Wires clarity

[CoffeeCake]

Ok thanks all. I do want a socket in there and there is enough room for it to fit but if it's too complicated will leave it. So I opened up the 3 gang switch. Hard to get clear pictures but I tried my best. So attached are three pictures. One from the top of the switch, one from the bottom and one showing the plastic connector with black wire. There are three places where wires are coming into this box. One at the back, one to the top and one to the right of the box.

 

[sparkwright]

Ok thanks all. I do want a socket in there and there is enough room for it to fit but if it's too complicated will leave it. So I opened up the 3 gang switch. Hard to get clear pictures but I tried my best. So attached are three pictures. One from the top of the switch, one from the bottom and one showing the plastic connector with black wire. There are three places where wires are coming into this box. One at the back, one to the top and one to the right of the box.

At the 3 gang switch, you have a permanent live there.
You have an earth there.
The next step is to find out whether that connector block with the black wires in is a NEUTRAL or not.
Do you have a voltage meter?

 

[CoffeeCake]

Thanks, but connector block wire we established is not neutral because this is the same that goes into the original box. I also saw on this side that it has the red wire cut which means that it is the same black wire which is being used as a live extended.

 

[sparkwright]

How do we know the two wires in your very first photos you sent ARE lives, and not neutrals?
We assumed they were lives, because there was a light switch in front of them - albeit not connected to the switch itself, but in a connector block.
It appears the switch was just used to cover the hole.

If you want a socket there, you should do a test to see if the wire is a live or neutral.

 

[CoffeeCake]

You're right. Ok will check tomorrow as we are out now. But even if it is neutral, I will have to find a way to extend in a live from the box opposite.

 

[sparkwright]

Yes, you would need to replace the cable with the black wire for a new piece with a live, neutral and earth - since they've cut the other two wires off.
The 3 gang switch can provide the live and neutral at least. But until we can confirm if the connector is neutral or not, nothing is definite.

 

[CoffeeCake]

That makes sense and I feel I can do that.. will check tomorrow and get back..

 

[SUNRAY]

two of those three switches work, one I can't figure out.

Thank you for the useful pictures

Ok thanks all. I do want a socket in there and there is enough room for it to fit but if it's too complicated will leave it. So I opened up the 3 gang switch. Hard to get clear pictures but I tried my best. So attached are three pictures. One from the top of the switch, one from the bottom and one showing the plastic connector with black wire. There are three places where wires are coming into this box. One at the back, one to the top and one to the right of the box.

Which switch does nothing in the pic, top, middle or bottom? I'm goint to make the prediction it is the bottom.

 

[SUNRAY]

Yes, you would need to replace the cable with the black wire for a new piece with a live, neutral and earth - since they've cut the other two wires off.
The 3 gang switch can provide the live and neutral at least. But until we can confirm if the connector is neutral or not, nothing is definite.

If those 2 switches really are back to back - immediately behind each other, that piece of block is potentialy only 50mm thick and the cable containing the black should easily pull out to allow the replacement.

 

[CoffeeCake]

Thank you for the useful pictures

Which switch does nothing in the pic, top, middle or bottom? I'm goint to make the prediction it is the bottom.

Yes it is the bottom one in this pic.

 

[SUNRAY]

Yes it is the bottom one in this pic.

In that case I seek opinions of others, as a starting point I imagine the current set-up is this:

 

[SUNRAY]

Was there any progression on this situation?

 

[CoffeeCake]

Hi Sunray, sorry I dropped this project. Will get around to it some other time and just using another socket right now. Thanks for your help.