Removing ceiling pull cord from bedroom

[Gapok]

So... Looking at taking out the old fashioned pull cord from the ceiling in the bedroom and putting a dimmer switch into the wall where the original switch was.

At the switch are three wires - red, blue and yellow in one casing.

At the pull cord 5 wires - from one casing: red, blue and yellow; from second casing black and red. The reds are connected together, the blue and black connected together and the yellow separate.

At the ceiling rose 5 wires - from one casing: red, blue and yellow; from second casing black and red. Going into the light: black to live; blue to neutral; yellow to earth; both reds together in seperate terminal.

How can I do this? help! Please

 

[eveares]

I assume the wall switch still works. Simply remove the ceiling pull switch, and connect the two red wires together, the black and yellow wires together, and terminate the blue wire on it's own. Do this in a maintenance free junction box what can then be placed above the ceiling.

You can then replace the wall switch with the dimmer of your choice, The Red wire becomes your Line/Live and the Yellow wire (what should be sleeved red) becomes your Switched Line/Live. Again, terminate the blue wire on it's own.

Also, if you have not got an effective earth at the wall switch, make sure you get a plastic or class II double insulated dimmer.

The below diagram will hopefully illustrate how it is likely wired up at the moment, baring your explanation of course:

Thread-456453-Pic1

• eveares
• 30 Mar 2016

Regards: Elliott

 

[Gapok]

Hi Elliott

Thanks for your reply.

Using the configuration you described above, when I turned the supply back on, the light turned on, but the switch didn't work (I changed switches to make sure that wasn't the switch that didn't work)...

Any ideas?
Thks

 

[eveares]

Photos of the switch, junction box, rose, etc... would be helpful. I could very well be wrong about the cable going to the wall switch from the pull switch, but your original post read that was most likely.

Also for LED/CFL bulbs, normal dimmers can't be used.

What else have you tried? How did the two switches operate originally?

 

[Gapok]

Hey,

First I changed the rocker to a dimmer... All worked fine... Then I removed the pull cord and the lights stopped working. The cord disintegrated in my hands when removing it! However, before it was all working.

Photos show dimmer at wall, two of the ceiling light and then the wires where the pull switch were.

Thks

 

[Gapok]

By moving the red wires at the light to the live turns the light on but the switch won't then work (I've tried with both the dimmer and the rocker)...

 

[Taylortwocities]

The reds are connected together, the blue and black connected together and the yellow separate.

Are you SURE????????????. Your picture of the old pull switch indicates the reds together, YELLOW and black together and the BLUE separate??????

 

[Gapok]

That was taken after Elliott's advice... Originally was reds together, blue and black together and yellow seperate.

 

[eveares]

From looking at your photos and the types of wire (solid vs stranded), It looks like it is wired to my original diagram - However there may be several junction boxes up in the loft/ceiling cavity what could complicate the matter and make my diagram incorrect and misleading. Have you tried putting it back to how it was originally and wiring up a maintenance free JB as the pull switch was originally wired up?

 

[Gapok]

That's what I've just done. There was a junction box in the roof which was wrongly wired. Sorted that and it all works.

Thank-you so much for your help!

 

[sparkwright]

I am concerned your wiring doesn't seem to have earth wires.

You must not have a metal switch plate that doesn't have a working earth connection to it.

Also, at the metal light fitting I see there is a yellow wire going to the earth terminal.

Are you certain that yellow wire actually is an earth wire?

You need to be sure of all this, as the consequences could be fatal if that is in fact a live wire.

If you do check this, be certain the power is definitely off.

All in all, your installation is very dated, and I would strongly advise getting an electrician round to inspect the wiring.

There's too much exposed copper at most of the connections too.

It all looks quite DANGEROUS to me and should be checked by someone competent.

 

[sparkwright]

Earth wires should normally be green AND yellow, or just green if older.

I think this needs further investigation - safely though.

 

[Echo the husky]

It all looks quite DANGEROUS to me and should be checked by someone competent.

I also agree with this.

Is that back box wooden?! There aren't too many of those still around.