Light circuit live, although switched off at consumer

[sxturbo]

Hi all,

Was swapping a light switch at the weekend, and switch off the upstairs light circuit, fiddling about with the wires and suddenly got an electric shock,

I checked the lights weren't on when switched off at consumer unit and they never came on so thought all was safe.

Needless to say as soon as I got the shock I just switched off the mains for the whole house and all was ok.

So my question is, any body have a clue why this happened?

 

[Nozzle]

You didn't test for dead, and the switch was on a different circuit to what you assumed it was.

Nozzle

 

[terryplumb]

Was the switch upstairs on the landing ? Did you operate the switch that you were going to work on to see if it turned light on ?
Is it a two or 3 gang switch ?

 

[sxturbo]

the switch was a single switch in my sons bedroom, which is an extension added in 89/90.

was assumed "dead" due to the light no longer switching on after turning the circuit off.. The circuit switched off was definitely the correct circuit as none of the upstairs lights switched on after turning the RCD off.

i have just purchased a voltage detector for future.

 

[terryplumb]

If you turn off the same circuit breaker now ,does it isolate sons bedroom light ?

 

[JohnW2]

Was swapping a light switch at the weekend, and switch off the upstairs light circuit, fiddling about with the wires and suddenly got an electric shock, I checked the lights weren't on when switched off at consumer unit and they never came on so thought all was safe.

Was this a 'full blown' electric shock, rather than something more akin to a 'tingle' or something 'startling'?

Kind Regards, John

 

[RF Lighting]

Neutral feedback

 

[sxturbo]

If you turn off the same circuit breaker now ,does it isolate sons bedroom light ?

yes the light does not switch on with the breaker off.

 

[sxturbo]

Was this a 'full blown' electric shock, rather than something more akin to a 'tingle' or something 'startling'?

Kind Regards, John

well i felt it and jumped back, so my recollection may be a bit ott, it was probably more likely a tingle.

 

[flameport]

was assumed "dead" due to the light no longer switching on

Never assume anything with electricity.
Test everything, both before and after disconnecting wires.

 

[sxturbo]

Never assume anything with electricity.
Test everything, both before and after disconnecting wires.

Yep definitely learnt that one.

 

[JohnW2]

well i felt it and jumped back, so my recollection may be a bit ott, it was probably more likely a tingle.

If it were just a 'tingle', that would change things a lot. That's why I asked.

Kind Regards, John

 

[sxturbo]

If it were just a 'tingle', that would change things a lot. That's why I asked.

Kind Regards, John

Not sure if that's a good thing or not tbh.

I can't really make a definitive decision as to whether it was a shock or tingle,

I didn't have hair standing on end and I wasn't thrown across the room, nor did I spasm and made to hold on to it.

I never changed the ssitchbi. The end as the new one was faulty but plan on trying again at the weekend. I'll confirm the voltage then.

 

[terryplumb]

Not sure if that's a good thing or not tbh.

I can't really make a definitive decision as to whether it was a shock or tingle,

I didn't have hair standing on end and I wasn't thrown across the room, nor did I spasm and made to hold on to it.

I never changed the ssitchbi. The end as the new one was faulty but plan on trying again at the weekend. I'll confirm the voltage then.

Well if we knew it was a ssitchbi , that explains it all

 

[SUNRAY]

ssitchbi

?