Fused Switch Terminals

[loopy66]

I need a little bit of help. Today I removed the faceplate of a fused switch as it has always bugged me that it wasn't quite flush, thought i'll take it off, repack the wires behind and it'll sit flush. As I took the plate off, the wires popped out of the back and I didn't even apply any force to pulling it from the wall.

No problem, i'll just reconnect them and this time tighter, it'll just be a load/supply type thing. Well, this 5 minute job is now more than that and I need help.

The fused switch is a spur from a socket to a light in the kitchen. It has a 13amp fuse in it (firstly should this be a lower rated fuse?).

Secondly, the terminals are like this...


... and the light switch is like this...

... it's a straight forward 1 way switch from a fused spur from a socket.

My problem is, why is L1 jumpered to L2 and as this isn't a straight forward load/supply thing which I am used to, how basically do the wires go back into this?

 

[chivers67]

How many wires are in the back box? That accessory looks like a double FCU, personally I've never seen one of those

 

[EFLImpudence]

Nor have I. What make is it?

 

[chivers67]

Thought I was going mad EFLI!

 

[plugwash]

It looks to me like that FCU is made up of two seperate "modules". A DP switch module (bottom of photograph) and a fuse module (top of photograph).

 

[chivers67]

The Switch looks like Normal to me, I'd like to see the front of the FCU.

 

[JohnW2]

Nor have I. What make is it?

Nor me. Very odd!

It looks as if separate terminals have been provided for the fuse (the two at the sides) and the DP switch (the block of 4 at the bottom), so that the link is necessary to connect the two.

If that's the case then, with the link in place, the 'supply' terminals would presumably be the upper left and upper right of the block of 4 (marked L1 and N1 respectively) and the 'load terminals' would be the lower right of the block of 4 (marked N2), and the left-most terminal (not in the block of 4, marked L2). Does that sound right?



Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

... and here's the piccie which vanished from my previous post!" ...

 

[JohnW2]

no it's not - third time lucky? ...

 

[loopy66]

The make I believe, from the inside stamp is from "Get PLC", if I am reading the logo right.

The wires inside the back box are as follows (a ring main cable from the socket passing through, then the spur from the socket as the feed, then the lighting wire as the load)...



... and if it helps the front of the FCU is this...

 

[EFLImpudence]

Didn't we have something similar a few weeks ago?

Seemingly an FCU where you don't need to use the fuse. What is the point?

 

[JohnW2]

Seemingly an FCU where you don't need to use the fuse. What is the point?

As plugwash said, it could well be a modular thing. Exactly the same would happen if one 'emulated' a SFCU with two grid modules - a fuse grid module and a DP grid switch.

Kind Regards, John

 

[loopy66]

Appreciate the help guys, I really do. Trust me to have a weird thing.

So, to get this back connected I connect little L1 and little N1 to the supply (ring main cable) and the load (light cable) to little N2 and the big L2?

If so, I think my only last question is, should I also replace the 13amp fuse which is in this for a lower rated fuse like a 5amp or even 3amp?

 

[JohnW2]

So, to get this back connected I connect little L1 and little N1 to the supply (ring main cable) and the load (light cable) to little N2 and the big L2?

That's certainly how I see it. ... and the two earths (one from each cable) to the earth terminals (doesn't matter which).

If so, I think my only last question is, should I also replace the 13amp fuse which is in this for a lower rated fuse like a 5amp or even 3amp?

Yep. 3A.

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

If so, I think my only last question is, should I also replace the 13amp fuse which is in this for a lower rated fuse like a 5amp or even 3amp?

The fuse is to only protect the cable between the switch and light. Without knowing what the kitchen light is I would go for 5 amp.
e.g. If you have a double 5 ft florescent fitting with magnetic ballasts you would probably blow a 3 amp every time you switched on.