how to deal with a borrowed neutral

[TeeJay711]

The RCD trips when either the down or up switch for the stairs lighting is pressed.

. I think the circuit is wired from the bottom switch to the top switch, then to the up stairs light....no neutrals in sight, so i suspect the neutral is from the up light circuit. but the live an earth is from the down light circuit...

Borrowed neutral!!!!

What would be the recommended way to put the neutrals right?

Tony

 

[Spoon]

Have you actually tested the circuit to see what you think is true.

 

[pjcomp]

At what point did this become apparent? Presumably something has changed after which it started happening, as neutrals, borrowed or not, don't move themselves around.

PJ

 

[markc123]

Has this had a CU change recently by any chance ?

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

And who changed the CU?

 

[markc123]

And who changed the CU?

Someone who forgot one basic rule before undertaking a CU change that's for sure. Otherwise little borrowed neutrals wouldn't raise there ugly heads.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

I have my suspicions it was the OP.

If not apologies, and find out who did it, get the customer to ring there scam and they should drag them back there to put it right. In theory that is.

 

[markc123]

I have my suspicions it was the OP.

If not apologies, and find out who did it, get the customer to ring there scam and they should drag them back there to put it right. In theory that is.

In theory lol Them fat tea boys at the NIC/ECA ect... aren't interested in complaints lol. Means more work for them.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

We have only ever done it once on a school. The sparks who had done a partial rewire hadn't bothered to do any main bonding. Took them a while but they got sent back.

 

[Zebra Stripe]

Well of course it was the OP wot changed the cu, otherwise whoever changed it would of left the job with a dead parrot of a lighting circuit which seems unlikely

 

[telectrix]

The RCD trips when either the down or up switch for the stairs lighting is pressed.

. I think the circuit is wired from the bottom switch to the top switch, then to the up stairs light....no neutrals in sight, so i suspect the neutral is from the up light circuit. but the live an earth is from the down light circuit...

Borrowed neutral!!!!

What would be the recommended way to put the neutrals right?

Tony

1. replace strappers with 3 core/E. diss. feed from downstairs. feed into upstairs sw. from upstairs circuit.

2. put both circuits on same RCD if you're lazy or customer won't pay.

3. if it's you that changed the CU, bite the bullet and fix your cock-up with no1. above.

 

[Badged01]

Bit like Tel says unless it was a "CU change only" without any investigatory work and you advised them that any faults found would be charged extra!

 

[TeeJay711]

Thank you all for your help!! Telextric has written what I am looking for. Thank you. Tell me is insanity a nice place!

 

[applemac]

Same mcb and same rcd,

 

[7029 dave]

yeah on 2 way in days gone by quite common to bridge a live feed, 2core up to switch to pick up s/l upstairs landing light.

 

[D Skelton]

Someone hand me a glock so I can suck on some lead!!!!

:banghead:

 

[guest119]

Do yourself a favour and go to the diy section.
No space for chancers amongst professionals.

Boydy

 

[Octopus]

Thank you all for your help!! Telextric has written what I am looking for. Thank you. Tell me is insanity a nice place!

So, come on, are you going to give us the full information?

 

[telectrix]

Thank you all for your help!! Telextric has written what I am looking for. Thank you. Tell me is insanity a nice place!

bootiful. all the voices in my head and the fairies in the bed.

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

So, come on, are you going to give us the full information?

We all know the story...

 

[ackbarthestar]

The RCD trips when either the down or up switch for the stairs lighting is pressed.

. I think the circuit is wired from the bottom switch to the top switch, then to the up stairs light....no neutrals in sight, so i suspect the neutral is from the up light circuit. but the live an earth is from the down light circuit...

Borrowed neutral!!!!

What would be the recommended way to put the neutrals right?

Tony

So how did you verify that there is a borrowed neutral ?

If it is as you say you will either need to run a new neutral up to the light or run a new feed down to the first switch (Tels method).

In either case you will have either a spare neutral or live in need of terminal - ruff......

You could, of course, rewire it properly.....

- - - Updated - - -

The RCD trips when either the down or up switch for the stairs lighting is pressed.

. I think the circuit is wired from the bottom switch to the top switch, then to the up stairs light....no neutrals in sight, so i suspect the neutral is from the up light circuit. but the live an earth is from the down light circuit...

Borrowed neutral!!!!

What would be the recommended way to put the neutrals right?

Tony

So how did you verify that there is a borrowed neutral ?

If it is as you say you will either need to run a new neutral up to the light or run a new feed down to the first switch (Tels method).

In either case you will have either a spare neutral or live in need of terminal - ruff......

You could, of course, rewire it properly.....

 

[telectrix]

usually find that the L feed is just a link off the hall switch in a 2 gang config. so just remove the link.