Moving a light switch to stub wall query?

[kevsterdiy]

Hi all

In short;
I wanted to confirm that I cannot fit a relocated light switch in a stud wall with a plastic dry lining box as the switch wire wouldn't be earthed?

or can you buy a metal dry line box?

Full reason explained below.

Thanks a lot.



I recently moved a light switch in one room where the door had been hung the other way by previous owner. This was a case of blanking of the old switch, using the same switch wire and running it down the inside of a stud wall the other side of the door and fitting an architrave surface mounted switch.

But i now want to move another in my mums house, for the same reason. She would prefer a flush fitted switch as it is not near the door frame, just along the wall.
I don't have a problem in running the cable (once I've checked for batons in the stud wall) but with a dry lining plastic box i would be unable to earth the switch wire.

 

[hairyben]

put it in a conecter. If you use a plastic box & switch, you just don't require it.

 

[ricicle]

If you have no earth in the switch wire then you will be better off with a plastic dry lining box and a non-metallic switch.
This is a clue that your wiring might need an inspection/upgrading as earths were introduced into lighting circuits around 1966.

 

[ricicle]

Sorry mis read - has the switch wire got an earth in it?

 

[kevsterdiy]

Sorry mis read - has the switch wire got an earth in it?

Sorry i didn't state it very clearly. Yes it does have earth in switch wire - it's an 80's house.

 

[ricicle]

put it in a conecter. If you use a plastic box & switch, you just don't require it.

 

[kevsterdiy]

put it in a conecter. If you use a plastic box & switch, you just don't require it.

So to put in laymans terms the earth wire is there to earth either a metal back box or metal switch? not the switch 'it's self'?

 

[kevsterdiy]

put it in a conecter. If you use a plastic box & switch, you just don't require it.

So to put in laymans terms the earth wire is there to earth either a metal back box or metal switch? not the switch 'it's self'?

answered my own question, the surface box i used in my house has an earth terminal but is it does nothing other than fix the earth wire!

 

[ricicle]

The earth wire is there to earth anything metallic on the circuit - in this case a metal box or possibly a switch. But if your switch has neither then the earth wire is not needed and can be terminated in a connector by itself.

 

[kevsterdiy]

great stuff, thanks.