Ceiling Light Wiring Block Safe?

[JohnW2]

Well, there is - but the OP couldn't understand why it worked the wrong way round.

I realise that, but since Rocky posted what he did, I thought it advisable to make it clear that it is more than just 'preferred', lest some other readers be misled!

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

My reply was to Rocky's post.

 

[JohnW2]

My reply was to Rocky's post.

Fair enough, but that does not alter my explanation of my reply to him.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I didn't say it did.


How would you ensure that an inspection lamp with a screw bulb is always the right way round over here?

I don't think Rocky's point is really relevant to my reply to the OP.
His problem would still have been the same with a correctly connected ES lamp holder.

Namely -

 

[JohnW2]

I don't think Rocky's point is really relevant to my reply to the OP.

I agree. I suppose it was written 'for completeness' - perhaps relevant for some other readers but probably 'too complete' for the actual OP!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well, there is - but the OP couldn't understand why it worked the wrong way round.

Well, yes, but...

You won't believe me but I had actually come to this realisation myself. I used to love tinkering with batteries and circuits and things like that but for some reason once it was mains electricity I didn't think the same principles applied.

it works "the wrong way round" with batteries too...

I think it might have been a fear of the consequences of AC compared to DC that made me over-reverential.

Better over-reverential than cavalier. It's not the AC vs DC you should consider, it's 230V vs 2 orders of magnitude less than that. If you stick your tongue across L&N of your mains supply it won't be the fact that it's AC that will change your life.

 

[Klang180]

Hello again to everyone.

I am sorry it has been such an ordeal helping me out but thanks to all of you who have contributed, you have aided my knowledge immensely.

Just an update. I connected it up and all seems well! When i initially turned the light on it was lit in the wrong switch position but then i found the switch on the other side of the room was in the on position permanently. I switched that off and voila the main switch is now in alignment. It seems the previous owners were happy to have it connected the "wrong" way around. I am glad it is the "correct" way now

Thanks again to all concerned on this long road!

 

[EFLImpudence]

The switch is either -

actually upside down, or

you have a two-way switch where you should swap the wire at the two-terminal end to the other terminal.

L1 and L2 on this example but may be marked differently.

 

[JohnW2]

.... it does work BUT the light comes on in the switch's off position and vice versa. Does this mean faulty wiring, bad marking or wires or does it mean i should have just connected it the other way around? For context there is another switch in the house that switches the "wrong way around".

Assuming that it is 'simple' (1-way) switching, either the switches have been installed upside down or they are '2-way' ones in which the wrong terminals have been used.

In the latter case, the terminals are commonly labelled 'COM', 'L1' and 'L2' - which, when used for simple switching, will have one wire going into 'COM' and the other into L1 or L2. If that's the case, then move the wire from L1 to L2, or vice versa. Alternatively, turn the switch up the other way.

Kind Regards, John
Edit: Snap! Too slow typing again!

 

[Klang180]

Well, yes, but...it works "the wrong way round" with batteries too...



Better over-reverential than cavalier. It's not the AC vs DC you should consider, it's 230V vs 2 orders of magnitude less than that. If you stick your tongue across L&N of your mains supply it won't be the fact that it's AC that will change your life.

Haha thanks, what a thought. "change your life" is one way of putting it! Thanks, good to know. I thought it was the voltage previously but then as this is what everyone thinks i thought perhaps it was one of this public miss-conceptions that are so rife, turns out it isn't, the voltage really will kill you!

 

[Klang180]

Thanks to you both, you are quick on the gun but edited it now to reflect the fact that i found another switch and it all seems well!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

i found the switch on the other side of the room was in the on position permanently. I switched that off and voila the main switch is now in alignment. It seems the previous owners were happy to have it connected the "wrong" way around. I am glad it is the "correct" way now

"On" position and "Off" position don't have the same meaning with 2-way switching, and neither is a "main" switch.

What happens now if you decide to use the other switch to control the light? What if you turn it on at the new switch and then off at the other one?

With 2-way switching you have to choose whether "on" means the switches toggled the same way, or different. If you go for the former then the light can be on with both switches up, i.e. what you (I think) would say was "both off".

Sounds like your switches are wired so that "on" means them toggled differently.

 

[JohnW2]

Just an update. I connected it up and all seems well! When i initially turned the light on it was lit in the wrong switch position but then i found the switch on the other side of the room was in the on position permanently. I switched that off and voila the main switch is now in alignment.

You appear to have '2-way switching'.

It seems the previous owners were happy to have it connected the "wrong" way around. I am glad it is the "correct" way now

If you have 2-way switching, it is inevitable that one of the switches would appear to be working upside down. You have now presumably created a situation in which, although the 'main' switches is working the right way around, the one on the other side of the room will appear to be working upside down (i.e. the opposte of the situation you had previously).

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

...and vice versa.

The light is normally OFF when both switches are OFF(up) or ON(down).

The light is ON when the switches are different, i.e one is ON(down) and one is OFF(up).

 

[Klang180]

Thanks to both of you. When they are both in the "off" position the light is on. When one of them is in the "on" position the light is on. It is only when one of them is in the on position and the light is on that you can use the other switch to turn the light off by putting it in the "on" position. I am happy with this as I can just reset to both being in the off position and using the one switch. The other switch is practically redundant given it's position out of the way.