Light switches

Southend1

I am confused. I replaced a light switch at the weekend. I copied the wiring as it was on the old switch. But was talking to someone at work today who said I need to be careful I haven't wired the live and the neutral the wrong way round as the circuit would still be live when the light is off and this could potentially be an electrocution hazard when changing the light bulb if you accidentally touch both terminals on the light fitting. Is this true? The switch is a 2 way switch with 3 holes. Currently the black wire is in L1 (the hole on its own) and the red is in L2 (one of the two holes together - L2 and L3). Please could someone advise as electricity has always seemed like witchcraft to me and though I try to understand it just confuses the hell out of me!

lifes-too-short

Hi there, is the light switch working? Sounds like you have a feed and a switch wire (this is normal). Feed into the switch and the switch wire going to the light. Neutral must be at the fitting.

Southend1

Yes it's working. I think I may be confused between the position of the switch in the circuit and the wiring at the actual switch. So it doesn't matter if red is in L1 and black in L2 or vice versa?

lifes-too-short

The feed (constant power from the consumer unit) should be into the COM terminal on the switch and the switchwire (to the light) in L1 or L2.

The switch is just making / breaking a circuit so no big deal but good practice (and the way i was taught) is as stated in my first paragraph.

Southend1

Feed is red right? I think on my switch L1 is the common terminal as they are labelled L1, L2 and L3. So it would be best practice for me to switch the wires but in reality makes no difference to safety?

macman

If electricity is witchcraft to you, why are you doing this job yourself, since you are clearly not competent to do the job.

Southend1

macman wrote: »

If electricity is witchcraft to you, why are you doing this job yourself, since you are clearly not competent to do the job.

Good point!

jamesperrett

I doubt you will have done anything that could change the live an neutral around as you should only have wires on the live side going into the switch. If you are worried about this, you need to see how things are wired in the ceiling rose or in any junction boxes in this part of the lighting circuit.

James.

DVardysShadow

I agree with jamesperrett. If you have only changed a light switch, you will not have changed anything to do with the polarity of live and neutral. It will be as right or wrong as it ever was.

Southend1

Thanks guys. What James says sounds right. I think my colleague just confused me!! It doesn't take a lot!