Can I use a pull-cord switch for a bedside lamp

[burntfingers]

Hi.
I have just bought a wall-mounted lamp and installed it on the wall next to my sons bed. I also fitted a pull-cord switch over the bed to turn the wall light on and off.

The lamp is powered with normal lamp lead (brown and blue cable) from a plug in the wall into the pull cord, then out to the lamp. It is all fairly simple and was easy to set up, except, when I pull the cord, the fuse is blowing in the plug.

Does anybody know why this may be happening? Any help will be appreciated. - thanks

 

[pdcelec]

It is not wired correctly. Hope this helps

 

[plugwash]

this is about the number 1 f*ckup that diyers new to lighting work make.

what i find really worrying though is it indicates just how many people take a painting by numbers approach to wiring and then don't realise why what they have just done can't possiblly work.

 

[burntfingers]

Hi Thanks for the quick response. As far as i know it is wired properly because the brown cable is connected to brown and blue to blue which is why I am confused. I was wondering whether the problem may be due to the pull cord switch not being earthed, or wouldnt that make any difference?

 

[JohnD]

Does your switch by any chance have two brass terminals?

Assuming you have one brown and one blue wire from the plug, and one brown and one blue wire to the lamp, where have you put them?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The lamp is powered with normal lamp lead (brown and blue cable) from a plug in the wall into the pull cord, then out to the lamp.

Why have you got a fixed light, and a fixed switch, connected to the supply via a plug?

It is all fairly simple and was easy to set up,

Was it indeed...

except, when I pull the cord, the fuse is blowing in the plug.

Does anybody know why this may be happening? Any help will be appreciated. - thanks

Pound to a penny you put both conductors, blue and brown, into the switch?

If so, please spend a couple of minutes thinking about what the circuit would look like with no switch, and how electricity would flow in it, and then think about what a switch must do inside in order to make and break the flow of electricity, and then think about what will happen when it's wired your way....

 

[burntfingers]

Hi Plugwash, thanks for your response.

The lamp comes on when i flick the mains switch, so the wiring appears to be correct. However, when I pull the cord off and then on again, the fuse pops - so it is working but something is at fault and I need help to find out what it is. - Thanks

 

[JohnD]

Please answer my question.

 

[burntfingers]

Hi JohnD Thanks for responding
I have put the two brown wires into the 'com' terminal and the two blue wires into the '1 way' terminal. Is this what you mean?

 

[pdcelec]

would you join live and neutral together if you thought about it?

 

[JohnD]

Yes, you have made the mistake we all expected.

When the switch is "off" the two terminals are unconnected.

When the switch is "on" they are connected together.

You have wired it so that the switch causes a short-circuit.

I am sorry you were mistaken in thinking it was easy, and you were mistaken in thinking that because the light came on when the switch was "off" that you must have done it right.

 

[Adam_151]

Its working correctly for how you wired it, on position the switch is open and the light is connected to the supply, close the swith and the oper current protection is 'crow-barred' open and the light goes off

If you find the costs of fuses mounting up, you'd be advised to wire the switch in series with the lamp, better for the switch too

 

[burntfingers]

Hi John D - How can I put it right?

And can I also say that I am sorry for saying it was easy - obviously I thought I knew more than I really did. I wouldnt experiment with wiring, but I thought Id be ok with a bedside lamp.

 

[Adam_151]

How can I put it right?

Join the blues together, and one brown to each switch terminal

 

[burntfingers]

Hi Adam - Thanks for helping out - Im really grateful to all of ou for all your help. Im still not sure though what I need to do to get it all to work properly.