Light Switch Wiring

[racingmars]

hi all,

Hopefully a really simple piece of help this time.

i want to replace a standard plastic light switch with a new fancy chrome one. however, the wiring behind confused me a little.

the switch is a standard single plastic switch which operates two lights in the room, both of which are either on or off, no splitting. The switch itself has the standard single switch layout on the back L at the top, with L1 bottom left and L2 bottom right.

the wiring in the switch currently runs as follows;

Earth: screwed into backing plate of switch.
Live 1 (red): into top of switch marked L
Live 2 (red): into bottom left of switch marked L1
Neutral 1 (black): into an independent plastic junction block loose inside backing plate.
Neutral 2 (black): into same side of loose junction block.

NB. L2 (bottom right on the switch) is empty.

Although this seems to work fine, given that the new switch is chrome, i really don't want to take any chances and as such thought that you guys would be the ideal people to ask.

thanks,

Joe

 

[Killer]

sounds like they've done the light units connection within the light switch rather than in a loop-in rose or separate junction box.
one red/black pair will run directly to the the lights, one red/bacl pair will run to the mains supply.

although it works it's not great in my opinion, that neutral connection ought to be happening else where where it's unlikely to come into contact with you if it ever came loose. syaing all that i'm sure a pro will come along in a minute with some words of safety advice

 

[danlightbulb]

Wire it up the same.

Put one red wire into L and one red wire into L1.

Leave the neutrals alone.

The earth should be connected to both the earth connection on the chrome switch and also to the metal back box. You should put a link in with earth sleeving if this is not currently there.

 

[racingmars]

hi,

thanks to you both, i will do as you advised.


joe