Hi,

The ceiling switch for my bathroom light (pull cord) recently broke, and I
would like to replace it.
I have obtained a new switch which seems pretty similar to the old one.
I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

Does this setup ring a bell? Will it be a problem switching over to the new
pull switch? I have a fair bit of experience with DIY, but not with any
mains electrical stuff, so I was wondering how safe this was all going to
be....

Many thanks,
Mike

On Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:51:56 GMT, Mike wrote:

Hi,

The ceiling switch for my bathroom light (pull cord) recently broke, and I
would like to replace it.
I have obtained a new switch which seems pretty similar to the old one.
I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

Does this setup ring a bell?

No, but it should turn a light on.

Bernie The Bolt
--
'Blue shirts good, red shirts bad' - George Orwell

On Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:51:56 GMT, Mike wrote:

Hi,

The ceiling switch for my bathroom light (pull cord) recently broke, and I
would like to replace it.
I have obtained a new switch which seems pretty similar to the old one.
I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

How many terminals on the new pull switch? If there are only two terminals
then the red goes in one, the black into the other.

If there are three, i.e. the pull switch is suitable for two-way wiring,
there should be ambossed onto the switch 'Common' (or similar), in which
case the red wire should go into the common terminal, the black wire into
either of the remaining.

The new switch should preferably have a mounting pattress. There will
probably be a terminal in the pattress for the earth wire, which will
probably not be connected to anything else, as there's no provision for
anything to be earthed on the switch.

Does this setup ring a bell? Will it be a problem switching over to the new
pull switch? I have a fair bit of experience with DIY, but not with any
mains electrical stuff, so I was wondering how safe this was all going to
be....

I think that rather depends on whether you switch everything off at the
consumer unit before you begin......[1]

[1] You are, of course, going to do that, aren't you? :-)


--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

Mike wrote:
Hi,

The ceiling switch for my bathroom light (pull cord) recently broke, and I
would like to replace it.
I have obtained a new switch which seems pretty similar to the old one.
I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

Does this setup ring a bell? Will it be a problem switching over to the new
pull switch? I have a fair bit of experience with DIY, but not with any
mains electrical stuff, so I was wondering how safe this was all going to
be....

Many thanks,
Mike

Should be C or Common for the neutral

On 2 Oct 2006 09:06:40 -0700, Staffbull wrote:

Mike wrote:
Hi,

The ceiling switch for my bathroom light (pull cord) recently broke, and I
would like to replace it.
I have obtained a new switch which seems pretty similar to the old one.
I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

Does this setup ring a bell? Will it be a problem switching over to the new
pull switch? I have a fair bit of experience with DIY, but not with any
mains electrical stuff, so I was wondering how safe this was all going to
be....

Many thanks,
Mike

Should be C or Common for the neutral

Err, there's unlikely to be a neutral at the switch - just a live and a
switch wire.

--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

The Wanderer wrote:
On 2 Oct 2006 09:06:40 -0700, Staffbull wrote:

Mike wrote:
Hi,

The ceiling switch for my bathroom light (pull cord) recently broke, and I
would like to replace it.
I have obtained a new switch which seems pretty similar to the old one.
I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

Does this setup ring a bell? Will it be a problem switching over to the new
pull switch? I have a fair bit of experience with DIY, but not with any
mains electrical stuff, so I was wondering how safe this was all going to
be....

Many thanks,

Yep sorry meant "black" wire
Mike

Should be C or Common for the neutral

Err, there's unlikely to be a neutral at the switch - just a live and a
switch wire.

--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

On Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:51:56 GMT someone who may be Mike
wrote this:-

I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

Coming out of the ceiling and into the existing switch? If so then
the black wire undoubtedly goes to a terminal marked C, Com or
Common. You should find the same terminals on the new switch.
Connect the wires to the same terminals.

If the new switch has a terminal marked L2 then check the screw in
the terminal is done up fully and then ignore it.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

On Mon, 02 Oct 2006 17:22:43 +0100, David Hansen wrote:

I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

Coming out of the ceiling and into the existing switch? If so then
the black wire undoubtedly goes to a terminal marked C, Com or
Common. You should find the same terminals on the new switch.
Connect the wires to the same terminals.

OK, I see a "common" on the new switch. I guess that's where the black wire
goes...

If the new switch has a terminal marked L2 then check the screw in
the terminal is done up fully and then ignore it.

It has L1 and L2, so good to know I can ignore L2.

Thanks for your help!

Mike

On Mon, 2 Oct 2006 17:04:28 +0100, The Wanderer wrote:

Does this setup ring a bell? Will it be a problem switching over to the new
pull switch? I have a fair bit of experience with DIY, but not with any
mains electrical stuff, so I was wondering how safe this was all going to
be....

I think that rather depends on whether you switch everything off at the
consumer unit before you begin......[1]

[1] You are, of course, going to do that, aren't you? :-)

Erm, of course... the consumer unit would be a fuse box to the
uninitiated, would it?

Thanks very much for your reply,
Mike

Mike wrote:

On Mon, 02 Oct 2006 17:22:43 +0100, David Hansen wrote:


I have three wires coming out of the ceiling: red, black and green/yellow
(earth). The red wire is in a terminal marked "L1". I can't make out what
the black wire goes into.

Coming out of the ceiling and into the existing switch? If so then
the black wire undoubtedly goes to a terminal marked C, Com or
Common. You should find the same terminals on the new switch.
Connect the wires to the same terminals.


OK, I see a "common" on the new switch. I guess that's where the black wire
goes...

By rights, the black wire ought to have red sleaving or tape round it to
indicate that it is really a live!

It has L1 and L2, so good to know I can ignore L2.

Or ignore L1 if you prefer, since with a pull switch you can't see which
way is "on" by looking at it. The switch action is a "change over" type
i.e. common is connected to L1 or L2 each time you switch it swaps.


So you start out like:

L1
#========
COM /
======#
L2
#========


Then you switch to:

L1
#========
COM
======#
\ L2
#========




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 01:19:09 +0100, John Rumm wrote:

So you start out like:

L1
#========
COM /
======#
L2
#========


Then you switch to:

L1
#========
COM
======#
\ L2
#========

Thanks for that! A picture is worth.....


Mike