Is this correct?

[sosodef]

Hi all,

I have an upstairs landing light which never comes on any more. Is this wiring correct for the downstairs hall way light to control an upstairs landing light
(which has a single gang) ? I didn't do it I just opened it. The downstairs light works fine but the upstairs doesn't at all.

down stairs light photo:

upstairs wiring:
(the grey cable has a red wire in it)

Any help much appreciated.

Many thanks,

CK

 

[brianmoooore]

There are a few worrying things I can see in those pics, but nothing that would stop the upstairs light from working.
If you are going to investigate further, make sure that ALL the lighting circuits are switched off (or better still, the whole fusebox), since it appear that this light may be wired from two different circuits, known as a borrowed neutral.

 

[Hakuhou]

Hi all,

I have an upstairs landing light which never comes on any more. Is this wiring correct for the downstairs hall way light to control an upstairs landing light
(which has a single gang) ? I didn't do it I just opened it. The downstairs light works fine but the upstairs doesn't at all.

down stairs light photo:

View attachment 119203


upstairs wiring:
(the grey cable has a red wire in it)
View attachment 119204

Any help much appreciated.

Many thanks,

CK

If you can just take a minute and put a couple of grommets in those cutouts.
Also is that metal back box earthed?

 

[brianmoooore]

If you can just take a minute and put a couple of grommets in those cutouts.
Also is that metal back box earthed?

Plus, most importantly, check that any earth wires you connect, along with any that are already connected, do actually connect back to the main earth terminal, and aren't just 'floating'.

 

[Flanders]

I'm trying to work out if that loop is broken and no longer connected to the L ( this is the permanent live) . As other have said please make sure the power is turned off before you touch anything

 

[sosodef]

Thank you to everyone's response! I found that the live wire from the light bulb upstairs was loose! So have tightened it and it appears to work now.

Happy new year!

 

[brianmoooore]

Thank you to everyone's response! I found that the live wire from the light bulb upstairs was loose! So have tightened it and it appears to work now.

Happy new year!

Ok, that's made it work, but there are questions as regards to the safety of what we see, especially concerning the earthing of the back boxes and especially the earthing of the metal faced switch. We can see a flylead connected to the face plate, but not to where the other end of it goes.

 

[sosodef]

Ok, that's made it work, but there are questions as regards to the safety of what we see, especially concerning the earthing of the back boxes and especially the earthing of the metal faced switch. We can see a flylead connected to the face plate, but not to where the other end of it goes.

Ah yes the metal face plate is connected to the earth lead is connected to the metal back box. The plastic switch has no earthing.


Anyone know is there a way to have the up stairs switch also switch on/off the downstairs light with out another lead?

 

[brianmoooore]

Ah yes the metal face plate is connected to the earth lead is connected to the metal back box. The plastic switch has no earthing.

There may be an earth wire in the incoming cable connected to the back box, reading a few clues in what I can see, this wiring looks to date from an age when the attitude to earth wires in lighting circuits was cavalier, to say the least. Twin cable had only recently been discontinued, and many contractors saw little reason to bother with the earth wires in this new fangled T&E stuff, considering that all switches and 'ordinary' light fittings were insulated plastic. If fitting modern metal fronted switches and metal lamp fittings, it's always wise, not to mention a requirement of the regs, to check that the earth wires actually connect back to the fusebox.

Anyone know is there a way to have the up stairs switch also switch on/off the downstairs light with out another lead?

Not using conventional switches, but it can be done with Quinetic switches.