How to Fit a Fabric Flex Cable to a Pendant Light

Quick Answer

To fit a Fabric Flex cable to a pendant light, you need to strip the outer braid, connect the three cores to the light's terminals (live, neutral, earth), and secure the cable with a strain-relief knot inside the ceiling rose or canopy.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

1. Cut the cable to length: Measure the desired drop from ceiling rose to light fitting, add 15–20 cm for connections, and cut the Fabric Flex cable squarely with sharp scissors or side cutters. A common mistake is cutting too short – always allow extra length for the knot and terminal connections.
2. Prepare the braided end: Slide a heat-shrink tube or a small cable sleeve over the cut end to prevent fraying. Alternatively, use clear tape to bind the braid before stripping. Carefully remove 50–60 mm of the outer braid to expose the three inner cores. If you skip binding the braid, the woven sleeve will unravel and make the next steps difficult.
3. Strip the inner cores: Strip 10–12 mm of insulation from each of the three cores (live, neutral, earth). Twist the exposed strands to keep them neat. Identify the cores: typically brown for live, blue for neutral, and yellow/green for earth. Double-check the colour coding – mixing live and neutral can cause the light to work but create a safety hazard.
4. Connect to the light fitting: Loop the stripped wire ends clockwise around the corresponding terminals on the pendant light's lampholder. Tighten the screws firmly. Ensure no stray strands touch other terminals. A loose connection can cause arcing and overheating – give each screw a final tug test.
5. Tie the strain-relief knot: Inside the ceiling rose or canopy, tie an overhand knot in the cable close to the entry point. This prevents the cable from being pulled through if the light is accidentally tugged. Leave enough slack for the knot to sit inside the rose. Without this knot, the weight of the pendant rests entirely on the terminal screws, which can pull the wires loose over time.
6. Wire the ceiling rose: Connect the cable's live, neutral, and earth cores to the corresponding terminals in the ceiling rose. Use the same colour coding as before. Secure the rose cover over the connections. Always use the earth connection where available – Fabric Flex cable includes an earth core for a reason.
7. Test before final assembly: Before closing the light fitting completely, restore power briefly and test the pendant with a voltage tester or a bulb. Check that the lampholder is correctly wired and the light turns on and off with the switch. It's far easier to fix a wiring error now than after you've assembled and mounted the light.

Product Facts

• Fabric Flex - 3 Core Braided Cloth Cable Lighting Wire - Priced Per 1m, Supplied as a Continuous Length: This three-core braided cloth lighting cord is double-insulated and flexible, with a woven textile sleeve. It's sold per metre as a continuous length. You can order exactly the length you need for your pendant drop, avoiding waste and ensuring a neat installation without joins.