OK first off I’m very sorry for such a dumb question and I’m very sorry.
I have just had some decorating done and want to replace the light
switch and the 2 water heating switches i have, one is for daytime use
and the other is for Economy 7 water heating and both have neon light
and one has "Water Heating" wrote on it, i thought it would be a simple
job to look at screwfix and jot the numbers down and wizz down there,
however i could not be more wrong.

I see 1 way/2 way/1 gang/2 gang (no gangbang, soz) is there any way i
can make sure i don't blow myself and the block up i live in, don't want
anything fancy just simple white stuff just so long as it's safe.

Once again sorry for the real stupid question, but i have learnt it's
best to be safe than sorry, as last time i done some electrical work, i
used proper wire cutters to cut the wire..... Just forgot to unplug the
plug from the socket and didn't feel right for a few hours afterwards,
for some reason my arm was tingling.. I know

On Thursday, 9 July 2015 00:57:25 UTC+1, Jim wrote:
OK first off I'm very sorry for such a dumb question and I'm very sorry.
I have just had some decorating done and want to replace the light
switch and the 2 water heating switches i have, one is for daytime use
and the other is for Economy 7 water heating and both have neon light
and one has "Water Heating" wrote on it, i thought it would be a simple
job to look at screwfix and jot the numbers down and wizz down there,
however i could not be more wrong.

I see 1 way/2 way/1 gang/2 gang (no gangbang, soz) is there any way i
can make sure i don't blow myself and the block up i live in, don't want
anything fancy just simple white stuff just so long as it's safe.

Once again sorry for the real stupid question, but i have learnt it's
best to be safe than sorry, as last time i done some electrical work, i
used proper wire cutters to cut the wire..... Just forgot to unplug the
plug from the socket and didn't feel right for a few hours afterwards,
for some reason my arm was tingling.. I know

These are very simple matters but hard to explain if you have no knowledge at all.
Probably best to get someone in even if only a helpful neighbour.

In message , Jim
writes
OK first off Im very sorry for such a dumb question and Im very sorry.

Asking questions when you aren't sure isn't dumb, not asking the
question and then buggering something up is dumb. We all have to start
somewhere.

I have just had some decorating done and want to replace the light
switch and the 2 water heating switches i have, one is for daytime use
and the other is for Economy 7 water heating and both have neon light
and one has "Water Heating" wrote on it, i thought it would be a simple
job to look at screwfix and jot the numbers down and wizz down there,
however i could not be more wrong.

I see 1 way/2 way/1 gang/2 gang (no gangbang, soz) is there any way i
can make sure i don't blow myself and the block up i live in, don't
want anything fancy just simple white stuff just so long as it's safe.


1 way/2 way refers to light switches - 2 way are used for 2 way
switching for things like landing lights - though they can be used on
normal lights as well.

Gangs refers to the numbers of switches on the switch plate - so 2
switches together would be 2 gang.

For the water heater you want 20A switches, like these:

http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical...kets/cat830530
#category=cat830530&producttype=20a_switch

For the lights, assuming just a 1 way switching (just one switch) then
any light switch will do.

http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical...kets/cat830530
#category=cat830530&producttype=light_switch

Note if you did want to fit a metal lightswitch you would need to make
sure the lighting system has an earth, as older systems (1960's) don't
always.


Once again sorry for the real stupid question, but i have learnt it's
best to be safe than sorry,

Indeed.

as last time i done some electrical work, i used proper wire cutters to
cut the wire..... Just forgot to unplug the plug from the socket and
didn't feel right for a few hours afterwards, for some reason my arm
was tingling.. I know

I doubt there many people who have done electrical work who haven't done
something similar
--
Chris French

On 09/07/15 08:14, Chris French wrote:

Note if you did want to fit a metal lightswitch you would need to make
sure the lighting system has an earth, as older systems (1960's) don't
always.

Even systems from 1985 did not always take an earth to every point even
if the lighting was notionally "with earth".

It would be unheard of now, but I guess back then as few sparkies had
some twin-no-earth kicking around.

On Thu, 9 Jul 2015 08:14:50 +0100, Chris French wrote:

Asking questions when you aren't sure isn't dumb, not asking the
question and then buggering something up is dumb. We all have to start
somewhere.

Aye, "The only stupid question is the one that isn't asked".

Jim has already learnt the hard way that the mains hurts, knows his
required knowledge is lacking and is asking questions to enhance his
knowledge. Let's support that.

Getting some one round who has the proper knowledge to
advise/supervise (not do) the work is probably best as although the
tasks are simple, there are any number of simple gotchas as well.

"Obvious" things, like don't just undo all the wires and remove the
switch, examine what is connected to what. If it's more that 2 wires
into two seperate terminals, photograph, write down wire colour
terminal marking, label/mark the wires if there are multiple ones of
the same colour etc. The aim to being able to reliably put back the
old switch, as it was, should it all go pear shaped.

Do one at a time, complete and test each one before moving to the
next. Remembering that the E7 circuit won't be (shouldn't be!) live
until the night rate starts sometime after midnight.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 09/07/2015 00:57, Jim wrote:
OK first off I’m very sorry for such a dumb question and I’m very sorry.
I have just had some decorating done and want to replace the light
switch and the 2 water heating switches i have, one is for daytime use
and the other is for Economy 7 water heating and both have neon light
and one has "Water Heating" wrote on it, i thought it would be a simple
job to look at screwfix and jot the numbers down and wizz down there,
however i could not be more wrong.

Nothing wrong with asking ;-) The only really dumb question is the one
you don't ask sometimes.

I see 1 way/2 way/1 gang/2 gang (no gangbang, soz) is there any way i
can make sure i don't blow myself and the block up i live in, don't want
anything fancy just simple white stuff just so long as it's safe.

ok 1 and 2 way - applies to light switches. 1 way switches have two
contacts, and when you operate the switch it either joins or parts those
two.

2 way switches have three contacts - when you switch, one of them (the
"common") is connected to one of the others (but never both at the same
time).

The short answer is for two way switching (i.e. one light switched from
more than one switch) you must use a 2 way switch. For other
applications - you can use either type - but the 1 way version might be
slightly cheaper.

See two way switching here :

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?..._Way_Switching


Gang - means how many physical switches are mounted on the plate. A
normal light switch is 1 gang - i.e. has one switch. However you can get
two and three gang for switching more lights independently from the same
one. Two gang switches are often combined with two way ones to allow the
landing and hall lights to be switched from either end of the stairs.

Water heater switches:

Make sure the switches you get for this are 20A versions and not light
switches. You don't need the engraving or the neon (unless you want
one), but the current handling capacity is important. These types of
switches may look similar to a light switch, but are heavier in
operation and normally have double pole contacts (i.e. 4 terminals, to
allow both live and neutral to be switched at the same time)

Once again sorry for the real stupid question, but i have learnt it's
best to be safe than sorry, as last time i done some electrical work, i
used proper wire cutters to cut the wire..... Just forgot to unplug the
plug from the socket and didn't feel right for a few hours afterwards,
for some reason my arm was tingling.. I know


--
Cheers,

John.

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

On 7/9/2015 5:17 AM, Dave Liquorice wrote:

"Obvious" things, like don't just undo all the wires and remove the
switch, examine what is connected to what. If it's more that 2 wires
into two seperate terminals, photograph, write down wire colour
terminal marking, label/mark the wires if there are multiple ones of
the same colour etc. The aim to being able to reliably put back the
old switch, as it was, should it all go pear shaped.

Use your phone/camera to document each step, too.

On Thursday, 9 July 2015 00:57:25 UTC+1, Jim wrote:
OK first off I'm very sorry for such a dumb question and I'm very sorry.
I have just had some decorating done and want to replace the light
switch and the 2 water heating switches i have, one is for daytime use
and the other is for Economy 7 water heating and both have neon light
and one has "Water Heating" wrote on it, i thought it would be a simple
job to look at screwfix and jot the numbers down and wizz down there,
however i could not be more wrong.

I see 1 way/2 way/1 gang/2 gang (no gangbang, soz) is there any way i
can make sure i don't blow myself and the block up i live in, don't want
anything fancy just simple white stuff just so long as it's safe.

Once again sorry for the real stupid question, but i have learnt it's
best to be safe than sorry, as last time i done some electrical work, i
used proper wire cutters to cut the wire..... Just forgot to unplug the
plug from the socket and didn't feel right for a few hours afterwards,
for some reason my arm was tingling.. I know

there are some switches on the market, or were a few months ago, that are excessively stiff to operate. If buying unbranded just check they operate ok first.


NT

On 09/07/2015 08:14, Chris French wrote:
In message , Jim
writes
OK first off Im very sorry for such a dumb question and Im very sorry.

Asking questions when you aren't sure isn't dumb, not asking the
question and then buggering something up is dumb. We all have to start
somewhere.

I have just had some decorating done and want to replace the light
switch and the 2 water heating switches i have, one is for daytime
use and the other is for Economy 7 water heating and both have neon
light and one has "Water Heating" wrote on it, i thought it would be
a simple job to look at screwfix and jot the numbers down and wizz
down there, however i could not be more wrong.

I see 1 way/2 way/1 gang/2 gang (no gangbang, soz) is there any way i
can make sure i don't blow myself and the block up i live in, don't
want anything fancy just simple white stuff just so long as it's safe.


1 way/2 way refers to light switches - 2 way are used for 2 way
switching for things like landing lights - though they can be used on
normal lights as well.

Gangs refers to the numbers of switches on the switch plate - so 2
switches together would be 2 gang.

For the water heater you want 20A switches, like these:

http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical...kets/cat830530
#category=cat830530&producttype=20a_switch

For the lights, assuming just a 1 way switching (just one switch) then
any light switch will do.

http://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical...kets/cat830530
#category=cat830530&producttype=light_switch

Note if you did want to fit a metal lightswitch you would need to make
sure the lighting system has an earth, as older systems (1960's) don't
always.


Once again sorry for the real stupid question, but i have learnt it's
best to be safe than sorry,

Indeed.

as last time i done some electrical work, i used proper wire cutters
to cut the wire..... Just forgot to unplug the plug from the socket
and didn't feel right for a few hours afterwards, for some reason my
arm was tingling.. I know

I doubt there many people who have done electrical work who haven't
done something similar

Chris and everyone else who has replied many thanks for all your help,
not only have i been able to buy the bits i need but i have also learnt
something as well, never too old and all that lot, thanks for all the
advice and yes i will be taking pictures before i start and marking the
cable etc, so once again many thx for all your help folks

Jim