Unfamiliar lighting circuit

Lopéz

Lopéz

Lopéz

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Ottakring, Vienna.
My new house has a lighting circuit that I'm not familiar with.

As an example, this is the upstairs bedroom:

Switch - Cable on the left is single core and black.
Switch1.jpg


Light fitting - Again, the two sheathed cables are both single blacks
Switch2.jpg


It seems to essentially match up to the "Single & Earth" diagram on this page:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=House_Wiring_for_Beginners

I've never needed to extend or fiddle with a system like this before, wondered if anyone has had any experience with it?
 
It's hard to know without knowing exactly where the cables run too. Is there more than one fitting?

Also, I assume the black sheathed cable from the switch doesn't run to the fitting that's pictured?
 
switched wires? normal for live to be switched though which is when you see the black sleeve over the live wire (should still be able to see the wire colour though)
 
It looks right for the wiring type you linked..

Assuming no jbs and its just the switch and fitting you posted pics of..

Then looks like they have run the perm lives for the switches in black, same as the neutrals just to be confusing, and then sl in red but sleeved black for some reason.

Wondering why you have 1 perm live but 2 neutrals? 1 of each you would think its the last light on the circuit...2 of each and its just looped though to the next light, but why 1 live and 2 neut? maybe a borrowed neutral for the landing/stair light?

Anyways best to get a tester and check whats what, cos i am just guessing based on cable colour and which terminals they are in etc.
 
Looking at the layout for single&earth that those two neutrals are just the neutral line, in from the previous light, out to the next one.

Odd how there is only one live in the switch though, you'd need a feed off to the next switch for the circuit to get any bigger.

What is it you're wanting to do?
 
HardwareGeek said:
Wondering why you have 1 perm live but 2 neutrals? 1 of each you would think its the last light on the circuit...2 of each and its just looped though to the next light, but why 1 live and 2 neut? maybe a borrowed neutral for the landing/stair light?
Click to expand...

Think that is a switched live feed from the switch, there's no live loop (in the light fittings) using single&earth.
 
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I'm not wanting to do any more than understand the circuit at the moment. I might pop a few more fittings and switches off to see what they hold.
 
Okay, other than a couple of disconnected and/or unsheathed earths :rolleyes: this is what the other lights hold:

2nd Bedroom switch:
Switch5.jpg


2nd Bedroom fitting:
Switch6.jpg


Bathroom switch:
Switch3.jpg


Bathroom fitting (that white sleeved cable is black underneath)
Switch4.jpg


Not looked at the landing setup yet.

If it IS a single & earth setup then I'm guessing that the bathroom is the "end of the line" as it only has the single neutral
 
Being polite, what complete mess, my actual comments would have me banned.

Years since I've seen this type of single & earth wiring layout, sister had it in her place, borrowed neutrals, borrowed lives, an absolute nightmare, I just ripped it all out & started again
 
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Nightglow said:
Being polite, what complete mess, my actual comments would have me banned.

Years since I've seen this type of single & earth wiring layout, sister had it in her place, borrowed neutrals, borrowed lives, an absolute nightmare, I just ripped it all out & started again
Click to expand...

Oh this is great compared to my last house, that was much worse not only from a planning/design perspective but also from an actual workmanship perspective
(which I took out and started again) - borrowed lives and stuff from all over the place, feeds taken from switches, feeds taken from fittings, junction boxes buried in walls....

At least it all works in this one. It didn't in the previous place, not by a long shot.
 
Lopéz said:
Oh this is great compared to my last house, that was much worse not only from a planning/design perspective but also from an actual workmanship perspective
(which I took out and started again) - borrowed lives and stuff from all over the place, feeds taken from switches, feeds taken from fittings, junction boxes buried in walls....

At least it all works in this one. It didn't in the previous place, not by a long shot.
Click to expand...

Exactly the same,it took me hours to find the fault, no power to two bedroom lights, couldn't find all the wiring in the attic,despite lifting floorboards, then after ripping down half a ceiling, I found two fused connection units fitted in the lighting circuit, hidden in the wall cavity,why I know not.

And one fuse had blown in a fcu,:(, so the whole lot was ripped out & replaced.
 
Wires at the switches are phase wires
Wires at the fittings are phase and neutral.

Certainly not a borrowed neutral.

(that means a neutral wire taken from a different circuit)
 
OK, I got it.

Permanent live taken to the switch not to the light fitting. (Wall switch not the ceiling switch)
 
Lopéz said:
Oh this is great compared to my last house, that was much worse not only from a planning/design perspective but also from an actual workmanship perspective
(which I took out and started again) - borrowed lives and stuff from all over the place, feeds taken from switches, feeds taken from fittings, junction boxes buried in walls....

At least it all works in this one. It didn't in the previous place, not by a long shot.
Click to expand...

Same halfwit that wired this place by the sound of it. Double sockets run from other double sockets, via 13A plug and flex, etc
 
So to get this sort of straight in my head....

I've got one neutral that just runs from light fitting to light fitting like a daisy chain, hence all the fittings except the last one having 2 neutrals (1 in, 1 out)

The light switches have a similar set up but this time with permanent lives looped through the switches

Each switch has a cable that runs out the other side of the switch to the relevant light fitting, so when I flick the switch the cable out becomes live and the light turns on.

I've explained that somewhat clumsily but does that sound about right?
 
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