bathroom light switch wiring

[Gussie]

Hi,
I'm trying to replace the bathroom pull-cord light switch with a switch outside the bathroom door. (The dimensions of the room have changed & there is nowhere suitable near the door to put a pull-cord on the inside).

The present switch wiring doesn't correspond to anything I've seen in diagrams. There are 4 red wires entering the switch (no earth). 2 wires are both connected to one N terminal. The 2 remaining wires are each connected to a seperate L terminal, and then there is short loop of cable connecting one of the L terminals to the remaining N terminal.

I want to replace the switch with a connection box and then run a cable outside the bathroom to the wall-mounted switch.

Can anyone explain how to do this ?
Thanks...

 

[breezer]

where does it say N?

can you see the two cables (each with 2 reds) connect one to one of the reds in the other cable (it would be good if you could connect the 2 wires bact to each other that are already connected to each other)

you now have 2 reds left

connect the new cable to these two reds

connect switch at other end

 

[Gussie]

Hi,

I did try that arrangement - connecting the 2 wires that currently enter N to a connection box terminal, and then connecting the other 2 wires to a seperate terminal each in the connection box. Then I connected the 2 wires from the new rocker switch to these latter terminals, but nothing happens when the switch is on.

The pull-cord switch does also drive an extractor fan, although it doesn't have a timer and there is only a single red & a black wire that appears at the fan - so I was assuming there isn't a switched live present.

It's all made more difficult because the wiring runs through pipes set into the concete ceiling so there is no way of tracing which cable goes where

The N and L references are the markings on the pull-cord switch.

Thanks...

 

[breezer]

this switch is it square?

if what you say is right, the N terminal is simply used as a junction terminal.

all i can suggest is put the switch back as it was so that it works, then mark the cables as N1 N2 N3 (you said there were 3 in the N terminal)

the link from N to L call that NI

the red coming from the terminal call that NI2 and that leaves one red, call that IDK

then put N1 N2 N3 in a terminal of a junction box

then put NI & NI2 into another terminal of the j.b

that leaves IDK put that on its owwn termianl of j.b

run a new wire to your new switch and at the junction box connect it to the terminals with NI and N2 and the other wire to IDK

you may have to read above several times but if what you have said is true (i am not saying it isnt) then it must work

 

[Gussie]

What with being away before Xmas and then having the flu over New Year I've only just got back to the bathroom project.

Thanks for the help... I tried the layout you suggest and found that the light was permanently on. From which I then reasoned out where the switch wires must go. And everything works ok now.
I'm left with one of the red wires connected to a j.b. terminal on its own - so it looks as if this was the "red herring" that was confusing me.

I'm wondering if there is a way of checking whether this "spare" wire is a live. I do want to replace the current extractor fan with one with a timer. For which I will need an extra unswitched live. Any suggestions ?

Thanks again for the help...