Possible Electrical mess-up - Eek - Urgent Help needed

Norman_Castle

ChilliBob said:

Is anyone able to explain why I should connect the two grey power cables in matching pairs, as opposed to having two separate connection blocks - I'm sitting in front of it now, live, with insulation tape over it, and it's obviously separate (except for earth).

Picture the two grey cables as one cable which has been cut and had the plastic stripped to connect it to the switch. You now want to revert it to being a single cable again so connect brown to brown, blue to blue and earth to earth.

The connection blocks come in strips of multiple connectors but they're not electrically connected through the plastic. No reason not to use single connectors. 

lesalanos

I would use Wago connectors & Junction box so that it's all maintenance free after rather than connector blocks 

ChilliBob

Norman_Castle said:

ChilliBob said:

Is anyone able to explain why I should connect the two grey power cables in matching pairs, as opposed to having two separate connection blocks - I'm sitting in front of it now, live, with insulation tape over it, and it's obviously separate (except for earth).

Picture the two grey cables as one cable which has been cut and had the plastic stripped to connect it to the switch. You now want to revert it to being a single cable again so connect brown to brown, blue to blue and earth to earth.

The connection blocks come in strips of multiple connectors but they're not electrically connected through the plastic. No reason not to use single connectors. 

Thanks, that's helpful to picture. What I couldn't get my head around was completing or not completing the circuit. I can see now that yes, I do need to complete it.

Just spoke with an electrician who's visiting on Saturday to go over a small list of issues, and we discussed the temporary fix for this one too.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm from the era where my Dad did practically everything at home, out of necessity really, and I sort of feel I need to be able to do most/similar.. I'm fast realising times have changed though! I think I'll stick to decorating mostly, and a bit of woodwork! 

ChilliBob

lesalanos said:

I would use Wago connectors & Junction box so that it's all maintenance free after rather than connector blocks 

Thanks I'll bear that in mind and ask the electrician on Saturday 

47Revisited

ChilliBob said:

lesalanos said:

I would use Wago connectors & Junction box so that it's all maintenance free after rather than connector blocks 

Thanks I'll bear that in mind and ask the electrician on Saturday 

I would use Wagos as well. Doesn't need to be maintenance free if using a screwed blanking plate.

Risteard

FreeBear said:

ChilliBob said: The update is my Dad came back with a tester (screwdriver type) had me put the power back on and test both the brown cables. Both of them lit the screwdriver up, meaning both are live.

I don't know why there are two, or, how to rewier, that's the issue. Some sfuff was together, others not, and being a metal socket, there was some earthing too.

My best guess:
* both blue go go the N at the bottom
* Both live go to the live in
* earth - perhaps one to earth in, one to switch

Those screwdrivers are known as Death Sticks for a reason - If they go faulty internally, you can get a very nasty shock. That and they don't always reliably indicate a cable is live. The neutral wire is a current carrying conductor, and is quite capable of giving you a good shock. Always treat Live (Brown) & Neutral (Blue) as being "live".

Your "best guess" is OK up to a point, but both earth wires should go to the same earthing terminal. If you are thinking of reusing the FSU, both earth terminals are linked.

As to where the two grey cables come from - They are part of your ring main. A loop of cable that comes from your consumer unit and back again linking all your sockets together.

For this reason there is no conductor called "live" - LINE (or phase) and neutral are both LIVE conductors.

Ectophile

Risteard said:

FreeBear said:

ChilliBob said: The update is my Dad came back with a tester (screwdriver type) had me put the power back on and test both the brown cables. Both of them lit the screwdriver up, meaning both are live.

I don't know why there are two, or, how to rewier, that's the issue. Some sfuff was together, others not, and being a metal socket, there was some earthing too.

My best guess:
* both blue go go the N at the bottom
* Both live go to the live in
* earth - perhaps one to earth in, one to switch

Those screwdrivers are known as Death Sticks for a reason - If they go faulty internally, you can get a very nasty shock. That and they don't always reliably indicate a cable is live. The neutral wire is a current carrying conductor, and is quite capable of giving you a good shock. Always treat Live (Brown) & Neutral (Blue) as being "live".

Your "best guess" is OK up to a point, but both earth wires should go to the same earthing terminal. If you are thinking of reusing the FSU, both earth terminals are linked.

As to where the two grey cables come from - They are part of your ring main. A loop of cable that comes from your consumer unit and back again linking all your sockets together.

For this reason there is no conductor called "live" - LINE (or phase) and neutral are both LIVE conductors.

Oh no, not again.

The two wires of a single phase circuit have been called live and neutral for as long as anyone can remember.

But then somebody in a standards committee decided that, under certain fault conditions, the neutral could be dangerous.  So they decided it should be called "live".  That gives us a live that's live and a neutral that's a live too.

So all of a sudden, we're not allowed to call the live "live" any more.  It has to be "phase" or "line".

All because somebody decided to be clever, and they weren't told "no" quick enough.

Gavin83

No offence OP but you seem to lack even basic knowledge of electrics. You really shouldn’t be playing about with this. Know your limits.

Also I don’t know if I’m missing something obvious but is there a reason you can’t stick a plug socket on? You’ve already got the back box, it’ll complete the ring and you’ll get a new socket out of it.

FreeBear

ChilliBob said: Just spoke with an electrician who's visiting on Saturday to go over a small list of issues, and we discussed the temporary fix for this one too.

Just a thought - Instead of using a terminal strip & blanking plate, put a single socket in (or replace the back box and fit a double). You can never have too many sockets, and I'm sure a spare will come in handy.

ChilliBob

FreeBear said:

ChilliBob said: Just spoke with an electrician who's visiting on Saturday to go over a small list of issues, and we discussed the temporary fix for this one too.

Just a thought - Instead of using a terminal strip & blanking plate, put a single socket in (or replace the back box and fit a double). You can never have too many sockets, and I'm sure a spare will come in handy.

Yep, that sounds like a good idea. I'm back in business for now but will revisit on Saturday with an electrician.