I replaced a rather stiff cord switch for an elderly friend today. The
existing switch wasn't particularly old.

The installation must be 60's or earlier. It has an old brown Wylex unit
with wired fuses.

The switch had a neutral on the earth terminal. Clearly wrong, but was it
ever a convention to loop in a neutral to a ceiling switch? An extractor is
also fed from the switch. Therefore there were 3 blacks on the earth
terminal, and two reds on each side of the switch (incoming live was looped
in).

Obviously I am concerned - but if left alone I can't see a danger to it.
When the house eventually changes ownership a rewire will be required as
there are signs of some even older fittings.

What do you think?

--


Regards

John

John wrote:

The switch had a neutral on the earth terminal. Clearly wrong, but was it
ever a convention to loop in a neutral to a ceiling switch? An extractor is
also fed from the switch. Therefore there were 3 blacks on the earth
terminal, and two reds on each side of the switch (incoming live was looped
in).

Obviously I am concerned - but if left alone I can't see a danger to it.
When the house eventually changes ownership a rewire will be required as
there are signs of some even older fittings.

What do you think?

There's nothing wrong with routing the neutral through a switch
enclosure if it suits the physical layout of the wiring to do so. (The
technique's sometimes called the 'switch feed' system of wiring.)
Obviously any terminal used for connecting neutral wires together must
be insulated to the same standard as for 'live.' This clearly rules out
using the earth terminal in a metal box for the purpose. With most
plastic boxes though, you'd be OK.

The obvious question in your case is if the earth terminal was used for
neutral, then how are the earths (CPCs) connected? Or do we deduce that
the age of the installation is such that there are no earth wires to
connect? If the latter then that is a cause for concern, and as you
say, re-wiring is indicated in the not too distant...

--
Andy

"Andy Wade" wrote in message
...
John wrote:

The switch had a neutral on the earth terminal. Clearly wrong, but was it
ever a convention to loop in a neutral to a ceiling switch? An extractor
is also fed from the switch. Therefore there were 3 blacks on the earth
terminal, and two reds on each side of the switch (incoming live was
looped in).

Obviously I am concerned - but if left alone I can't see a danger to it.
When the house eventually changes ownership a rewire will be required as
there are signs of some even older fittings.

What do you think?

There's nothing wrong with routing the neutral through a switch enclosure
if it suits the physical layout of the wiring to do so. (The technique's
sometimes called the 'switch feed' system of wiring.) Obviously any
terminal used for connecting neutral wires together must be insulated to
the same standard as for 'live.' This clearly rules out using the earth
terminal in a metal box for the purpose. With most plastic boxes though,
you'd be OK.

The obvious question in your case is if the earth terminal was used for
neutral, then how are the earths (CPCs) connected? Or do we deduce that
the age of the installation is such that there are no earth wires to
connect? If the latter then that is a cause for concern, and as you say,
re-wiring is indicated in the not too distant...

--
Andy

Thanks - no evidence of earths on this circuit. The feed to the extractor
had one that had been cut off. I think the fan was fitted less the 10 years
ago.