Connecting a lamp might sound difficult, but in practice, it's easy to do yourself. To get the job done, you will need the following parts:
- A lamp: for example, a pendant light, ceiling light or wall light
- A light source (bulb)
- A screwdriver
- A wire stripper
The colors of the cables/wires
We often get asked how to connect the different wires. The wires that need to be connected for a lamp are the electrical wires of the lamp itself and the wires from the mains, which are the wires coming out of the ceiling or wall.
Most lamps have two wires, usually one black (or brown) wire and one blue wire. The mains also has two wires, usually one brown (or black) wire and one blue wire.Sometimes, the power cord also has a third wire, which is green or yellow in color and is called the ground wire.
To connect the lamp, you must connect the black (or brown) wire of the lamp to the brown (or black) wire of the power cord. The blue wire of the lamp must be connected to the blue wire of the power cord. If a ground wire is present in the lamp, it must be connected to the ground wire of the power cord. In the table below, you can see the colors, abbreviations, and names of the different cables.
How many wires do you need to connect?
The neutral wire and phase wire must always be connected for a (LED) lamp. However, people often wonder if the ground wire also needs to be connected.A distinction is made between lamps with a metal and a plastic housing:
- Metal housing: For a lamp with a metal housing, it is wise to connect the earth wire. In this case, you connect the yellow/green wire to the housing (of the lamp). In many cases, it is possible to connect the earth wire to a screw or bolt. The function of the earth wire is to prevent any unintended voltage on the housing; the earth wire ensures that this dissipates.
- Plastic housing: With a plastic housing, it is not necessary to connect an earth wire. For these lamps, you can neatly tuck the earth wire away in the terminal block, which prevents short circuits.
The steps to connect a lamp
Below you will find a general step-by-step guide for connecting a lamp.Please note: always consult the manual of the specific lamp and turn off the power before you start connecting the lamp.
Step 1: Gather the necessary materials: lamp, voltage tester, power cable, screwdriver, wire stripper, terminal blocks, and possibly a ladder.
Step 2: Turn off the power. You can do this by flipping the main switch. You can also use a voltage tester to check if the area is de-energized.
Step 3: Pull the power cable through the central junction box and prepare the wires. Use the wire stripper to strip the cables.
Step 4: Attach the lamp's mounting bracket to the ceiling. These are supplied with the products.
Step 5: Connect the cables from the central junction box to the lamp's terminal block. Ensure that the wires are fully secured with the copper part inside the terminal block. Then, tighten the screws of the terminal block securely.Often, the terminal block will have a sticker indicating how the cables should be connected.
Step 6: Mount the lamp to the ceiling.
Step 7: Install the light source (bulb) into the fitting.
Step 8: Turn the power back on and test if the lamp works by switching it on and off.
