Bathroom light switch, is a 45A shower switch, wired strangely.

[HappyHippyDad]

My customer asked me to change her intermittently working bathroom pull switch.

When i arrived I saw that it was a 45A shower pull switch purely being used to switch the light on and off. Wired in 1mm.

However, there was a conductor in the both the L and N in the supply side, and just one conductor in the L on the load side.

My question is, is the conductor in the N on the supply side doing absolutely anything? i know its not!! But, I just cant for the life of me figure out why it's been done, so I'm doubting myself. There is also one other conductor, just left in a wago.

The bathroom light is not IP rated, there is no RCD protection and the wiring is awful. i will obviously fix all of that, but that also makes me more worried and doubting of the strange wiring in the switch.

Can it ONLY be a PL and SL? Same as a normal switching arrangement. Perhaps they have simply left a conductor in the N supply rather than a wago. Just fancied mulling it over before tomorrow morning. Thanks

 

[snowhead]

Neon?

 

[littlespark]

whats the other conductor?

got to love a mystery

 

[James]

Old fan connection?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I shall try and remember to update this scintillating thread tomorrow
It doesn't sound like i have too much to worry about, so I am happy.

 

[DefyG]

I shall try and remember to update this scintillating thread tomorrow

Glad I only saw this thread this morning otherwise I wouldn't have been able to sleep last night - keeping us in suspense like that!

Like Snowhead, maybe just a N to keep neon working as a locator??

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Just got back from the customer.

We will never know what was going on with the 45A switch, as I never even got that far.

My very first thing was to do a global IR test, which came back as 0.45ohms L/N - E.

Various IR faults showed on various circuits. Some circuits showing more than one fault (after I had split the ring).

Reversed polarity on 4 sockets.

The main earth was disconnected to the earth rod.

No RCD protection. The existing VOELB test button doesn't work.

I fixed the revered polarity and earth.

I then delved in to the many faults and was getting no where (I'm 'reasonably' good at fault finding).

The end result is I have suggested a rewire. It is very old (imperial cable). Every where I went there was something horrendous to look at, and many DIY additions/alterations.

I have also suggested she get another electrician in for a second opinion, as she was very hesitant about a rewire (understandably), having only wanted a new bathroom light switch!!

 

[westward10]

So did you do the switch?

 

[littlespark]

They’ll be talking about you now…..

“I only wanted a new switch and he says we need a rewire!!!!”



And you should know better…. Photos!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

So did you do the switch?

Nope, no RCD protection, so I didn't want to make any alterations in the bathroom. Plus bathroom light is class 1, right above the bath. I'd rather she didn't use it.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

They’ll be talking about you now…..

“I only wanted a new switch and he says we need a rewire!!!!”



And you should know better…. Photos!

I know.. I did feel bad. I was there for 3 hours, fixed the reversed polarity on 4 sockets, connected up the disconnected main earth and chatted to her for ages about her poor husband with dementia. Should have been £175, charged £50 cash as she was a nice old lady who only wanted the bathroom light working.
I'm going to see if I can find her a battery operated light maybe with a quinetic switch. Unless you guys have some better ideas?

No interesting pics I'm afraid, just the one below, which I cant get to stay the correct way up!

 

[littlespark]

Wow. Green terminal cover. Looks like almost a full set. Green, red, blue and white. Not including the original black ones…. Yellow missing.

 

[westward10]

I assume this Class I light has no cpc.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Wow. Green terminal cover. Looks like almost a full set. Green, red, blue and white. Not including the original black ones…. Yellow missing.

I thought wow too, what is green?

 

[westward10]

45A.
So was this Class I light earthed?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I assume this Class I light has no cpc.

I didn't get around to looking at the wiring for the light... There was definitely a CPC in the switch, but it had something like 50V to line, so likely no continuity of CPC.
She's not going to get any of the work done though. She just can't face any disruption whilst her husband is ill (very bad dementia).

As a matter of interest. Would you guys have changed the bathroom light for a class 2 one, and fitted a new switch? even though there is a neutral to earth fault on the circuit, no working earth and no RCD?

It's the old argument of the installation would have been in a slightly less unsafe condition by me actually doing the work, even though I am supposed to fix the faults first (which she wouldn't agree to).

 

[HappyHippyDad]

45A.
So was this Class I light earthed?

Impossible to say, as I didn't remove the light.
All I can say is that the CPC was not working in the switch. The cable could have gone to a junction box which had a working earth and then to the light, so the light may have been earthed (but probably wasn't).

 

[Pretty Mouth]

As a matter of interest. Would you guys have changed the bathroom light for a class 2 one, and fitted a new switch? even though there is a neutral to earth fault on the circuit, no working earth and no RCD?

It's the old argument of the installation would have been in a slightly less unsafe condition by me actually doing the work, even though I am supposed to fix the faults first (which she wouldn't agree to).

Under the circumstances, yes I would.

 

[James]

sometimes, you are between a rock and a hard place.

fit a light of any type and you reduce the risk of tripping over in the dark

but if there was a fault and they were touching the light, you have increased the risk.

cant win situation. just do what you think is morally correct at the time and be happy with it.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

but if there was a fault and they were touching the light, you have increased the risk.

I'd have thought a plastic light would be a significant decrease in risk over what is there now. At the moment it's at best a C2, possibly a C1 if that CPC at the switch has continuity to the light's casing.

 

[Eandyl]

sometimes, you are between a rock and a hard place.

fit a light of any type and you reduce the risk of tripping over in the dark

but if there was a fault and they were touching the light, you have increased the risk.

cant win situation. just do what you think is morally correct at the time and be happy with it.

Sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils. Safety is not always black and white.

 

[snowhead]

Wouldn't stay the right way for me, so snipped it and it worked.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Wouldn't stay the right way for me, so snipped it and it worked.

You MUST have been bored
Thankyou

 

[sunray]

Wouldn't stay the right way for me, so snipped it and it worked.

Oh that's better, I was concerned the volts were going to dripp out of the end.

 

[snowhead]

Oh that's better, I was concerned the volts were going to dripp out of the end.

I was more concerned about the amps running wild,,

 

[James]

I was more concerned about the amps running wild,,

Watt’s that all about? You should lock them away in a faraday cage for safe keeping.

View: https://youtu.be/oSVmC7wNfwY?si=Ivb0sZl_12vIQzWC