3 core + earth for switch drops

[Chris86]

Evening all,

With so many smart/connected home products on the market now, what are the great and the goods thoughts on dropping 3 core down to switches when using the 3 plate system for lights to provide a neutral at the switch?

I know there is the loop at the switch method which I have used but I still like the flexibility for add ons etc that having line and neutral at the ceiling point provides.

Thanks and atb

Chris

 

[KEV 1 N]

Will this Neutral be floating at the switch, or made off to Earth?

Connect neutral to earth??? Or have I misunderstood something?

 

[KEV 1 N]

I rewired my house taking feeds to the switches....makes connecting light fittings a doddle as you only have 1 (or 2) T&Es at each.

 

[telectrix]

Connect neutral to earth??? Or have I misunderstood something?

common practice to connect both ends of an unused conductor to earth. that way there's no chance of it being inadvertently "lived up".

 

[KEV 1 N]

common practice to connect both ends of an unused conductor to earth. that way there's no chance of it being inadvertently "lived up".

Ah right! Makes sense now

 

[PEG]

I cannot fault the thinking,and it shows an interest in forward thinking,which is always nice.
You could not do it as a matter of course,without at least consulting a customer,but none of the clients i deal with,would baulk at the suggestion.

You would have to make off to earth,and,it would increase the posts on here,"i have a spare wire...i have 80V...i have another earth..."etc

There is an old Lancashire saying,"Them that lives the longest sees the most" and if you stick with the same customers for long enough,you get to revisit jobs you did,many years back,and maybe catch sight of an apparently unnecessary tweek you performed,and think "I'm glad i did that..."

On Thursday,i have my parents electric supply charlatons (changing the names to protect the incompetent) arriving at their property,to finally change out the two 1963 meters,for one,lobotomised smart meter.

The lads who inspected the meters,prior to the swap,commented that it would be an easy task,thanks to an alteration someone had done,in tidying up the feed arrangements,for the electric U/F heating switch gear.

I did this mod,when i was 17,out of boredom,merely because it looked untidy. I was 53 in August

 

[Chris86]

I much prefer to only have one 3 core cable down to the actual fitting, makes connecting up awful homebase/Ikea etc fittings much easier.

My normal method is where it can be left accessible, fit a junction box local to the light point, run all loop/switch cables to that and bring out 1 cable to the fitting.

 

[telectrix]

why the

I cannot fault the thinking,and it shows an interest in forward thinking,which is always nice.
You could not do it as a matter of course,without at least consulting a customer,but none of the clients i deal with,would baulk at the suggestion.

You would have to make off to earth,and,it would increase the posts on here,"i have a spare wire...i have 80V...i have another earth..."etc

There is an old Lancashire saying,"Them that lives the longest sees the most" and if you stick with the same customers for long enough,you get to revisit jobs you did,many years back,and maybe catch sight of an apparently unnecessary tweek you performed,and think "I'm glad i did that..."

On Thursday,i have my parents electric supply charlatons (changing the names to protect the incompetent) arriving at their property,to finally change out the two 1963 meters,for one,lobotomised smart meter.

The lads who inspected the meters,prior to the swap,commented that it would be an easy task,thanks to an alteration someone had done,in tidying up the feed arrangements,for the electric U/F heating switch gear.

I did this mod,when i was 17,out of boredom,merely because it looked untidy. I was 53 in August

why hell do they want a fart meter?

 

[Risteard]

Instead of Earthing both ends why not simply connect the neutral at the luminaire and park it in a connector at the switch?

 

[telectrix]

Instead of Earthing both ends why not simply connect the neutral at the luminaire and park it in a connector at the switch?

why not indeed. either is acceptable. another possibility is that the spare conductor could be used as a switch wire for a 2nd light, independently switched ( by fitting a 2G sw) without the need to chase wall.

 

[7029 dave]

They call it future proving,I think ?, always threw a triple down for me room stats.

 

[EddieB]

I love neutrals in blocks at switches, providing the switchbox is 25mm or more deep,more versatility the better.

 

[PEG]

why the

why hell do they want a fart meter?

We all agree,that we would rather whip ourselves with a lemon drizzled bramble,but the supplier will only provide the low rate tariff,through one meter.
The rest of the competition seem to have engineered a similar proposal,either prohibitively expensive,rate wise,or an no can do.

They are due in the morgen,and better be to the letter,best bib and tucker,as i am becoming weary of turning well meaning engineers round,and wasting 2 hours on the phone,verbally racking a succession of one-hit-wonder resolution managers,who stutter through a moon-on-a-stick diatribe,before possibly getting "men in black" memory zapped,and then shipped off to Elba...

 

[1Justin]

I would definitely prescribe it for a new build, the small extra cost would be negligible. It opens up loads of options for switching which (because of the way we do things in the UK) are closed to most domestic installations.

 

[Phillip]

With today's smart home technology, it's logical to provide a neutral everywhere. But I can remember the days it was a big no no at a light switch. But remember to install a deeper back box.

 

[Toneyz]

Remember the days when it was taboo to wire mains at switches,it’s the norm theses days,& better most of the time.
When we first did it Nicec were not happy,back in the 80’s.

WHY ?.