Eurowiring

[Smudger]

I'm just about to fit a fluorescent light fitting in my utility room in France.
Does it matter whether I get the positive and negative wires the right way round? Which is the live feed in French lighting circuits? All help gratefully received!

 

[christoph clark]

HI there, It doesn't really matter because it's ac but touch one and see.... only joking. The red should be the positive and blue negitive. What colours do you have ?

 

[Smudger]

Blimey! That's quick!

I don't know - I'll have a look.

 

[Smudger]

Red, blue and an earth which is waving uselessly in the breeze...

 

[Smudger]

Merci bien, CC!

Any other wrinkles to fitting such lights? I've never done one before.

 

[andrewm]

Red, blue and an earth which is waving uselessly in the breeze...

Are you sure its Red, Blue and Earth? I thought the reason the UK had gone to Brown/Blue for fixed wiring was to be the same as the rest of Europe.

Andrew

 

[Jake]

I think everyone (or most countries) changed when the colours were harmonised, not just us.

 

[Digit]

Depends on how old the circuit is, the pre harmonization code was Red=Live,
Blue=Neutral. But the French sparks were notorious for using what ever came to hand. Still are?

Roy.

 

[Smudger]

Yes. I found one circuit which was red and almost red...

The wiring was done about 7 years ago, so pre colour changes.

The interesting thing was the way that the light sockets simply hung from 2 wires hanging out of a hole in the ceiling.

 

[Scott]

I dunno why but they're hopeless when it comes to ceiling roses and decent light fittings!

 

[mailee]

Why is it we have such stringent regulations on wiring here in the UK when you look around the world at the state of the wiring in other countries? I have travelled to quite a few countries and found that tghe Brits are the only ones who have such tidy and safe wiring. Is it the fact that they don't have any accidents with electricity or that they don't give a damn if anyone is killed. Or maybe we are just too mamby pamby about electricity. :lol:

 

[Rich]

It's not just the leccy, it's the same with water regs and the gas..... well don't go there, it's frightening!
Rich.

 

[RogerS]

Why is it we have such stringent regulations on wiring here in the UK when you look around the world at the state of the wiring in other countries? I have travelled to quite a few countries and found that tghe Brits are the only ones who have such tidy and safe wiring. Is it the fact that they don't have any accidents with electricity or that they don't give a damn if anyone is killed. Or maybe we are just too mamby pamby about electricity. :lol:

Aw, c'mon, mailee....don't get us started again about the over-regulation in our nanny state....where common sense died over ten years ago :evil:

 

[Digit]

I'm schtum! :roll:

(Who said that makes a change?)

Roy.

 

[davin]

Don't get me started.
I would say the opposite. Some of the wiring I see in houses here in the uk is shocking (literally!).
It's only in the last few years that any regulation at all has been introduced (thank you EU).
Might not apply to the French though......

 

[Rich]

Fair enough Davin, I speak as I find and as far as I am aware europe does NOT have our equivalent of CORGI. Even at my age of 54 I have to revisit and pass my tests every 5 years even though no regs have changed. I think things may get a bit dodgy here with the present influx and the willingness to undercut the concientious tradesman.
Rich.

 

[davin]

Fair point.
The difference is that in the UK anyone who felt like it could advertise themselves as a plumber/ gas engineer or electrician and basically find work with no checks or comeback whatsoever.
In my experience of other Eu countries is that these trades have always been quite highly regulated, maybe customers just assume the tradesman to be qualified.
How many plumbers vans with the corgi logo do you see (with no reg number underneath) doesn't mean they have any qualifications regarding gas at all.

Now if you want quality electrical work, go to Russia.

http://englishrussia.com/?p=1836#more-1836

(Just hope the link works)

 

[davin]

their wooden computers are quite cool though.

http://englishrussia.com/?p=1682#more-1682