Replacing Bathroom Pullcord Switch - Wiring help!

2

Comments

  • seaniesean
    seaniesean Posts: 1 Newbie
    Hi, hope this thread is still active.

    I am trying to fit a new pull string light switch in the bathroom and have a similar problem. I have two black wires and two red, the old fitting had the red ones going to two screws and the black were twisted together and fitted to one, there were no markings on the old fitting..
    My new fitting has three screws, one way, two way and com. I tried putting the red wires into 1-2 way and the two black into com and the fuse blew, I have also tried the two black in com and the two red just in 1 way, it blew again. Does anyone have any ideas?
  • KillerWatt
    KillerWatt Posts: 1,655 Forumite
    Put the two blacks in a bit of choccy block (terminal block) so that they are connected together.

    Connect one of the reds to COM
    Connect the other red to either L1 or L2 (that's the "one way" option as you describe it).
    Remember kids, it's the volts that jolt and the mills that kill.
  • ormus
    ormus Posts: 42,714 Forumite
    the above is correct. the two blacks together.
    one red in com, and one red in L1.
    leave L2 spare.
    Get some gorm.
  • Chelseadons
    Chelseadons Posts: 3 Newbie
    Another simple question I think. I am also replacing a bathroom pullcord which also turns on and off extractor fan with the the light.

    The old pull cord had two cables entering it with unfortuately 4 red sheaths and two earths. The pull cord unit had two terminals marked IN, which took a red wire from each cable and there were two other unmarked terminals also taking a red wire from each cable. I have bought a new single switch pull cord which only has two terminals one marked com and the other 1 way.

    My questions 1 Have i got the right light pull ?
    2 Why are both cables having two red wires and an
    earth. Is this correct or was the installer lazy ?
    3 Where are the 2 cables coming from ?
    4 Most importantly, if I've got the right light pull how
    should it be wired ?

    Regards Chelseadons
  • muckybutt
    muckybutt Posts: 3,761 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Chelseadons wrote: »
    Another simple question I think. I am also replacing a bathroom pullcord which also turns on and off extractor fan with the the light.

    The old pull cord had two cables entering it with unfortuately 4 red sheaths and two earths. The pull cord unit had two terminals marked IN, which took a red wire from each cable and there were two other unmarked terminals also taking a red wire from each cable. I have bought a new single switch pull cord which only has two terminals one marked com and the other 1 way.

    My questions 1 Have i got the right light pull ?
    2 Why are both cables having two red wires and an
    earth. Is this correct or was the installer lazy ?
    3 Where are the 2 cables coming from ?
    4 Most importantly, if I've got the right light pull how
    should it be wired ?

    Regards Chelseadons

    1 Yes
    2 Red sheathing denotes that both wires are / could become live
    3 one cable from the light fitting and the other from the fan
    4 both LIVE wires into the terminal marked COM and the other two sheathed wires into L1, connect the earths into the brass earth terminal or put them together in a connector.
    You may click thanks if you found my advice useful
  • Chelseadons
    Chelseadons Posts: 3 Newbie
    Brilliant Mucky I'll try that this afternoon !!
  • Chelseadons
    Chelseadons Posts: 3 Newbie
    Thanks Mucky. It worked like a dream !!:T
  • preecer1981
    preecer1981 Posts: 1 Newbie
    The pull cord switch in the Bathroom was broken -

    So I brought a new one and took the old one out. To my surprise I found more cables than I thought -

    I have three grey cables coming down from the void above -

    1) has a Black, Red and Earth
    2) has Black, Red and Earth
    3) has Blue, Brown and Earth

    The old one had the three earths together, both reds into the same, both backs into a block (can't remeber where the brown and blue went)

    On the new unit I have L1 & C and Earth ?

    Any ideas on which should be wired to which ?

    Thank you
  • diable
    diable Posts: 5,258 Forumite
    Looks like they used the switch as a connecting point. What cables do you have loose the brown and the blue?
  • frank.hopper
    frank.hopper Posts: 208 Forumite
    If you have an extractor installed the blue and brown (thinner cable?) could be the supply to it!

    If it is, it must be fused at 3amp.
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