# Forum Home Renovation Lighting  Replacing old light fitting (4 wires) to a new fitting (2 wires)

## Cloudy

In my 1960s house I have a normal outside light fitting that uses the old trusty bayonet style globes. I want to replace it with a new bunker light fitting. 
The back of the old fitting has four wires running into it as follows: 
2 red wires are twisted together and connected to the top hole marked 'L'
1 white wire connects to the right pin hole
1 black wire connects to the left pin hole 
No wires connect to the bottom earth hole.  
Now the new fitting uses the screw in globe and only has the two holes for wire entry https://www.dropbox.com/s/rnoxdh5i0xfbi2l/SDC10025.JPG  
NOW... I understand the risks, thanks for the concern. If you can't help, I appreciate the view. I have undertaken all sorts of simple electrical work on our farm and replaced GPO's in the shed and house but not when the replacements connections don't match the originals. If it can't be done so be it. I have a sparky coming in to install a 3 in 1 bathroom heater soon but as I have quite a few of these light fittings around the place I wanted to update, I'd rather do them myself if I can than have the bloke spend all day moving around the property.  
Cheers

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## aussieslr

That looks like a metal light fitting so it will need an earth connection to make it safe. Without it there is a chance the fitting can get 240V on it without tripping any protection. You get up on your ladder to change the globe and bang. Get your sparkie to do it mate.

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## Cloudy

> That looks like a metal light fitting so it will need an earth connection to make it safe. Without it there is a chance the fitting can get 240V on it without tripping any protection. You get up on your ladder to change the globe and bang. Get your sparkie to do it mate.

  Yep yep, I just read some other similar thread which made me realise this may require a whole new wiring job.  
Cheers Aussie. I'll see what the sparky can do it for then, otherwise I guess the old fittings can stay in place.   
By the way, off topic, how do you go about getting a rough idea what a sparky will charge? Can you ask on the phone "what would it roughly cost for this?" Or can they actually give quotes without a full inspection? Or is it just a case of use them and find out after?  
The ones we have got in the past have moved on so I have a few local ones lined up. I remember one plumber when I asked "how much do you charge" he hung up on me, ha. Fair enough I guess when there aren't many of them around our area.

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## aussieslr

No worries Cloudy, can't have you getting zapped. I'm an industrial sparky and don't contract but I think a visit would be the only way to know what is going on. My head was racing just looking at your photo ha ha. 
Merry Christmas mate.

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## paddyjoy

> By the way, off topic, how do you go about getting a rough idea what a sparky will charge? Can you ask on the phone "what would it roughly cost for this?" Or can they actually give quotes without a full inspection? Or is it just a case of use them and find out after?  
> The ones we have got in the past have moved on so I have a few local ones lined up. I remember one plumber when I asked "how much do you charge" he hung up on me, ha. Fair enough I guess when there aren't many of them around our area.

  I think it is ok to ask, I always ask. Most will tell you what they charge per hour, the tricky part is knowing how long the job will take. If you find someone good they should give you a couple of scenarios.

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## Wombat2

The old light is not a two-way is it? - I came across a switch wired as a two way in the garage and could not work out what it did ( there are a couple of defunct switches and power points in the old house) Then worked out it controlled a light on the back corner of the house we always switched on from the switch at the back door - could never work out why you would turn a light on from the garage that was diagonally across the other side of the house with no direct route to the garage or that doesn't light the back door.

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## GraemeCook

> In my 1960s house I have a normal outside light fitting that uses the old trusty bayonet style globes. I want to replace it with a new bunker light fitting. 
> The back of the old fitting has four wires running into it as follows: 
> 2 red wires are twisted together and connected to the top hole marked 'L'
> 1 white wire connects to the right pin hole
> 1 black wire connects to the left pin hole 
> No wires connect to the bottom earth hole.  
> Now the new fitting uses the screw in globe and only has the two holes for wire entry https://www.dropbox.com/s/rnoxdh5i0xfbi2l/SDC10025.JPG  
> NOW... I understand the risks, thanks for the concern. If you can't help, I appreciate the view. I have undertaken all sorts of simple electrical work on our farm and replaced GPO's in the shed and house but not when the replacements connections don't match the originals. If it can't be done so be it. I have a sparky coming in to install a 3 in 1 bathroom heater soon but as I have quite a few of these light fittings around the place I wanted to update, I'd rather do them myself if I can than have the bloke spend all day moving around the property.  
> Cheers

  
Good Morning Cloudy 
Most, if not all of my lights are wired like that.  House was rewired in the 1980's by a dilettante, so not sure if it is kosher or not. 
The red wire is the incoming active wire which then goes off to the switch.  The other two is the return from the switch and the neutral back to the power company.   The black & white wires are across the globe filament. 
Hope this makes sense - if not, try drawing a wiring diagram. 
Fair Winds 
Graeme

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