Wiring Query

Vas_Guy

I got the house dry lined rescently and all the light & socket fittings were taken off.

I was just looking at the wires to rewire the light switches and I noticed that all the wires are coloured red so I do not know what wire is live, nuertal, etc. is there a device that can tell what wires are live, also one of the light switches is a 3 terminal switch one of which is a two way switch for a hall light.

Also I noticed in the rooms where there are single switches that there are 4 wires again all red.

Should I get an electrician?

eoghan.geraghty

Yes

Lex Luthor

If you've never even heard of a simple device called a phase tester, then you shouldn't even attempt to wire them on your own.

Is the house part of an estate/development or is it a self build?

Vas_Guy

I use a volt stick to find the live wire, but since the wires are close together all the wires i touch light up the stick.

Even so how do i tell which one is the neutral.

The house is a semi detached

conor06

get an electrician! easiest and safest solution

It sounds like the live feed for the lights is daisy-chained through the switches, so most will be live and some would be "switched" live going to the light, the neutral is daisy-chained via the light sockets.

Best leave this one to an electrician.

I'm guessing that it was wired when wire was in short supply!

copacetic

it sounds like you do need an electrician but this isn't too difficult.

Taking no responsibilty, in general light switches don't have a 'live, neutral
and earth' going to them. These go to the ceiling fitting and two 'live' wires are routed to the switch, they are usually wired with switch wire which will be red. So that is totally normal. The switch just closes the live to that light fitting. Phase tester no use to you here, except to check the power is off before you touch the wiring.

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/lights_and_switches.htm


Now you say there are 4 wires going to each single switch, are you sure about this? DO you have two ceiling lights in these rooms? are there connections for 4 wires on the switches? This doesn't sound right and thats where you may be safer just getting a spark in as above suggestions say.


edit: You could try gettting the people who took the switches off back to sort out the mess they left you, they should never have taken the switches off without marking the wires..

Vas_Guy

I thought I would have to get a spark in, its not a big job anyway, I really should have labelled the switches.

The three switches are in the hall (L Shaped) are for the outside lights, the hall light and to turn off the light in the other end of the hall.

Stoner

I'm in agreement with daveym , eoghan.geraghty and Lex here.

Light switches are simple when you know how, but knowing how requires being shown in my opinion.

the thing to remember about a light switch it that in general all the cables should be the same colour (except for an earth),

generally all a Light switch does is "decide" if the light gets a connection to the Live wire.

They can be tricky so I'd back up the others in advising that you get a sparks on board.