No blue or black wires!

Nick75 · 1 Jan 2014

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Nick75
1 Jan 2014
1

I am fitting a new one way pull switch for my bathroom light. I have unscrewed the old one to find three earthed wires and three red, two of which are going to a hole with COM next to it and one is going to a hole with A1 next to it. There is no blue or black wires. Can anyone please give me a pointer as to live or neutral?

Untitled

Nick75
1 Jan 2014
1

riveralt · 1 Jan 2014

Switches don't normally have a neutral - you appear to have a live loop into and out of the Com and a switch live out of A1 - perfectly normal.

Make sure you mark them before you carry out any changes - it is easy to get the live and switch live mixed up.

PrenticeBoyofDerry · 1 Jan 2014

All the reds are live, the neutrals will be connected directly at the light fitting, therefore none at the switch as it is single pole and does not require it.
The green/yellow sleeved cables are the circuit protective conductors/CPC (commonly but wrongly called earth cables)
Just take a note and mark the cables as located and copy that to new switch.

Nick75 · 1 Jan 2014

That's great guys thanks for your speedy replies. One last question; the new switch is marked up as L1 and C, I'm I right to take it that the C is the same as COM on the old switch?

riveralt · 1 Jan 2014

Nick75 said:
That's great guys thanks for your speedy replies. One last question; the new switch is marked up as L1 and C, I'm I right to take it that the C is the same as COM on the old switch?

Yes that is correct.

AndyPRK · 1 Jan 2014

Yes correct

Nick75 · 1 Jan 2014

Thank you all. Happy New Year.

PrenticeBoyofDerry · 1 Jan 2014

Nick75 said:
One last question; the new switch is marked up as L1 and C, I'm I right to take it that the C is the same as COM on the old switch?

As above yes that is correct, make sure that you have no bare conductor showing outside these terminals, for safety reasons and that you do not nip the insulation of the cable up within the terminals, as this can lead to the frustration when the light does not come on!
And make sure that the CPCs are terminated.

The circuit should be identified and safely isolated, prior to carrying out this work.
Good Luck & Happy New Year also.

securespark · 1 Jan 2014

It's not a Happy New Year for your old bathroom switch...

sparkwright · 1 Jan 2014

There's a possibility there's neutrals tucked away behind the pull switch...

Like the New Year gag!

undistilled · 3 Jan 2014

Don't worry - electrical current is oblivious to colour!

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No blue or black wires!

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