3 wires.

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I have 3 wires coming outta the ceiling.

red,yellow and blue.

I need to find out which is live/switched live/the other one.

Can I buy something that will safely do this for me?

and how would they work?
 
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Yes - a multimeter.

It will work as described in the instructions that come with it.
 
What makes you think one of the wires is a 'live' and one a 'switched live'.
To have a 'switched live' you must have a switch to make it live. So what is connected to the other end of these wires.
Cables with red yellow and blue wires are usually used between a couple of two way switches so it's a bit difficult to understand why these are coming out of the ceiling, unless a two way pull cord switch has been fitted
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
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Im replacing an old extractor fan.

The old one was connected to these cables and turned on when the light came on. When I took the old one down I didn't look to see which wires were connected to what terminals.

Anyway Im therefore assuming that one wire is live/one switched live/and another wire (neutral?)

I have purchased a multimeter. In the instructions tt tells you what cables go where BUT it doesnt actually explain how to use it. basically I have two probes a black one and a red one. Which probe do I touch to the wire? (i have the setting as (LIVE test)

:rolleyes:
 
On AC ranges it doesn't matter which probe goes to live.

As you don't know which ones are which, this is dead handy :D


Put the 3 conductors into a strip of choc-block to make life safer, turn on the power, and turn on the switch that turns the fan on.

Set the meter to an AC voltage range of at least 250V.
Pick any two wires, and check for a voltage.

If there is none, then you've got the permanent and switched lives. Confirm by checking there is a voltage between the other wire and both of the first two. Make a note of the colour of the neutral. Turn off the switch, and check which of the other two is still live, and which is the (now dead) switched live.

If on your first stab you get a voltage, move the probes one at a time to other pairs of wires until you find the two lives, then proceed as above.
 
I have just replaced a fan in my brothers house and the red was the constant live, the yellow the switch live and the blue was the neutral.
 
That's probably the most logical way to do it, but you can never rely on what you'd do as a guide to what someone else has done - Zig needs to check.
 

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