Electrical – how to wire a light with only 2 wires available

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I have some outdoor lights that are broken and need replacing. I have bought some new ones which I thought were suitable. However the problem I have is only 2 wires appear from wall recess (active and neutral). The light fitting I bought has a 3 point connector (a point for active, neutral and earth). Can this light fitting be wired into the 2 existing wires, or does it need an earth wire?

Best Answer

You only need two wires. The earth, or ground, wire is a safety measure should something go wrong with the wiring inside, exposing a live wire. Older homes don't even have such a thing throughout the home and often include a three prong electrical outlet through "updating" without wiring up the ground connection.