Does my new build have the neutral wiring for wifi switches?

[Shane1988]

Hello,

Before I get an electrician in I wanted to check if my new build has the correct wiring for wifi light switches.

The picture above is me peering underneath the light switch in my bedroom (powers 1 bulb). It has 3 blue (neutral?) wires all connected to a plastic box. I'm just wondering if this means I already have the wiring in place for a wifi switch?

Thanks very much for your advice!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Looks like it.

Easy enough to check with a multimeter, which is just as essential a tool to have before you start doing electrical work as are screwdrivers, wire cutters, etc.

What you may not have is enough room in that back box for a deeper switch.

But why do you want wi-fi switches? What real advantages are they going to provide to you which make it worth risking the downsides?

 

[Steven Prentice]

Probably. Looks like you have 3 cables in there which should be 1 that goes to the light, and 2 for the lighting ring. In which case yes you should be able to fit a wifi swiitch

 

[winston1]

Probably. Looks like you have 3 cables in there which should be 1 that goes to the light, and 2 for the lighting ring. In which case yes you should be able to fit a wifi swiitch

Lighting is not on rings.

 

[ericmark]

As said it does seem you have a neutral, also seems short of space for a wifi switch, and my Energenie MiHome wifi switch did not need a neutral anyway. It did need a deep box and no lugs top and bottom had to bend them out of the way.

The problem with my wifi switch is loss of power turns it off, OK with just one switch, but for halls and landings avoid switched which auto switch off with a power cut.

 

[aptsys]

Can't beat the good old cheesewire when 2nd fixing on fixed price what a mess

 

[John D v2.0]

Yes as above, and you should get the developer back to sleeve the earths properly in all the switches and other terminations, that amount of bare copper is too much.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes as above, and you should get the developer back to sleeve the earths properly in all the switches and other terminations, that amount of bare copper is too much.

That would be the normal accepted way of doing it, but why do we do it?

Is there a good reason for sleaving the CPC?
What about that amount of bare back box?

Just asking.

 

[John D v2.0]

That would be the normal accepted way of doing it, but why do we do it?

Is there a good reason for sleaving the CPC?
What about that amount of bare back box?

Just asking.

Very good question, and my assumption was it was because the bare CPC moves as you replace the box and could short against a small amount of exposed live conductor.
However I would certainly be interested in what the regs say about it.
In the case of oversleeving, it's just for identification, but for cpc sleeving it's the only sleeving there is.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Very good question, and my assumption was it was because the bare CPC moves as you replace the box and could short against a small amount of exposed live conductor.

I suppose it could but it wouldn't be difficult to avoid.

However I would certainly be interested in what the regs say about it. In the case of oversleeving, it's just for identification, but for cpc sleeving it's the only sleeving there is.

Yes, 514.4.2 and .6 say a bare conductor shall be identified with green and yellow - although behind a socket it is quite apparent what it is.

I was wondering why it has to be sleeved so that no copper is exposed. Just a general question.

It seems like covering and so removing a safety measure; i.e. less for wayward live parts to touch.

 

[JohnW2]

I was wondering why it has to be sleeved so that no copper is exposed. Just a general question.

I have always assumed (and we have previously discussed here) that what JohnD said is probably at least the main part of the answer - that when one pushes an accessory back into a back box one cannot be sure how a bare CPC will bend and what it might come in contact with. There doesn't have to eb a conductor with 'exposed copper'. At least theoretically, the bent bare CPC could find a way of touching the metal of a terminal.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

At least theoretically, the bent bare CPC could find a way of touching the metal of a terminal.

Then something would trip and one would have to do it properly.

Having the CPC pressed against such a metal part with just sleeving preventing the short does not seem to me very satisfactory.



Why are back boxes uninsulated metal?

 

[John D v2.0]

True! I was thinking of it as a belt and braces for the case when the earth is poor. So green/yellow sleeving is basically as important as brown oversleeving is on a switch drop. Thanks!

 

[JohnW2]

Then something would trip and one would have to do it properly.

Things have been known to move subsequently, particularly with a socket that frequently has plugs inserted and moved.

Having the CPC pressed against such a metal part with just sleeving preventing the short does not seem to me very satisfactory.

Maybe, but even if it were a live conductor, 'single insulation' would be acceptable within an enclosure.

Why are back boxes uninsulated metal?

As has been said, back boxes do not move, and there should not be any bare live conductors that could move and come into contact with it.

I agree that the 'risks' involved are very small, hence the argument for sleeving not all that strong - but an awful lot of the rules, regulations and laws we live with (in general, not only in relation to electrical wiring) seek to 'project us' against the consequences of extremely uncommon possible scenarios.

Maybe it's a little surprising that we are still allowed cables with bare CPCs at all. Some countries (I think including Australia) seemingly do not allow it.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

So green/yellow sleeving is basically as important as brown oversleeving is on a switch drop. ...

One is for identification and the other is (presumably) also intended to provide a degree of insulation. Whilst I agree that the argument for 'insulating' a CPC is fairly weak, there is clearly a difference from just using oversleeving for 'identification'.

Kind Regards, John