Wrongly Sleeved Switch Wire?

[wosskie]

I am in the process of replacing a single light in the hallway to a couple of downlights. The ceiling has been taken down but the wiring was put into connector blocks without me seeing it and here is my problem.

I can see the swtich wire coming from the wall to the where the ceiling rose was, it has one red wire and one black wire. The other wire going to where the ceiling rose was is coming I would assume from the next light fitting as the wire is heading straight to the next light. This wire has an earth, a red and a black with a red sleeve on it. I thought the black with the red sleeve was normally the indicator that this was the switch wire.

As I can see the switch wire coming from the wall can I be confident that the black wire with the red sleeve has actually been put on there by mistake (maybe it fell off and someone put it on in error!)

Any advice will be gratefully received!

Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

With the power off and your multimeter on a continuity/low ohms range it would have taken you less time to ID the switch cable than it did to register here and post the question...

The thing is you can't wire up lights and switches on the basis of guesswork and assumptions.

 

[Steve]

Ban, I dont come here much these days, but I have noticed a change in your attitude towards DIYers on this forum.

You seem to put them down at every opportunity.
You seem to insist that they invest in a multimeter, when the answer would be feasible for us to work out without one.
You seem to be so hung up on legalities that your replies are almost never helpful.

Since the purpose of this forum is to help people, might I suggest you be a little more helpful - as one of the people supposedly giving help? I used to have a lot of respect for your knowledge, but you are now the forums' resident grumpy old fart.

Regards.

 

[viewer]

The red takes power to the switch; the black takes it to the fitting. So it is correctly sleeved and identified as a 'live'. It is not a neutral . The loop into the fitting probably does have a black neutral which goes from light fitting to light fitting but does not go to the switch.

 

[xr4x4]

Ban, I dont come here much these days, but I have noticed a change in your attitude towards DIYers on this forum.

You seem to put them down at every opportunity.
You seem to insist that they invest in a multimeter, when the answer would be feasible for us to work out without one.
You seem to be so hung up on legalities that your replies are almost never helpful.

Since the purpose of this forum is to help people, might I suggest you be a little more helpful - as one of the people supposedly giving help? I used to have a lot of respect for your knowledge, but you are now the forums' resident grumpy old fart.

Regards.

Bang on, hes a grumpy old fart.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The red takes power to the switch; the black takes it to the fitting. So it is correctly sleeved and identified as a 'live'. It is not a neutral . The loop into the fitting probably does have a black neutral which goes from light fitting to light fitting but does not go to the switch.

I think the red sleeve is on the black of the (apparent) loop cable but there isn't one on the (apparent) switch cable which has lead to wosskie's confusion.

 

[wosskie]

I think the red sleeve is on the black of the (apparent) loop cable but there isn't one on the (apparent) switch cable which has lead to wosskie's confusion.

Thanks for the replies, EFLImpudence is correct the sleeve isn't on the cable which goes to the switch on the wall. I know this is the cable to the switch as it has been recently chased into the wall and is still waiting to be plastered.

I would normally ask my electrician friend but he is on holiday so was looking for some advice from this forum as he has recommended it before.

As I can see the cable from the switch on the wall can I assume this is the switch wire and should have the red sleeve or do I need to go and buy a multimeter to test as mentioned earlier?

 

[EFLImpudence]

As I can see the cable from the switch on the wall can I assume this is the switch wire and should have the red sleeve

Well, an electrician's advice is always "NEVER ASSUME"
It may appear obvious but you never know.

or do I need to go and buy a multimeter to test as mentioned earlier?

It would be best.

Can you definitely see where the cable with the red sleeve comes from?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You seem to put them down at every opportunity.

No, but I do not believe it is in anybody's interest, least of all theirs, to pretend that they are more competent than they are, and I do not believe - never have and never will, that anybody should do electrical work without a genuine understanding of fundamentals and underlying principles.

You seem to insist that they invest in a multimeter,

Yes, it's just as essential a tool as screwdrivers, wirecutters etc.

when the answer would be feasible for us to work out without one.

I dare say that sometimes it would be feasible to use the point of a vegetable knife instead of a screwdriver too...

You seem to be so hung up on legalities that your replies are almost never helpful.

I take it you can show examples of where I've been unhelpful because of legalities?

Since the purpose of this forum is to help people, might I suggest you be a little more helpful - as one of the people supposedly giving help? I used to have a lot of respect for your knowledge, but you are now the forums' resident grumpy old fart.

You only think that because you are mistaken about what is the best way to advise and assist people.

Take this case, for example - do you really think that the best advice is for wosskie to connect things up on the basis of guesswork and assumptions?