First Timer.... be gentle - switched wiring problem ;-)

[SimonH2]

Guys, I have just noticed that right inside the sheath for the red,blue,yellow cable is a copper cable, assuming this is the earth?. On both the Landing Switch and the Downstairs Switch it is barely visible, certainly not connected?

Technically it's called a CPC - Circuit Protective Conductor. At the moment it isn't an earth because it's not connected to anything.
In theory, if you went round all the points the cables go to (including the fuse board), stripped back the sheath and reterminated, then you'd have earths. In practice you'd be one exceedingly lucky person if any one of them, let alone all of them, have enough slack to do that. If you can get enough length to get at the CPC, then they could be extended - but you do need to do that on every cable between the switch and the earth in the fusebox, just connecting them together doesn't create an earth.
As I said, the mind boggles at the mindset of someone that takes the effort to chop them off rather than "park" them in the back of the box. Even if they CBA to terminate them (as if that's hard ), just slipping them in a bit of sleeving would have meant that they were there for you to simply connect now.

 

[skyw@lker]

Technically it's called a CPC - Circuit Protective Conductor. At the moment it isn't an earth because it's not connected to anything.
In theory, if you went round all the points the cables go to (including the fuse board), stripped back the sheath and reterminated, then you'd have earths. In practice you'd be one exceedingly lucky person if any one of them, let alone all of them, have enough slack to do that. If you can get enough length to get at the CPC, then they could be extended - but you do need to do that on every cable between the switch and the earth in the fusebox, just connecting them together doesn't create an earth.
As I said, the mind boggles at the mindset of someone that takes the effort to chop them off rather than "park" them in the back of the box. Even if they CBA to terminate them (as if that's hard ), just slipping them in a bit of sleeving would have meant that they were there for you to simply connect now.

I opened the switch on the room adjoining the Landing and the earth is actually there and attached to the earth connector, so it seems some of the other lights have been butchered by others. When we first bought the house we had work done, it is Grade II listed, but we had someone in to do roof tiles, take out flooring and put new boiler in. They did a lot of Gas work, with boiler and fireplace and after the work I wanted a certificate. After months after the work was done it was still not forthcoming, so I got in touch with CORGI. Despite assurances these guys were registered they were not. I made an official complaint to CORGI and all they did was ask them to get registered. They did not and probably went on to do more work. I have to say I was very unhappy with CORGI. But I don't know if these builders fiddled with these connections?

 

[SimonH2]

It's unlikely that they did anything with your lights.
But, I hope you made Trading Standards aware of those doing ILLEGAL gas work ? It is illegal (as in a criminal offence) to do gas work (with some limited exceptions that do not apply to commercial work*) without being registered and it's fraud to claim that you are registered when you aren't. It's not CORGI now and hasn't been for some time - did you mean Gas Safe ? TBH they have naff all powers to do anything if the cowboys aren't members - with members they can threaten to throw them out (which would stop any half honest person doing any more gas work), but for non-members they have no powers to do anything.

* It's technically legal for someone to work on their own installation, or do work non-commercially (eg helping a friend for no consideration whatsoever). But given how easy it is to get it wrong, and the potential consequences, even I (as no great fan of these trade associations) don't recommend it.

 

[skyw@lker]

It's unlikely that they did anything with your lights.
But, I hope you made Trading Standards aware of those doing ILLEGAL gas work ? It is illegal (as in a criminal offence) to do gas work (with some limited exceptions that do not apply to commercial work*) without being registered and it's fraud to claim that you are registered when you aren't. It's not CORGI now and hasn't been for some time - did you mean Gas Safe ? TBH they have naff all powers to do anything if the cowboys aren't members - with members they can threaten to throw them out (which would stop any half honest person doing any more gas work), but for non-members they have no powers to do anything.

* It's technically legal for someone to work on their own installation, or do work non-commercially (eg helping a friend for no consideration whatsoever). But given how easy it is to get it wrong, and the potential consequences, even I (as no great fan of these trade associations) don't recommend it.

Hi Simon, it was CORGI at the time, we are talking 16 years ago. I did not think to contact Trading Standards, they were recommended by three separate other people in the area as well.

 

[SimonH2]

Ah, so too late to do anything about it then

 

[ericmark]

View attachment 153977

Swap the yellow and black, and
make sure the right hand red is the red from the cable of the yellow and Blue. If it is NOT swap the Reds.

Exactly what I would have said. Yes no earth wires, but pre 1966 not required.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

how do I source new switches which are all plastic which match the metal toggle ones already in that room?

You don't.

You need to lose the metal ones.