Wooden light switch back box

[Leelad]

Howdy all!

We've recently moved in our house and upon removing one of the plastic light switches to replace with a metal one, i found, 3 red wires and a wooden back box, this was the same in another room too!

Has anyone EVER seen this, or have i got a crappy "unique" set up here!!

Lee

 

[sparkybird]

No, they were common, so it's probably quite old. If you can't confirm that you have an earth at each light switch, please DON'T replace the plastic switches with metal ones

SB

 

[Qedelec]

I feel a lighting circuit rewire coming on........

P.S nice to hear from you sparkybird.

 

[comms]

Howdy all!

We've recently moved in our house and upon removing one of the plastic light switches to replace with a metal one, i found, 3 red wires and a wooden back box, this was the same in another room too!

Has anyone EVER seen this, or have i got a rubbishy "unique" set up here!!

Lee

Did a pir a week or so ago for a cople who had inherited the place & were going to rent it out straight away but letting agent wanted pir done first.
Found a TT system that had all circuits wired in vir (apart from the 1960/70's decor kitchen extension, this was the most modern part of the house) no cpc to lighting circuit. All sockets had 4 wood screws (2 top & 2 bottom) mounting them to the back boxes. Light switches had little square lugs with serrated edges that the plate screw was screwed into making the serrated edge grip the wooden backbox. All the back boxes were made of wood & some were nicely dovetailed. All the pendant drops were twisted canvas covered cables & two or three pendants still had adaptors in so any appliances with a bayonet plug could be plugged in (common many moons ago so my oldman told me).
Thats the oldest install I've come across to date.