Live earth ????

[chesterchops]

Hi Guys,

Advice needed please.
I am renovating a room at home and when i came to move the light switch i tested the wires with the screwdriverwith that indicates a live current (yes i am an ameteur).

The are three cables into the switch and only two wires in each cable, one red and one unsheathed one which was wired to the earth on the socket and also came up live when tested.

Obviously old wiring, and i have peeled back the grey cover and there is no black sheath.

I am confused so any help would be appreciated as it seems i am going to have to get a professsional sparkey in.

On a more positive not does anyone know where i can get some 12v downlights to run off the mains with a transformer not the plug into socket ones. So it will be mains to transformer to lights ?

Cheers

Gary

 

[SirKit Breaker]

The 3 cables you describe are correctly installed. It is the old way of cabling light circuits up using singles instead of twin and earth. 2 of the reds will be the live loop from switch to switch or Consumer unit to first switch in the circuit depending on where you are in the circuit, these would be joined in the common of the switch. The remaining cable is from the switch side of the switch (L1) to the light fitting.

the earths are all joined together in the switch back box.

Your life threatening screwdriver is not the tool to test for voltage, put it in the bin before you kill youself with it.

Use a multimeter, the voltage you are picking up on the earth is probably not the earth but your dodgy tester picking up the live.

But seriously get a sparky in to check it for you, if there is a problem you by your own admission of being an amatuer will get out of you depth with both ability and required equipment.

regards............Howard

 

[WayneL]

You've managed to confuse me, too.

You need to get an electrician in, anyway, coz the work you are doing
is notifiable and I'm guessing you're not part p approved.

How do you intend testing all this when your done?

 

[gaz101]

cpc {earth wire } disconted further back on the circit

 

[bugsy]

Do your self a favour put your neon in the bin , get out your local paper / yellow pages and find a qualified spark , I don't wish to be rude, but I ve just done a quick risk assement - not good

 

[dufjax]

Oh good it's the old NEON screwdriver again!!

How many times have we told customers the best thing they can do is bin it, or drop it in a bucket of water and give it to someone you dislike

****PLEASE DO NOT TRY THE DROP IN BUCKET ****

******* JUST BIN IT BEFORE YOU KILL YOUR SELF *********


Jim