Electric connection in the bathroom?

Question

I had to change a pull switch in the bathroom. There is 4 red wires coming out of the ceiling. I also have a fan in the bathroom on the same circiuit. And I think the toilet light as well.
Can someone advise how do I connect the wires in the switch.
Swith has 1 way,2 way and com.
Thank you.

Answer 1

Get an authorised electrician. You are not allowed to do this sort of electrical work in your house any more if you are not qualified.

Answer 2

Changing the switch would not have been a problem had you drawn a diagram of which wire went where and then marked each wire with a different colour tape. You could then have turned off the power at the fuseboard and removed the old switch, checked each terminal to see if it was 1 way, 2 way, or com and connected the correct colour coded wire into the correct terminal of the new switch.

As you appear to have failed to do this, it will now be necessary to trace each wire back to the board using a meter, in order to work out which is live, which is neutral, and which are common. This is a job for a skilled and qualified electrician. If you play with it and get it wrong, apart from the risk of injury, there is a very real risk of setting the house on fire.

Answer 3

Is there a connector block joining up 4 black wires and another joining the 4 earths hidden somewhere nearby? This is the only thing that can make sense of having 4 red wires at the switch. The only logical method of wiring like this that I can see would be one of the following:
1 - Ring in, Ring Out, Lights, Fan
2 - Spur in, Light 1, Light 2, Fan
That probably doesn't comply with regs, but sounds to me like what you've got. This would mean ring in & ring out would go to the 1 way on the switch & the lights & fan to the com, or spur in would go to switch 1 & the other 3 to the com.
If your not 100% confident about testing the wires to figure out which is which get someone in who is!

Answer 4

I'VE DONE THOUSANDS OF ELECTRICAL JOBS AND ALL I CAN SAY TO YOU IS " I DON'T HAVE AN INKLING OF WHAT THE HELL YOU ARE TRYING TO DO AND WHAT THE HELL YOUR CIRCUITRY IS ALL ABOUT...YOU BETTER CALL IN A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THIS ONE....AND WHILE HE'S THERE, LET HIM CHECK THE REST OF YOUR HOUSE TOO....IT SOUNDS LIKE WHO EVER WIRED YOUR HOME DIDN'T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA OF WHAT TO DO AND WHAT WAS LEGAL WIRING IN YOUR AREA ( OR ANY OTHER AREA ,COME TO THINK ABOUT IT)....CALL AN ELECTRICIAN WITH A LICENSE( DON'T CALL A HANDYMAN)......YOUR HOUSE SOUNDS LIKE IT IS AT RISK OF BURNING DOWN...IT'S BETTER TO CALL AN ELECTRICIAN NOW RATHER THAN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LATER, WHEN IT'S TOO LATE....

Answer 5

This sounds very much like a bodged job.
So you will need to get an electrician to do the work, as it is notifiable.
He will then install a junction box, having sorted out which cable goes where, before replacing the pull-switch.

Answer 6

It IS NOT notifiable under part P of the building regulations, but you are going to have to call someone in. Label the wires next time....

Put each of the four wires into it's own slot in one of these so that you can use the power, until he/she turns up. http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLCON5.html

Wickes/ wilkinsons/diy shops all sell them

Answer 7

oooops = all wires SAME color - o nooooo

sounds like a job for a real electrician - $orry

somehow have to figure out which are the 'hot', 'neutral,'
and 'ground' wires

because you do NOT want to burn your new switch up

Answer 8

Interesting Spawanee. If you turn of the power, what good is a voltmeter?

Answer 9

Call a qualified electrician.

Answer 10

get a voltmeter and find out which wires are hot, there should be two, positive and 2 negative. Please turn off circut power, before connecting voltmeter, in case of shock.