HELP! is my metal ceiling light live?

[Sapper]

Does this light have two switches? There's two wiring methods for two way switching that I use (yeah, old skool). One of the methods can leave both feed wires 'live' while the light will be off. Flip both switches and test again.

 

[telectrix]

all good suge=gestions. as regards voltsticks, would to try to trace a ECU error on a 2022 Mercc. with a neon screwdriver. / NOPE, YOU'S USE A PROPER DIAGNOSTIC ANANYSER.

 

[Carolina]

Does this light have two switches? There's two wiring methods for two way switching that I use (yeah, old skool). One of the methods can leave both feed wires 'live' while the light will be off. Flip both switches and test again.

Hi, is that allowed? I'm in a course and my instructor said it could be dangerous if both contacts on the holder become live and someone unscrews (E26) a lightbulb and accidentally touches the cap and the ceiling/wall at the same time, closing a circuit. I won't do that but someone who doesn't knows might.

 

[swaRRR]

Does this light have two switches? There's two wiring methods for two way switching that I use (yeah, old skool). One of the methods can leave both feed wires 'live' while the light will be off. Flip both switches and test again.

Can you give a drawing for that?

All feed wires are permanent lives it's only the switch wire that is dead when the light is turned off.

Normally on say, pendants or battens, the perm live will go to each light on the run and then an individual switch wire goes from the rose to each switch from each fitting. Can't picture the way you're saying.

 

[Carolina]

Can you give a drawing for that?

All feed wires are permanent lives it's only the switch wire that is dead when the light is turned off.

Normally on say, pendants or battens, the perm live will go to each light on the run and then an individual switch wire goes from the rose to each switch from each fitting. Can't picture the way you're saying.

Feed L+N to both switches then run a single wire from each switch to the light.
When the light is off there's a chance both contacts on the lamp holder are live because both switches are hitting their respective live contacts instead of the neutrals.

It's easier and cheaper to do in older installations as you don't have to route as much wires as with the "proper" way.

I believe that's what he's doing.

edit: here's what I'm thinking about. I used aussie sockets because they're the ones the software comes with, imagine you have the sockets then and want to add a 2-way switch in the same box, that's a way of doing it

 

[Aaron b]

I assume they just meant three plate or two plate...

The old method above of switching the neutral isn't allowed. The thread of a ES light would be live and they are iffy enough as is.

Across two roof spaces I've fed each bank of lights from the switches before. I needed an extra core to carry through the neutral. It looked different but was essentially just two plate.

 

[Carolina]

So it's not allowed that's reasonable. It'd be dangerous for the user even with all modern protection elements. ES and SES are over a hundred years old so yeah they have their disadvantages, but we're stuck with them because they're simple and cheap to manufacture.

I forgot to mention that if that method is used to switch high wattage fixtures say a chandelier with 6x100W bulbs the switches will eventually wear down due to the arcing. Or at least that's what I know.