Not Good practice I know but

[lofty84]

I changed my parents consumer unit to a new 17th eddition MK one a little while ago. Everything went well and when I turned it all back on there was no problems with any of the rcd tripping so it looked like everything was good and I knew what Iw as doing. Today though I was just being nosey and trying to work out this 2 way lighting mylarkey as its always confussed me so much so I always let someone else do it while I did something else. well anyway I turn of the mcb which I running the downstairs lights and on the right hand side rcd. the upstairs is on the left as you do. well having turned it off and watching the lights go out I set about undoing everything (taking a picture of it before of course) to see if I could work it all out (which I couldnt) and low and behold I got a bloddy shock. Im gonna sound a right cowboy but most of my tools are in my buddys van so I didnt have me voltage/continuity tester to double check and just plouged in as the lights had gone of but as I say I got a shock. Im thinking there must have been a borrowed neautral or something from the lights upstairs somewhere but Im not sure. I didnt want to turn the upstairs light breaker of and then touch it again to find out and obviously I didnt have my tester to see, so I just turnt everything of at the main switch terminated everything back together as per the photo and turned it back on where it all works as before.

Any ideas what is going on and am I right about it being down to a shared neautral somewhere. I will set about finding it if it is but I wont be that till i buy a mft

cheers

 

[eds54]

Tony Way
I have had lots of calls like that and as hard as i try to explain where they have gone wrong they just do not get it. Also i had a guy call me when he changed a 1 gang 2 way switch used as a 1 way and he put the earth in the spare terminal on the switch and could not make out why he kept tripping the mcb. It,s only simple if you know what you are doing

 

[lofty84]

Teach youself how to, today-- 2Way circuits, including inters;

Shopping (scavenging) list;

Piece of plywood
A couple of 2 way switches
A couple of intermediate switches.
A couple 2 gang 2 way switches
Suitable back boxes.
Couple of battern lampholders and lamps.
A few scraps of T&E
A few scraps of 3 core & E
RCD protected socket and 13amp plug with 3amp fuse.

TEST EQUIPMENT

Teach yourself starts here, work out what the above is for then use it.

Right I'm in screwfix now the rcd protected socket is 60 quid so think I might just plug it into the wall?? In regards to the intermediate switches is it a 1 g intermediate switch I'm after as that's all I can find in here and for the 2 way switches am I after a 2 gang 2 way or a one gang 2 way please

 

[growler]

just hope your new job doesnt involve any two way lighting ! so you cant first fix either then ?

 

[trev]

Get 1 gangs, your RCD protercted skt is in your house already

 

[RyanCheetham]

One gang 2 way switches and pattresses to suit, 1 gang intermediate with back box, and use a plug in rcd adapter for power tools or garden equipment

 

[lofty84]

I can't find the after lamp holders in screwfix do u think marlins would be better for this ?

 

[lofty84]

Maplins

 

[trev]

Just get el cheapo battens mate, you're building a practice rig. It doesn't have to be IP rated

 

[lofty84]

Ok I'm in Maplins now looking for some batter lamp holders all that I can find is something called a porcelain lamp holder Es (e27) fixing is that what I'm after please anyone

 

[trev]

Just get the cheapest batten lampholder that you can get your hands on

 

[lofty84]

Problem is Trev not sure what they are mate will I be able to get em in bandq

 

[trev]

Without a doubt mate.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

If you really have done the 2330 level 2 and 3, then you should have built all of this up before in the booth?

 

[Robson689]

Problem is Trev not sure what they are mate will I be able to get em in bandq

Think of it as a ceiling pendant without the flex

 

[shanky887614]

Your saying you passed your 2330 but dont know how to wire a 2 way switch?

And your changing consumer units!..

what lvl 2330 if you dont mind me asking? they covered 2 way switching at lvl2 so im guessing you only did lvl1

 

[russty]

This is a wind up surely?? The spelling isn't up to much either

 

[VoltzElectrical]

it's really quite difficult to comprehend the abject failure of understanding of basic electrical circuits and terminology by someone claiming to have completed the very course that most people on here promote above the Electrical Trainee courses, as the one that will provide students with the real training they need.

What happened?

 

[VoltzElectrical]

I changed my parents consumer unit to a new 17th eddition MK one a little while ago. Everything went well and when I turned it all back on there was no problems with any of the rcd tripping so it looked like everything was good and I knew what Iw as doing. Today though I was just being nosey and trying to work out this 2 way lighting mylarkey as its always confussed me so much so I always let someone else do it while I did something else. well anyway I turn of the mcb which I running the downstairs lights and on the right hand side rcd. the upstairs is on the left as you do. well having turned it off and watching the lights go out I set about undoing everything (taking a picture of it before of course) to see if I could work it all out (which I couldnt) and low and behold I got a bloddy shock. Im gonna sound a right cowboy but most of my tools are in my buddys van so I didnt have me voltage/continuity tester to double check and just plouged in as the lights had gone of but as I say I got a shock. Im thinking there must have been a borrowed neautral or something from the lights upstairs somewhere but Im not sure. I didnt want to turn the upstairs light breaker of and then touch it again to find out and obviously I didnt have my tester to see, so I just turnt everything of at the main switch terminated everything back together as per the photo and turned it back on where it all works as before.

Any ideas what is going on and am I right about it being down to a shared neautral somewhere. I will set about finding it if it is but I wont be that till i buy a mft

cheers

How are you going to learn by running away from things you don't understand?

 

[lofty84]

Ive completed the whole course 2330 level 3. no unfortuantely we never did anypractical with the college I was with. I would appologise about my spelling if I was actually bothered so please forgive me russty x


right ok Ive just got back from B&Q plus screw fix and brought everything the snowball put on that list, I also got a 4ft long by 2 ft wide piece of chipboard to mount it all onto. everyones probably gone out for the evening now or is spending it with the family so I might have to wait untill tommorow before I start to construct this.


JUst need to know how to go about laying it all out on the board now... is anyone willing to assist x

 

[VoltzElectrical]

All ive ever done is domestic its not through a lack of trying tho people just dont wanna know.

Quite scary that you have only done domestic, but STILL don't know how two-way switching circuits work, or are installed.