how do you change a spotlight to a normal pendant light?

[mikaltemple]

not very technical but presume it must be relatively straightforward? diagrams would help!

Thanks

[xrayspecs]

By spotlight do you mean a flush fitting down light or a spot light in a group on a central rose or bar?

[mikaltemple]

three spotlights on a metal plate that is on the ceiling- not individual spot lights that are recessed into the ceiling

[rojash]

If you buy a complete pendant lamp it will come with a ceiling rose. Remove the spotlight plate from the ceiling. Disconnect the wires and connect them to the corresponding terminals on the ceiling rose. The pendan cable will go through the centre of the ceiling rose cover, be hooked under a couple of retaining flanges and connect to the adjacent connectors in the rose. The back of the rose is attached to the ceiling by two or more screwss and the cover (with the pendant cable through the middle) just screws onto the back panel.

[qapmoc]

There should be three connections in the existing light fitting for the in/out cables of the lighting circuit. All the three spotlights should be connected together so they all come on at the same time so there is ''logically'' only two wires from the spot lights (this may actually be all the two x three wires together)
1. The live connector which will have red wires in it and does NOT connect to the actual lights
2. The switched connector which will be a black wire which should have red sleeve (the red sleeve might not exist if it was fitted by a DIY person) and connects to one side of the lights
3. The neutral connector which should have black wires in it and connects to one side of the lights.

The new lights would connect to 2. and 3.

[xrayspecs]

You will need a reasonable quality multi meter to determine the live and switch cables. You can't always rely on colour coding. The pendant light will also need an earth. There should be one on the existing light, if not it will have been cut short and pushed back into the ceilig void. If your not a competant electrician then any electical work needs to be carried out by a suitably qualified person. If you botch it and your house goes up in smoke your insurance will have been invalidated byyour DIY.

[mikaltemple]

i'm even more confused now!