Recent content by Palmerston5

Thanks for the reply, but I'm afraid I don't understand! There is one cable (A) which I assume is the switch wire because it has a black wire going into a terminal where 3 red live wires are connected. Those three red wires (B, C & D) I have assumed are lighting cables. Their black wires go...

Perhaps rather naively I thought I'd change a light fitting. I have to connect the new light cable into a junction box in place of the old light cable. The junction box in question has 7 cables going into it, which I have deduced from the connections are: 3 light cables (inc. the one I am trying...

No, it really is true. I called 3 electricians the other week, they each said they were busy, but then that they would call me 'early next week' to arrange an estimate. Never heard back from any of them (I didn't bother chasing, as I thought if they couldn't behave decently it wasn't worth it)...

Oh, and I meant to say, ban-all-sheds, what a fantastic use you have made of my photo. I'm very grateful (and impressed!)

Okay, so the gist of what you guys are saying is: 1. The MCBs need to be moved to be in the correct order 2. The RCD needs replacing 3. The unterminated wires need to be dealt with in some way. 4. Possibly the CU needs replacing so as to be up-to-date. I guess it's time for Sparky...

As a non-electrician I'll tell you one reason why some people try to do it themselves... I live in London and although you'd think there'd be lots of them its very hard to pin down an electrician here (who's registered). They are all too busy or not interested in domestic work, or don't turn...

I'm not sure how to insert an 'edit' as ban-all-sheds did, but I've just realised I got it all wrong about the tails in the last post - they come from the service head and then go UP to the metre in the tight squeeze place, and then down from the metre to the RCD. I got it all upside down...

Okay, to answer your questions as best I can: The tails do indeed come fromt he service head above the CU then down through a tight squeeze below the metre into the RCD. Then up from the RCD into the metre (just visible in the photo). Then presumably the two grey wires take the feed into the...

Oh dear this all sounds very ominous... Here is a pic of the setup on the outside of the CU. THere is a separate RCD switch on the right - hence I was brave enough to open the CU. On the outside of the CU there is a sticker with writing on it, which says that the system was checked in...

Thanks Breezer, I guess it was obvious. Here is a photo of the inside of the CU. Unfortunately because of the flash it's a bit bright. The relevant MCB is second from the right. You can't see because of the flash but it is 15 amp. And there are TWO red wires going in, which suggests to me this...

Thanks guys, I will take a photo and try to post it (though I'm sure I don't know what I'm doing as far as putting a picture on here is concerned!)

Hello, I would like to wire a new light in the kitchen. There are already 9 low voltage downlighters in the ceiling which are operated by a single switch. I would like the new light to operate independently, but preferably from the same switch unit on the wall. Am I right in thinking that...

Help needed from those in the know, please! I am trying to add a new double socket in the kitchen, but am rather alarmed to discover that the existing sockets are on a circuit with a 15amp MCB. I thought it should be 30 amp, and think this explains why the circuit trips each time the...