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swapping light switches over. first one in the pic is a timer switch that keeps flickering, even though its connected. so its maybe on its way out. so replacing it with bog standard switch (2nd one)
just want to double check im connecting it right. theres no earth wire. the timer switch had 2 red wires wound around each other to make 1 wire. and was connected to the bottom right terminal (live). a single black wire was connected to top terminal (load) which i assume is neutral?
you cant really see what the 2nd one says, but top terminal says 'common', then bottom 2 are 1 way and 2 way from left to right.
i think i was told it didnt matter which way you connect these, but just wanted to make sure. theres only 1 switch for the light, so am i right in thinking any wire to 'common', the other wire to '1 way'?
oh, and doesnt really matter i spose, but why is there no earth wire?
thanks
Old lighting circuits often don't have an earth (I'm loathe to say 'never', but mine certainly doesn't).
The 1 / 2 way option will be so you can wire it as a two-way switch - ie, stairs or hallway lighting where you've got a switch at either end controlling the same light.
ObDisclaimer, I Am Not An Electrician.
yup, thought thatd be the case, but am i right in thinking it doesnt matter which way round the wires go, and one goes to 'common', one to '1 way'?
Far as I'm aware. I'd expect that wiring to "1" or "2" will change which way up the switch is - ie, which position is 'on' and which is 'off'.
yeah probably so mate. so im pretty sure im going to '1 way', just need to be sure it doesnt matter which wire i stick in which terminal 🙂
If you were wiring it as a two-way switch, it might be more important. Like I said, I'm not an electrician. (-: I try to think what I'm leaving 'live', you want to avoid situations where you can switch an appliance off and still have power going to it (that is, you want to switch off the live feed, not the neutral). For an in-line light-switch though, a switch is a switch, I'd be shocked(*) if it made any difference whatsoever.
(* - see what I did there? Oh please yourselves)
ive wired it up and it seems to work so thanks 🙂
Slightly odd that you've got two reds twisted together???
But it seems that they are your live feed to the switch (i'd look into this further though) so they go to common. The black cable is your "Switch Wire" which when the switch is on, it becomes live and the light comes on. This should really have some marking on it to indicate it's not a neutral. This goes to L1.
As has been mentioned older lighting circuits did not use earths however you should not connect any metal accesories to this circuit. There should be a warning telling you this on the board.
I'd be tempted to get a spark to check it all out.
Slightly odd that you've got two reds twisted together???
Light switches generally do not have a nutral and so should be wired with twin red cable - often they are not though and are wired with standard twin (red and black).
It seems like the timer switch above requires a neutral input - this would be for the timer to work (presumably not mechanical) and shouldn't be needed for the standard switch which if wired as a normal lighting circuit would need only switch the live.
A description of lighting circuits can be found [url= http://www.diydata.com/planning/electric_lights/electric_lights.php ]here.
If the neutral has been added purely for the timer switch then you should be able to wire the new switch by connecting any of the red wires to the "common" terminal and the other to the "1 way" terminal and tidy up the old neutral by snipping the end off it and covering it in electrical tape.
New regs require that you get any changes to your electrics checked by a qualified sparky though - who would probably do this in 5 minutes (and charge a fortune).
New regs require that you get any changes to your electrics checked by a qualified sparky though - who would probably do this in 5 minutes (and charge a fortune).
Dont think thats strictly correct, some additions need to be notified and checked under part P, you can still replace a light switch without notifying or getting it checked as long as it isnt in a kitchen or bathroom.
Slightly odd that you've got two reds twisted together???
Happens all the time, it is part of a ring.
tragically1969 - Member
New regs require that you get any changes to your electrics checked by a qualified sparky though - who would probably do this in 5 minutes (and charge a fortune).
Dont think thats strictly correct, some additions need to be notified and checked under part P, you can still replace a light switch without notifying or getting it checked.
Yeah, replacing a like-for-like switch doesn't need signing off. Not even in a wet room such as a bathroom or kitchen I believe.
EDIT - beaten to it 🙂
mastiles_fanylion - MemberSlightly odd that you've got two reds twisted together???
Happens all the time, it is part of a ring.
Lighting circuits do not use rings, they are wired in series.
Changing a switch does not need notification.
And just for info cable colours were "harmonised" a few years ago to fit in with the rest of europe. Brown is live, blue is neutral.
Lighting circuits do not use rings, they are wired in series.
Probably right - I normally electrocute myself when I touch anything electric.
Doesn't it make the switch work 'upside down' if you connect it to the wrong 'way' - sure this is what I've done to a few light switches and never got around to correcting!
dunno. my light switch had a 'top' marked on it, and works ok with black at top and red into '1 way'. unless it was a lucky guess?
Feed to common, switch line (to the light) to "1 way".
As said earlier it would be a good idea get it checked out by a sparks, the lack of earth means either the wiring is old and could need replacing or someone has chopped the earth wire. Get a reputable sparky and the money they charge will be very reasonable considering the alternative could be your house burning down!
There isn't a neutral in the switch that you've described. All the wires are live from you description.
The two wires that were twisted together and red are the 'loop' circut, carrying the live supply to each fitting on the circuit. The switch for a light is in the live, so when a light is switched off, there is no live current in the external part of the fitting providing it has be installed correctly.
The second black wire is the switched live that carries the 'live' back to the light fitting with the switch is closed.
The twisted wires should be inserted into the 'Com' (top centre) and the single black wire should go in L1. L2 will work, but the light will operate when the switch is up.
There should be an earth in the circuit too. If not, that should be checked out too.
All conductors in switches and elsewhere should clearly identified to indicated their type. The black wire (was load, now L1) should have some brown sleeving or tape for the current wiring regs, or red for the old regs.
PM me if you want me to talk you through it, or contact details are on my website www.eco-electrics.co.uk
jerry, was going to mail you, but not sure about that email address in your profile. all those ~'s 🙂 not sure if its right or whether its anti spam.
dont know owt about leccy really, but i do know i bought some metal light switches for the rest of the house. and when i saw there was no earth wire on any of them, and the instructions said not to connect if no earth wire, i left them. so i just got plaggy ones. altho weirdly enough the back plates are metal, so i dont really know what difference it makes.
yes the wirings old, that may explain the lack of earths, but im assuming theyre safe enough. do you disagree? :-/
i spose really, the whole house could do with a re-wire, but not got the money for it. theres no reason to think anythings dangerous, its just outdated, with spurs going off to make extra sockets rather than being built into the ring etc.
thanks
Emailed you with phone number. Give me a call.