On 3 Mar 2007 03:43:07 -0800, "Cap'n" mused:

On 3 Mar, 11:37, Lurch wrote:
On 3 Mar 2007 03:11:32 -0800, "Cap'n" mused:



Hi... The other day my bathroom light/fan switch (double switch/single
gang), got burning hot to the touch. I pulled the fuse & unscrewed the
switch - you can see it here (hope this works!):

[IMG]http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k251/Captain_Black_/
DSCN0666.jpg[/IMG]

As you can see, there are 4 incoming red wires , and 1 yellow. There
is also 1 red going from one terminal to another. Three of the red
wires go into the same terminal, & it looks like it's here that the
problem started (if you tilted the switch upwards & looked at it head-
on, the left switch is for the single light, and the right switch is
for the second light + the extractor fan).

What I don't understand is if this was supposed to *be* like this (and
has been working as such), why this happened?

If it's been working then obviously it's correct, don't start playing
with it and trying to wrk out what it's doing.

The reason it's hapend is because some plum has rammed too many cables
in one terminal without securing them adequately and this has resulted
in arcing and burning, which has eventually got to this stage by
gradually becoming worse and worse as more arcing occurs and the
resistance builds up every time you use the lights.

Can anyone offer advice?

Call an electrician.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

Too optimistic to assume cutting back the wires & connecting them back
up the same way (making sure all's secure) would work?

A bit, yeah. The switch is bin fodder now, it's ****ed, u\s,
knackered.

You need a new switch, and soe rearrangement of the wires so you have
2 in one common terminal terminal and 3 in the other rather than 4 in
one.
--
Regards,
Stuart.