I drilled through a wire above a light switch by mistake. Hatched out cabling, and capped off, last new years eve! Now, cant find diagram i did, of wiring, where it feeds to switch. It is complex in that, its the kitchen light, AND (adjoining) backroom light in one double switch, Each room, ALSO with thier own single switch. So there is at least one common wire, and a jumper, (already on the switch). I have TWO "twin and earth" (earth not used [cut back]) cables for the two lights, AND TWO single cables, one RED, one GREEN (earth? [or second "commom"]?) So two single cables, and two twin and earth ring cables. How do i attatch to switch? NOTE the jumper attatched previously. And this old wiring, does green neccessarily mean earth? See pictures here:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ben.buxton/electrics.mht
Yes i am aware of new laws, re instalation on Private properties, which as the word private indicates,moraly overiddes new "laws".
2006-08-12 09:22:56 · 7 answers · asked by ben b 5 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
texan..who's to know when work was done re new laws? Thats the point of the privacy issue. Dont state the obvious, read the question, and when it says electricians help required, dont fill space with chatroom, if your not one. Its called answers, not blindingly obvious chat.
2006-08-12 10:40:06 · update #1
Looking at the picture of what you've got it would seem to be that the green is the earth for the back of the box,the 2 twin and earths are your two sets of strappers to the other switches and the red is your live feed.
To test this,first turn off the power,then wire the switches loose outside the box leaving the green wire alone.the red will go into the common on both switches and the red on the back of the switch is just making both switches live.
The twin cables will each go to seperate switches both red and black.
Turn back on power and test the circuits.They should work fine.If they do switch back off power and re make the connections in the box using green as earth on the metal back box.
If this doesnt work call a professional
2006-08-12 14:54:49 · answer #1 · answered by kieranvealeelec 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bloody hell...
on a single switch, the supply goes to the ceiling rose. From there it goes down to the switch in a two-core, where the red is live and the black is "switched live". You would normally put a red band round the black at the ceiling rose to show that's what it was.
On a double switched circuit I don't know what the colours ought to be; I'm guessing you'd go to the second switch from the first switch with the red, and back to the first switch with the black, but that's a pure guess.
Using green for anything other than earth seems very weird. Actually having a green wire in there is weird - normally it's bare copper in the twin&earth cable, and you put a green/yellow sheath on the bare bit.
That jumper you have on there looks very very odd - I don't like it at all.
I'm not a sparky. Hope you find one.
2006-08-12 09:29:06 · answer #2 · answered by wild_eep 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no way that I can work out what the problem is by your explanation...Green and yellow is always earth,but you don't have an earth in a light switch unless it's in a metal box.
Do yourself a favour,get an electrician to do it before you cop a packet.If you don't know what you're doing then you'll only end up with a fire,a shock,or worse.Get someone in to sort it out,it'll only cost a few quid.And I'm not saying this because I'm an electrician either,better to be safe mate.
2006-08-12 09:32:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
you need to get a meter on that to work out if the feed is at the switch or at the light. Could be that each light is loop fed from the actual light and what you have in each twin and earth is a feed and switch wire - the lack of a neutral connection make it look like the above .
2006-08-12 09:32:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
IF IN DOUBT - KEEP IT OUT ! Dont mess with things that you quite obviously dont understand....... I cant offer any help to sort it out cos I simply dont know, like you. The best course is to get an electrician round, it cant cost that much, everything is already there.
2006-08-13 00:41:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Green wire is never live. keep trying
2006-08-12 09:31:59 · answer #6 · answered by j_emmans 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not aware of moral overrides you're blethering about but your insurance company will NOT PAY OUT if you blow yourself up or set fire to the house.
GET AN ELECTRICIAN!!!
2006-08-12 10:29:12 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋