in a way that makes it very difficult to touch it.
When you plug in a table lamp the polarity could be any way round.

[country boy]

To get back to the OP question: It doesn't matter which way round she connects the fitting provided she avoids the earth...end of!

Sorry but I must comment on this.
IT DOES MATTER.
If the live is connected to the screw thread part of the bulb holder, and hence, to the screw part of the bulb and the power is not switched off then there is a real danger of touching the live metal part as you screw in or unscrew the bulb.
The risk is to shocking, pun intended, to contemplate.
Cheers
Gerry

Gerry, I give up...you win...enjoy!

[gerryh]

When you plug in a table lamp the polarity could be any way round.

That is true and that is why it is sensible to unplug the table lamp before changing the light bulb.
Cheers
Gerry