8 gangs of 2 way light switches - wiring

[Mark42]

Yup, I know CY/YY/SY is not 'approved' under certain UK regs because, as I understand it, it was too much hassle and expense for the manufacturers to bother. So one writes it down as a departure, used for good engineering reasons and to equal safety standards. British Standards publications are not law, only a guide to one (good) way of doing things.
Otherwise, why are these excellent cables even sold in the UK? ...
I'll argue with anyone that my occasional use of SY is better than say cr@p flimsy T&E clipped to a wall in a public building. The latter is entirely compliant, but that doesn't stop it being cr@p.
I rather like having that earthed braid over everything, cf. Flexishield of which I also use a lot.

 

[DPG]

Yup, I know CY/YY/SY is not 'approved' under certain UK regs because, as I understand it, it was too much hassle and expense for the manufacturers to bother. So one writes it down as a departure, used for good engineering reasons and to equal safety standards.
Otherwise, why are these excellent cables even sold in the UK? ...
I'll argue with anyone that my occasional use of SY is better than say cr@p T&E clipped to a wall in a public building. I rather like having that earthed braid over everything, cf. Flexishield of which I also use a lot.

Trouble is, the earth braiding isn't really doing anything. If you NEED an earthed outer then you would need to use SWA or flexishield.

 

[westward10]

Correction:
It's 4 gangs for Lounge and 4 gangs for kitchen, all in same switch enclosure. Kitchen is on circuit 1, Lounge is circuit 2.
Should I join circuits in CU, or is it acceptable to have two circuits in same switch enclosure. Technically both circuits only feed their respective lights ?

You can have 100 circuits in a switch enclosure if you want.

 

[nicebutdim]

Correction:
It's 4 gangs for Lounge and 4 gangs for kitchen, all in same switch enclosure. Kitchen is on circuit 1, Lounge is circuit 2.
Should I join circuits in CU, or is it acceptable to have two circuits in same switch enclosure. Technically both circuits only feed their respective lights ?

I am a spark....................

By chance have you ever looked behind a switchplate in the hall of any two story house?

 

[Michaelwgroves]

By chance have you ever looked behind a switchplate in the hall of any two story house?

Yes, a few lives. But is this the done thing today?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Because it's not to any British Standa

Yes, a few lives. But is this the done thing today?

99% of houses today will be wired using twin and earth and three core and earth cable , so mostly houses are wired the same way. nearly every sparks nowadays will feed the switch rather than the light. you might often find 2 circuits in 1 switch on the landing where you can switch downstairs lights and upstairs lights via various 2 way switching

 

[nicebutdim]

Yes, a few lives. But is this the done thing today?

Yes.

In just about every two story house.

I don't think it needs to be stated, but just in case... circuits would remain separate from each other within the enclosure.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Yes.

In just about every two story house.

I don't think it needs to be stated, but just in case... circuits would remain separate from each other within the enclosure.

Or you get the dreaded circuits being back fed from separate MCBs in the board when some dope has interlinked all the feeds together

 

[nicebutdim]

Or you get the dreaded circuits being back fed from separate MCBs in the board when some dope has interlinked all the feeds together

Sort of why I made that last point, although I'm sure it was unnecessary.

 

[westward10]

Eight gang switch in a dwelling that won't cause confusion.

 

[nicebutdim]

Eight gang switch in a dwelling that won't cause confusion.

Not when it's all labelled

 

[buzzlightyear]

No harms done

Only his legs., put your wiring diagram on here and we will look at it.

 

[westward10]

Not when it's all labelled

That'll look nice. My mum has a two gang switch in the hall one switch for the hall the other for the landing and for the last fifty years she clicks on and off until she gets the right one. I reconnected it and said near switch hall, far switch landing but it made no difference.

 

[buzzlightyear]

If he w

That'll look nice. My mum has a two gang switch in the hall one switch for the hall the other for the landing and for the last fifty years she clicks on and off until she gets the right one. I reconnected it and said near switch hall, far switch landing but it made no difference.

I bet saved her legs, I be theirs a trench in the carpet.

 

[nicebutdim]

That'll look nice. My mum has a two gang switch in the hall one switch for the hall the other for the landing and for the last fifty years she clicks on and off until she gets the right one. I reconnected it and said near switch hall, far switch landing but it made no difference.

I couldn't decide whether a pencil scrawl or printed label would look worse, so left that the imagination.

 

[UNG]

Yup, I know CY/YY/SY is not 'approved' under certain UK regs because, as I understand it, it was too much hassle and expense for the manufacturers to bother. So one writes it down as a departure, used for good engineering reasons and to equal safety standards. British Standards publications are not law, only a guide to one (good) way of doing things.

As with a lot of publications of this type while they are not statute documents they can and quite often will be used to support a case litigation

The other problem is that of subsequent EICR's especially if the original certs are lost there will be no record of your departure and could potentially see the installation classed as unsatisfactory due to the non compliant cable and the inspector not having the same viewpoint as you

Otherwise, why are these excellent cables even sold in the UK? ...

As previously posted they are control cables that are generally used in industry for machinery control circuits which are under numerous other British Standards

I'll argue with anyone that my occasional use of SY is better than say cr@p flimsy T&E clipped to a wall in a public building. The latter is entirely compliant, but that doesn't stop it being cr@p.
I rather like having that earthed braid over everything, cf. Flexishield of which I also use a lot.

How far would you argue your case with a man or woman wearing a funny wig or the expert witness that they may get to give evidence against you


Every cable has it's limitations as to whether it is crap is open to interpretation, the question that needs to be asked is the cable crap or has the installation method rendered it so.
Personally for me the crap cable is FP and it's derivatives you see it more often than not incorrectly installed so much that IMO it should be banned from use as a safety cable and we should go back to Pyro / MICC for fire alarms

 

[Michaelwgroves]

Personally for me the crap cable is FP and it's derivatives you see it more often than not incorrectly installed so much that IMO it should be banned from use as a safety cable

I’m intrigued, how have you seen it installed incorrectly?

 

[UNG]

I’m intrigued, how have you seen it installed incorrectly?

If you read the manufacturers installation instructions for FP it should only be clipped with metal clips or ties but so often it is fixed with plastic knock on clips, plastic cable ties and other similar fixings that melt in a fire and allow the FP cable to fall and then it will not maintain it's fire integrity under the BS to which it is tested

 

[mainline]

get an electrician in for this work. You could always do the chasing and floorboard lifting. No offence intended, but at least you know it will be done correctly and also certified.

Sorry to disagree, but getting an electrician in doesn't ensure it's done properly

 

[Dustydazzler]

Sorry to disagree, but getting an electrician in doesn't ensure it's done properly

Seeing the state of some installs on YouTube there are a lot of incompetent sparks out there wiring up houses