wire colours

[chaza]

i went to a job today about a two way switch. when i got there, the cables had ONLY earth and live, NO NEUTRAL. there was abour 4 cables one of which was the supply cable.
the question is; how can you have a cable with just an earth and a live, surely that defies the laws of electrics.
i have got the thing working, but i wondered if anyone else has come across this before.

 

[jj4091]

Do you mean T&E with 2 red cores? It's quite common.

 

[MR-DIAZ]

Sorry for misunderstanding but you were called out in the middle of the night ? as it´s 4:57 am ?

If it´s not changed you would never have a NEUTRAL at a light switch.

 

[chaza]

Do you mean T&E with 2 red cores? It's quite common.

NO I MEAN ONLY RED WIRES AND AN EARTH WIRE, ONE PERSON HAS SAID YOU DONT GET NEUTRAL AT A KLIOGHT SWITCH, WELL THAT FUNNY I HAVE THEM AT MINE IN MY HOME, I CHECKED.
IT IS FUNNY HOW THIS JOB I WENT TO HAD JUST RED WIRES.

 

[securespark]

No, not at all. You obviously don't have a great deal of experience with lighting circuits. The vast majority do not have a neutral at the switch position, although it is not unheard of.

You wrote: "how can you have a cable with just an earth and a live, surely that defies the laws of electrics."

This demonstrates your lack of understanding. Are you sure you should be offering your services to the public? Are you qualified? Do you have PL insurance?

 

[MR-DIAZ]

Where is this " neutral wire " connected to in your switches ??

Just because the cable is black does not means it´s neutral. Maybe it´s the switched live if so it should have red sleeving over the top of it.

The twin & earth ( 2 reds and an earth wire ) are used for switching mainly from ceiling rose to light switch as no neurtal is needed at the switch.

There´s a chance that the so called neutral by passes the switch all together

Imagine phase and neutral in a 1 way switch /////// turn the light on and BANGGGGGGG short circuit.

 

[jj4091]

Do you mean T&E with 2 red cores? It's quite common.

NO I MEAN ONLY RED WIRES AND AN EARTH WIRE, ONE PERSON HAS SAID YOU DONT GET NEUTRAL AT A KLIOGHT SWITCH, WELL THAT FUNNY I HAVE THEM AT MINE IN MY HOME, I CHECKED.
IT IS FUNNY HOW THIS JOB I WENT TO HAD JUST RED WIRES.

Yes that very funny & so are you.

 

[ricicle]

 

[Spark123]

Don't worry, its the northern sense of humour

 

[jj4091]

It's not my sense of humour, I just think he must be taking the p**s surely?

 

[ricicle]

I hope so, because I dread to think what other 'jobs' this joker could be trying to do

 

[jj4091]

For all the shortfalls of Part P one of the reasons it was introduced was to get rid of cowboys like this. I feel this shows it is not yet working & mainly continues only to make life more complicated for real tradesmen. For god's sake lets not encourage them.

 

[ebee]

This is a wind up (I hope).

Lets see if he asks about lectric travelling faster downhill than up or knotted cables causing lumpy lectric

 

[DESL]

I hate to say it but there are still some people out there dabbling with electrics - not the cowboy types but the enthusiastic amateurs - the neighbour that rewired his house all by himself at the fraction of the cost of a rip off electrician.

Had an old mate ask me to quote for a CU change his reply was "What that much to swop over a dozen wires from one box to another!! I'll do it myself it can't be that difficult"

Yesterday went to a job for someone who had moved in the day before "shower went cold after 2 mins and oven wasn't working"

10.5kw shower and cooker on same 32A breaker!!

Previous owner knew all about electrics as he had refurbished house all himself - I'm now going back to do full PIR in new year - something the customer should have done when she had survey before buying.

 

[securespark]

Yup. Folk ignore electrics when they buy a house. Or, more commonly, they have a "survey" which turns out to be only a homebuyer's survey. They think it's great, everything's OK, but they don't realise the sole purpose of such a survey is only to ensure if things go tits up, the BS get their money back...