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holes too small for wires in new light switch
bluesnake
Posts: 1,460 Forumite
Thought replacing a light switch would be easy however my old switch is below and one hole has 3 wires in it
The new one has smaller holes, so where the old one could fit 3 wires, the new one struggles with one wire, and that has to be twisted tight to make it go in.
So how do i fix it correctly? Was thinking the chocolate block route but,,,? Thanks
The new one has smaller holes, so where the old one could fit 3 wires, the new one struggles with one wire, and that has to be twisted tight to make it go in.
So how do i fix it correctly? Was thinking the chocolate block route but,,,? Thanks
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Comments
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That cable looks like its stranded, If so that is very old cable.
The only way is to put the wires in a connector, with a new wire going to the switch.0 -
the first from left is stranded, the middle is stranded, and right - one is stranded and 2 are single.
The left is Live, while the other 4 go into the right hand pair of the new blue blocks.
How do i convert stranded to single?0 -
use a terminating block
http://www.screwfix.com/p/3a-terminal-strips-pack-of-10/53077
and put the old wires in one side and a bit of new cable coming from the other side (if there is room behind)Ex forum ambassador
Long term forum member0 -
The blocks above will be to small.
You need 15amp.0 -
fordfocus-chav-car wrote: »The blocks above will be to small.
You need 15amp.
Don't show your ignorance!:doh: Blue text on this forum usually signifies hyperlinks, so click on them!..:wall:0 -
I don't think he is being ignorant.Don't show your ignorance!
I don't think he is referring to amperage.
I think he is suggesting that the holes in 3 amp blocks will be physically too small to get three wires in one end and that a 15 amp block with larger holes for the wires will be required.
He is quite possibly correct.0 -
He is quite possibly correct.
Nobody on a forum can tell the OP what they actually need. The poster is making assumptions. 15A blocks are likely to be too large to physically fit in a standard light switch surface box but I'm sure that the OP has worked that out for themselves.:doh: Blue text on this forum usually signifies hyperlinks, so click on them!..:wall:0 -
I don't think he is being ignorant.
I don't think he is referring to amperage.
I think he is suggesting that the holes in 3 amp blocks will be physically too small to get three wires in one end and that a 15 amp block with larger holes for the wires will be required.
He is quite possibly correct.
Yes this is exactly what I was referring to.
One would have zero chance of fitting 3 stranded cables in a
5 amp block . The poster only needs a single one, so there should be plenty of room.0 -
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A single 15A choccy block will easily fit between a light switch and the backbox regardless of whether it is surface or flush.The poster is making assumptions. 15A blocks are likely to be too large to physically fit in a standard light switch surface box but I'm sure that the OP has worked that out for themselves.Understeer is when you hit a wall with the front of your car
Oversteer is when you hit a wall with the back of your car
Horsepower is how fast your car hits the wall
Torque is how far your car sends the wall across the field once you've hit it0
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