Neutral wiring problem

[Andrew Parkes]

Hi on my electric shower pull chord/isolator there's two lives and only one neutral. In the loft on the contactor the neutral wire isn't connected to it. The light is staying on on the pull chord. This can't be right, I'm presuming the neutral wire should be connected at both ends from the neutral out on the pull chord and on the contactor in the loft. Any advice would be great . Thanks Andrew

 

[buzzlightyear]

got any pic for that ?,what size of shower is in the bathroom, I think you should contact a local spark.

 

[Andrew Parkes]

No, I'll get one tomorrow. There's an extractor fan connected to the pull chord as wrll

 

[buzzlightyear]

No, I'll get one tomorrow

a spark or a pic .

 

[Andrew Parkes]

A picture

 

[Andrew Parkes]

The shower is 7.5 keep, it's certainly not right. I'll speak to an electrician.

 

[MJPD29]

The neutral isn't isolated through the pull cord then. What is the contactor for? Would also like to think the fan isn't wired directly into the circuit without a fcu 1.5 on shower circuit is not good

 

[Andrew Parkes]

Thanks, the wire from the switch is wired directly to the contactor. The two wires from the fuse board run to the pull switch. The wires from the shower and fan run from the contactor. There are neutral wires from there.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

It’s not sounding right.
Do wires come from the fuse board to the contactor?
Wait, is it a contactor, or an isolator?

 

[Andrew Parkes]

On the isolator/ pull switch there is a live and neutral from the fuse board, there is also a neutral that isn't connected at either end plus a second live that runs to the contactor. The red light stays on in the off position. In not sure which wires goto the contactor apart from the ones I've mentioned. All three wires on the isolator are wired correctly, just no neutral. The out live wire can't go in the neutral part of the isolator can it? It must of been like it for 40 years. Thanks Andrew

 

[Andrew Parkes]

The contactor is in the loft

 

[Baddegg]

Do you have any pictures Andrew?

 

[Andrew Parkes]

I'll take some later, I spoke with a friend who's an electrician last night. Without looking he said he thinks the live wire from the isolator is just being used as a switch wire from the isolator/switch. He's coming out Friday. Does the out live wire have Togo in the out live port on the switch and not in the out neutral port? Thanks Andrew

 

[davesparks]

It sounds like the contactor has been installed to switch the light and fan on whenever the shower isolator is turned on.
If the correct fuses are installed in the right places then this us OK, however from your description it sounds like there may be a live taken to the contactor directly from the shower isolator and the neutral from the lighting circuit which is a dangerous situation.

 

[Andrew Parkes]

Ok, I'll take some pictures in a bit. How will I know if the neutral is taken from the light circuit? Thanks Andrew

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Sounds to me as if the switch has been fed from the Fuse box with a line and neutral, so that the neon will work when the switch is on.
Sounds like it’s wired to the wrong terminals if the neon is on all the time.
Only needs the line from the switch to the contactor, if the switch is fed from the same MCB as the lighting.

 

[Andrew Parkes]

Ok, that sounds better. So on Friday the electrician will swap the two live wires over on the pull switch. I'm having a new conductor and a RCD fitted. Thanks

 

[Deleted member 26818]

It may be that the switch is fed from the same MCB as the shower.
In which case the neutral that needs to be used to operate the contactor is the neutral for the shower from the same MCB.

 

[Andrew Parkes]

Thanks, what does an MCB stand for?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Mini Circuit Breaker.