To be fair, the brown/blue/green and yellow colours have been used in flexes for a long time and it was only manufacturers’ intransigence that led to a delay in adopting the same colour scheme in PVC cables.
One thing to note in the new colour scheme is that black is classed as a live conductor so if used at switches should have some brown tape or sleeving fitted. Grey is neutral and should have blue indicator sleeving/tape fitted unless used as a live conductor at 2-way switches in which case brown sleeving/tape should be applied.
I’m tempted to ask a couple of random electricians to give me an idea if any upgrading of the electrics is needed.
We could take bets on how many opinions I’ll get from how many electricians… !!
PS - An appliance of mine stopped working today and after a bit of thought and trying different connections with extension leads, I diagnosed the fuse had gone…and replaced it! Wow!! That’s a first… maybe I should buy a book and rewire the place myself!!
Only just seen this and had a quick skim through.
The yellow (or probably yellow / green striped) is probably the earth which is screwed to the metal back box.
The switch itself ends up being earthed by the metal screws which go into the back box (so, sorry JBR - deffo do not replace these with a non metal alternative). Looks like a twin gang switch being used where only a single gang is required from what I can see.
There is no need for the link wire from one gang to the other.
They could have just used the left gang only.
This fuse was a 13 amp inside a regular plug, so nothing as complicated as a fuse box!
I’ll give the original electrician a couple more days, then get on the phone…but I’d bet 50% of those I contact, will be no shows…horses for courses down 'ere!
What was the appliance where the fuse failed?
Many appliances have the wrong fuse!.
Also, doubt you need a re-wire or any mods.
Just get a safety inspection if you are concerned. But, don’t go ahead with any of their “advice” until you get back to us here.
Well, it has been discussed at length and the following are likely to be the situation:
The yellow is thought to be a defunct switched live for the non-functioning switch.
The photo is of the old switch, now replaced with a single switch.
The lugs for the metal screws are actually plastic, or at least a non-metal, so the screws are OK as they are.
If the new switch assembly is all plastic (which I hope is the case) an earth connection is not necessary.
Which is just as well, as it appears there is no earth wire anywhere behind the switch assembly!
As there is no earth wire (we think) we have advised Lindyloo not to use any metal light fittings, at least until it is checked out properly.
I think that most of us have been very much in agreement, each contributing some useful information which, when taken together, has come up with the likely solution.
Those others only contributed advice which boiled down to ‘don’t do anything’!
After which, Lindyloo did change the switch in complete safety and got the light working again. She intended to do it anyway, probably mostly out of interest, and hopefully we helped her to do it safely.
I don’t think for a minute that any of us would have suggested she do anything dangerous.
As I said earlier, changing a simple light switch is as easy as changing a plug.
Absolutely correct - and I really appreciate the advise I’ve been given and will follow through with professional advice on a just-in-case basis. Thanks to all. x
Lindyloo, or anyone else interested, if you’d like to get some information or advice straight from the horse’s mouth, I can recommend a specialist forum for electricians.
You can post pictures as well, of course.
I’m not allowed to post the web address on here, but if you let me know I can PM you the web site.
I had a quick skim through JB.
Yes, that other cable could be redundant where a multi core may have been used in case of double switching being required. I can’t see where it goes.
Even though the earth connections / circuit are made generally through the light fittings themselves, an earth should be available in the wall box in case a metal switch is fitted. That earth is normally connected to the back box if the back box is metal and continuity made via the screws. If the back box is plastic an earth should still be available for use in any event. Sometimes I’ve seen the yellow wire from a multi core used as earth instead of the actual earth wire.
Remote diagnosis is a sod, would take a microsecond if I was there.
However, I believe it was suggested by someone that the wiring could be 40 years old or more. I suspect that there is no earth wire present, but suggested that Lindyloo get a qualified electrician in to check.
JBR, you’ve been great in giving me advice and I’ve really appreciated it so I’m going to be kind and ignore your last remark because it’s a pretty sad thing to say!
I could do with a w/e break…
As you say JB - play safe and get it looked at to be sure.
However, it is surprising how well cabling survives sometimes.
We carry out periodic inspections on buildings so large the inspection takes literally weeks!
We don’t do domestic premises generally. When we have, the faults found are often where owners have “fiddled about”.
In saying that, some work we’ve come across by “qualified” electricians is poor to say the least.
From what I’ve read, I don’t think Lindyloo is in any immediate danger tbh.
