Why bring neutral to switch?

bsr · 1 Feb 2019

Hello

I hired an electrician to alter wiring for my new kitchen. My house uses a normal lighting radial looped in at ceiling roses.

We added new plinth lights, switched separately from the ceiling light but in the same box using a 2G switch. Instead of extending the radial into the new light, he took a perm live and neutral from the existing ceiling rose to the switch. The perm live was daisy chained into the common of both switches and the lights were single pole switched as normal. The neutral came into the box, was joined in a choc block, and then went out again in a 3C+E to the new lights.

Could you explain why you would do this rather than extending the radial? I didn't ask him because I didn't see it until he had left (and I had paid him).

Thanks

bsr

Notch7 · 1 Feb 2019

Smart dimmer switch?

EFLImpudence · 1 Feb 2019

You say plinth lights, so doing it the way you think would require a cable from ceiling rose to plinths and then, presumably, back up to switches - instead of just rose to switch and on down to plinths. He has extended the radial.

I am assuming your plinths are not in the ceiling.

oldbutnotdead · 1 Feb 2019

He's done you a favour whatever- if you ever want to put some tarty control system on those lights you'll be able to. Plus running neutral with live as he's done reduces EMI (which can interfere with hearing aids among other things).

Notch7 · 1 Feb 2019

EFLImpudence said:
am assuming your plinths are not in the ceiling

Oops I didnt spot the word plinth

JohnW2 · 1 Feb 2019

oldbutnotdead said:
... Plus running neutral with live as he's done reduces EMI (which can interfere with hearing aids among other things).

I'm not sure that I get that. Provided that all cables have two cores with the same current flowing (in opposite directions) in both of them (as, for example, with a drop from rose to a switch), things will be as balanced as they could be from the EMI point-of-view, even if no neutral is involved, won't they?

Kind Regards, John

Keithmac · 2 Feb 2019

Wish I had neutrals in my light switches!.

bsr · 18 Feb 2019

OK thanks, so there are two possible reasons:

To provide a power supply for a smart dimmer (it's not, it's a V-pro, but this provides future proofing)
Because if he had wired a normal "loop in" in the ceiling using a junction box, he would have to take the live from the ceiling loop in, to the switch, then back up to the ceiling, then down to the floor again (so probably more wiring / hassle overall)

Thanks!

securespark · 18 Feb 2019

Why a 3C&E?

canduit · 18 Feb 2019

securespark said:
Why a 3C&E?

Emergency plinth lighting?

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Why bring neutral to switch?

Similar threads