Weird hall light wiring

[Roger465]

Will have a go when I get home

 

[securespark]

Cramped because I think the accessories are flat plate and the boxes look like 25mm.

 

[Roger465]

Cramped because I think the accessories are flat plate and the boxes look like 25mm.

Now I know what that means OK I took the unit off, couldn't see anything obviously wrong, so did what I do with computers, cars etc - swapped the two units round to see if the fault moved or stayed. It moved, and it's really obvious now that the - what's it called - FSC - is faulty, as it still spits and crackles on a different set of wires, and the bottom one is fine

BUT as you've spotted, there simply isn't any way to get it fully into the socket. The utter, utter wakner who has butchered everything to do with every aspect of this house has worked his magic here too - he works for the council housing maintenance department, has obviously nicked whatever wasn't bolted down, then attempted to fit it.

He's found that it doesn't fit, so has just left it hanging out of the wall

So off to Screwfix now I reckon, to try and get a couple of units with a bit more space behind them...

Take one out and put it in the terminal next door to it.
The middle switch should be an intermediate switch.

OH! By the way, I got an intermediate switch, moved the wire in the other one as you suggested, and the hall lights now work as intended - thanks

 

[mwatsonxx]

he works for the council housing maintenance department

AKA, incompetance R us and proud of it.

 

[Roger465]

AKA, incompetance R us and proud of it.

It's actually scary

 

[Roger465]

Phew... what a day. So I got two new units, with a bit more clearance, but they still wouldn't push in - there was just too much wiring in the boxes.

Untangled all the wires, marked them, took them off, decided which ones I could shorten... deep breath, snip snip... and managed to shoehorn it all in. As a non-spark, I marvel at what is routinely shoehorned into tiny places. There must be a better way of doing it...?

Anyway, here we go - not as swish as the chrome ones, but hey - they work now

Thanks SO much to everybody for all your help - it's invaluable to people like me

 

[John D v2.0]

Glad you got sorted but the main thing is I hope you learnt something useful for next time! Take care and happy diying (but no new circuits of course or modifications to bathroom zone circuitry)

 

[Roger465]

Glad you got sorted but the main thing is I hope you learnt something useful for next time! Take care and happy diying (but no new circuits of course or modifications to bathroom zone circuitry)

Cheers John, the learning is part of the fun. No, when younger, I would take all sorts of risks, but one of the very few advantages of old age is learning the value of listening to people I know better.

Funny how you mention the bathroom - I'm just rewiring the electric shower at the moment while it's switched on, but I know it's OK as I'm standing in the water in my bare feet