Plug sockets not working, but were before...

[ban-all-sheds]

incidentally, the "All looks quite confusing" quote was tongue in cheek.

Of course.

See this: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting

It's more likely than not that you don't have a neutral at the switches, so you won't be able to connect the new light as you plan - you'll need to connect it to the lighting circuit proper.

All looks quite confusing...!

"All looks quite confusing...!" is obviously tongue-in-cheek, how silly of me not to have realised that, particularly as the original question was clearly not a serious enquiry about powering a light from a switch but was only asked so as to get things right as regards to Part P.

And besides, I was enquiring out of interest rather than something I was going to carry out...

Of course.

I have a double switch in my kitchen that only one half is connected (to the ceiling lights)

Is there an easy way for me to connect the other switch to an external light?

Obviously i'd drill through the wall to take the wires out from the switch, but this would just create a localised circuit for that light - how do I join this into the main circuit without it being affected by the other switch?

Thanks

Now that I look at it again it's obvious that that question was only asked out of interest, not because it was something you actually wanted to do, and that you really asked it because you wanted to know what the Building Regulations are.

Also its completely irrelevant to this thread...

No - definitely not relevant at all.

There is definitely no clear picture emerging here of someone who is in denial about his true level of competence, who thinks that a 10-year old A-level in electronics has taught him all he needs to know and refuses to learn anything else, who gets bent out of shape when a bit of learning is suggested and who thinks that all he needs is to be led by the nose and that will make him perfectly safe to work with things that can kill if not done properly.

Go away.

 

[vaderag]

o worries, glad to be of assistance.
Whilst you are checking the neutral conductors, it is also important that you assure your CPC/earth cable has also got continuity, if not it is a potential danger.
Whilst the sockets will work if your line and neutral conductors are fitted correctly, you will have no evidence that the CPC/earth is continuous and that is why it is best to have a multi-meter for these tests.

Yes, i'll do that. Can you tell me what sort of readings I should be looking for on the multimeter?[/quote]

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Stop teasing us - you know what "continuity" means.

After all - it's not rocket science and you have an A-Level in electronics.

 

[vaderag]

Stop teasing us - you know what "continuity" means.

After all - it's not rocket science and you have an A-Level in electronics.

FYI, I've ignored you - you havent added one bit of useful information in this thread that's going to assist with my problem.
I was looking for assistance and some people have been helpful, but you've just gone on a rant... go annoy someone else in some other thread - I wont be reading any more of your posts...

 

[xr4x4]

Have you checked that the screws are making contact with the copper not the insulation.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Yes, i'll do that. Can you tell me what sort of readings I should be looking for on the multimeter?

Over a short distance you will be looking for a closed circuit reading between R1+R2 (line and CPC/earth) that is a very low.
2.5mm T&E over a metre in length should be showing less than 0.01 ohm, but may show 0.01 ohms or even 0.00 ohms but it is a closed circuit reading and that is what you need to prove.
The same results would be seen on end to end tests on the conductors over a short distance.

 

[vaderag]

Yes, i'll do that. Can you tell me what sort of readings I should be looking for on the multimeter?

Over a short distance you will be looking for a closed circuit reading between R1+R2 (line and CPC/earth) that is a very low.
2.5mm T&E over a metre in length should be showing less than 0.01 ohm, but may show 0.01 ohms or even 0.00 ohms but it is a closed circuit reading and that is what you need to prove.
The same results would be seen on end to end tests on the conductors over a short distance.

Okay, great - makes sense - i'd borrowed my mates Mm previously, but will pick up my own from Maplin tomorrow.

Have you checked that the screws are making contact with the copper not the insulation.

Read more: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2069856#2069856#ixzz1U3OLoPD7[/QUOTE]

I think thats my next line of enquiry so to speak. It's possible that i've caught the insulation, but the fact it was working on initial testing seems to make this unlikely...

Thanks

 

[cajar]

Stop teasing us - you know what "continuity" means.

After all - it's not rocket science and you have an A-Level in electronics.

FYI, I've ignored you - you havent added one bit of useful information in this thread that's going to assist with my problem.
I was looking for assistance and some people have been helpful, but you've just gone on a rant... go annoy someone else in some other thread - I wont be reading any more of your posts...

It's his life - ranting at people who ask for advice. In reply to every thread he posts a link to books and a rant about part P while other posters just help the guy. In his opinion of course, he's saving them and people around them from dangerous installations. In reality, he's something incidental on this site that appears before and after useful advice.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

FYI, I've ignored you - you havent added one bit of useful information in this thread that's going to assist with my problem.
I was looking for assistance and some people have been helpful, but you've just gone on a rant... go annoy someone else in some other thread - I wont be reading any more of your posts...

There are none so blind....

Anyway - this is not a reply to vaderag - that would be pointless.

It's an appeal to everybody else to stop encouraging him to continue blundering about.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

In reply to every thread he posts a link to books

And you can present an intelligent and reasoned explanation of why people who want to do electrical work shouldn't actually have to understand a thing about what they are doing, can you?

and a rant about part P

Will you be able to show where I rant about Part P in every thread (or indeed in any)?

Or will you apologise for that falsehood?

while other posters just help the guy.

And you can present an intelligent and reasoned explanation of why telling people how to muddle through by getting them to do things which they don't understand is truly helping them, whereas getting them to learn about the things they want to do is not, can you?

In reality, he's something incidental on this site that appears before and after useful advice.

And you can present an intelligent and reasoned explanation of why showing people where they can learn about what they want to do, and to become genuinely knowledgeable, is not useful, can you?

 

[xr4x4]

Must be difficult up on that throne.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Must be difficult up on that throne.

EIIR

Some people seem to manage it.

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

Ban all sheds has done this on every forum he's been a member of. He's been banned from at least two of them. Unless he's actually changed job he isn't actually an electrician either - he's just a knowledgeable amateur AKA DIYer.

Ho hum.

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

Must be difficult up on that throne.

EIIR

Some people seem to manage it.

Ah but she's been bred and trained for the job

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Must be difficult up on that throne.

What throne?

I simply believe that if people want to do electrical work that they should genuinely understand it, not just follow instructions without really knowing what they are doing.

Can you explain what's wrong with that, i.e. explain why people should be encouraged to do electrical work when they don't really know what they are doing?