Discuss Strange or old in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

Welcome to ElectriciansForums.net - The American Electrical Advice Forum
Head straight to the main forums to chat by click here:   American Electrical Advice Forum

Reaction score
10
In my house the lighting circuit is made up of
One live and earth in same sheathing. Then 2 separate neutrals.
I haven’t seen this arrangement before and I’m wondering what this is.
 
goes back to 50's and early 60's. lights wired in singles. red/cpc for L's and blacks with no cpc for N's. this was so as to take L's to switch/es then to light/s without it being tied in to the N, which went direct to light/s. the next light would then have L from 1st switch C to C of 2nd switch etc.
 
In my house the lighting circuit is made up of
One live and earth in same sheathing. Then 2 separate neutrals.
I haven’t seen this arrangement before and I’m wondering what this is.
Got a pic of cables?
 
At the light there’s one live and 2 neutrals so this is where I was encountering the problem. Obviously the neutral carries on to the next light but where’s the live the live that goes to the next light?! Don’t know if I’m over thinking it as I can’t work it out
 
the L goes to the 1st switch, then is looped from switch to switch, each switch supplying a S/L to it's light. sometimes there may be junction boxes hidden away.
 
the L goes to the 1st switch, then is looped from switch to switch, each switch supplying a S/L to it's light. sometimes there may be junction boxes hidden away.

So the lights aren’t in a series (daisy chain)? Sorry I’m really struggling to find a diagram online.
 
Yes seen this once before on a house built in the 1950s

Single red (imperial) with bare earth in grey sheath with a separate black at the lights

Very odd configuration and only ever seen one house wired like this
 
Nothing unusual about that cable.
It was in use untill at least 1988 when my house was wired from new with it.
My first house in 1972 had it as well.
 
it's simple.red with cpc goes into C on sw#1, the to sw#2 then sw#3 etc, each switch then feeds switched L and cpc to it's light. the N's are looped through at the lights.no need for them to go to switches, and no need for cpc on the N singles.
 
My house is the same, ie. Red+earth and then separate neutral. There's also a traditional round junction box in the loft which I am going replace with either DIN terminals or wagos. Mind you I've been going to sort it out for about fifteen years now.
 
Some areas of the UK used this method of wiring quite a lot, there is a local 'care home' wired in such a way. I used the same single and earth cable in my house to wire the switched live to all the switches that are overridden by the smoke alarms.
 
i still got a full 100m single red 1.5mm with cpc in stock. offers on a beermat.
 
From a job I went to on Monday.
Installed 1995
 

Attachments

  • Strange or old F2DE837E-8DF5-487F-8168-1BAEAECEFA67 - EletriciansForums.net
    F2DE837E-8DF5-487F-8168-1BAEAECEFA67.jpeg
    903 KB · Views: 36
  • Strange or old 6F707EF1-434E-4F7F-A1D9-A362CA2852CE - EletriciansForums.net
    6F707EF1-434E-4F7F-A1D9-A362CA2852CE.jpeg
    885 KB · Views: 36
My house is the same, ie. Red+earth and then separate neutral. There's also a traditional round junction box in the loft which I am going replace with either DIN terminals or wagos. Mind you I've been going to sort it out for about fifteen years now.
Why change. If it's installed correctly and cable is good, the odds are it'll be OK for another fifty.....
 
There's nothing unusual.....or old about single red/brown and earth.
One regular use was/is for wiring 2-way lights. Strappers between switches, two live and earth's from rose.....one to each switch, one L, one SW/L. Basic stuff.
 

Reply to Strange or old in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Electrician Courses Green Electrical Goods PCB Way Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Pushfit Wire Connectors Electric Underfloor Heating Electrician Courses
These Official Forum Sponsors May Provide Discounts to Regular Forum Members - If you would like to sponsor us then CLICK HERE and post a thread with who you are, and we'll send you some stats etc

Electrical Forum

Welcome to the Electrical Forum at ElectriciansForums.net. The friendliest electrical forum online. General electrical questions and answers can be found in the electrical forum.
This website was designed, optimised and is hosted by Untold Media. Operating under the name Untold Media since 2001.
Back
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website. For the best site experience please disable your AdBlocker.

I've Disabled AdBlock