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Smart Light Switch Question

  • 20-01-2023 06:55PM
    #1
    Deanicus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 254 ✭✭


    This evening I installed a 1 gang 1 way smart light switch

    It's working now but when I initially wired it, it didn't. I thought perhaps I got the live and switched live mixed up but I'm fairly certain they were correct

    I would think if they were mixed up, the switch would not power on at all? Is it possible at all to have these 2 wires in the wrong terminal and have it work and if so, is there any concerns about that?

    At this stage I can't tell which is which anymore. If I was to open it back up again, how can I tell? There's 2 lots of wires coming in. One has the standard 3 wires and the other has just live and neutral.



Comments

  • #2
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    Non-contact tester is the quickest for identifying feeds

    https://www.fluke.com/en-us/learn/blog/electrical/non-contact-voltage-detector-basics




  • #3
    Deanicus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 254 ✭✭Deanicus


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120135741#Comment_120135741

    Thanks, have a cheap thing but wasn't sure how to use it (not the same as the one linked) but have found a video showing how to use it. Might give it a go

    Any idea if it is wired the wrong way, whether it would work or not? Just thinking if it's working and couldn't work the other way then I know I'm safe



  • #4
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.



    Not sure never fitted a smart switch



  • #5
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,652 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    These little devices all have very simple power supplies which are mainly capacitive droppers, and they don't really care what way around they are connected. They all typically have a thing called a bridge-rectifier which converts the AC into DC and it's not critical what's L and what's N. There are exceptions to that.

    But at the end of the day, they should be wired up as per the markings. Funky things can happen otherwise.



  • #6
    Bruthal.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 222 ✭✭Bruthal.


    If it requires a L & N and they are the wrong way round, I would imagine the N will be the one getting connected to the switch wire when the switch goes on, so no light.

    If the N is correctly connected and feed + switch wire are wrong way around, the switch circuitry probably won't be powered once in the off position.



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  • #7
    kirk.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,957 ✭✭✭kirk.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120137328#Comment_120137328

    Sounds about right



  • #8
    Deanicus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 254 ✭✭Deanicus


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120137328#Comment_120137328

    Thanks. N is in the right place and the switch is working as it should. There's no mechanical switch (touch glass) so I was presuming if it was powered at all times and switched on/off as intended, then it is wired correctly. Just thought I'd check just in case.

    Thinking now, I had changed this switch years ago for a dimmer but the dimmer broke not long after that so I put the old one back. Starting to wonder if perhaps I wired it the opposite way the last time and put the switch in upside down. That would explain why what I thought was the permanent live, actually wasn't as I was just going off the markings in the switch as to which was which



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