Light Switch

[EFLImpudence]

but can someone elaborate on why both blacks are not Neutrals and both reds not Lives given this is a single lighting circuit with a black and a red to every other light on the circuit?

To be accurate, only one of the Lives is actually Live - connected to the supply Live; the other becoming a Live when connected to it, and
only one of the Neutrals is actually Neutral - connected to the supply Neutral, the other becoming a Neutral when connected to it.

 

[winston1]

Neutrals should be black (or blue). Lives should be red (or brown). But that does not mean all blacks are neutral or all reds are live.

Bit like saying: All Frenchmen can speak French. George can speak French. Therefore George is a Frenchman.

 

[BigJock2005]

Hello all, just to close this thread off: as the switch was on a 16mm slim patten box there wasn't room for a terminal block on the switch I bought, I bought another better quality switch with a fourth "loop" terminal which avoided the need for a connector on the neutrals.

I connected the two neutral (black) wires into the loop, and the lives into the "COM" and "L1" which gives me lights off when the switch is in the up position and on when it's down.

All good now, thanks to everyone for reminding me the "COM" terminal is not a common rail for the neutral but that it needs to pass the switch entirely (the loop) with the live being connected to "COM" and the switched circuits to "L1" and "L2" for single or double gang.

Thanks again all.

 

[SUNRAY]

Thanks for the feedback and well done.