Light circuit live, although switched off at consumer

[terryplumb]

Not sure if that's a good thing or not tbh.

I can't really make a definitive decision as to whether it was a shock or tingle,



I never changed the ssitchbi.

 

[JohnW2]

Well if we knew it was a ssitchbi , that explains it all

In the case of the use of incorrect terminolgy, I often get taken to task here for saying that "we all knew what you meant", but is it not again the case with this abomination of typing (or maybe 'predictive text gone mad'?!) that "we all knew what he meant"??

Kind Regards, John

 

[sdkevin]

Many years ago before I even went to college, my grandfather who was an electrician for the local REC taught me the amusing way that if the shock didn't make you say "##@@@@~*&%%%%%" then it's a tingle which means you either experienced the delightful phenomena called unintended mutual induction, or there's a dodgy neutral somewhere. The alternating current in circuits which weren't isolated induced a lesser current in adjacent cables i.e where the ring circuits etc etc leave the CU in a bundle with the lighting circuits. Typically this around 40V so enough to tingle but not enough to shock.
Shocks usually leave you nursing a bruised elbow where you hit it on something behind you as you recall.

 

[delmel]

Sounds like someone has jumped it off the ring circuit.

 

[sxturbo]

Sorry, predictive text, and a dummy not checking it. Was meant to say switch

 

[aptsys]

Reversed Phase-Neutral?

 

[JohnW2]

Reversed Phase-Neutral?

Indeed a possibility. In fact, IF it were a 'real shock' (and that now seems uncertain), and IF everything we've been told is correct, then that could well be the most likely explanation.

A measuring device will reveal all!

Kind Regards, John

 

[sxturbo]

I have one of them and have fitted a few sockets in the house.

The neutral and lives are not mixed up On the sockets.

I will fit a new switch the weekend and carry out further tests.

 

[JohnW2]

I have one of them and have fitted a few sockets in the house. The neutral and lives are not mixed up On the sockets.

That's good to know. However, that's only the sockets, and doesn't in any way prove that the N and L of the lighting circuit are not reversed at the consumer unit end.

I will fit a new switch the weekend and carry out further tests.

It will be interesting to hear what you find.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Great. Well RF's diagnosis sounds the most likely.

As I said, it's amongst the most likely of explanations IF the OP did get a 'real shock'. However, as has been discussed, that does not now seem to be a certainty, so another possibility is that there is nothing wrong with his installation at all - although one obviously could not conclude that without some (inspection and) testing of the lighting circuit.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

ssitchbi

I think I have an explanation for this:
It's delayed muscle spasm while posting the message.

 

[sxturbo]

Quick update,

I'm a bit of a tit.

So when I switched the upstairs lights off, I also switched the sockets off as I was replacing faceplates.

Once I finished replacing the face plates I switched the sockets back on, because my son wanted to watch telly.

At this point I should have checked the light was still isolated.

It seems that the light in my son's room had been wired into the sockets, for the life of my I do not know why as surely it would have been simple to have just connected into the existing circuit in the loft.

Anyway, I've now fixed It, and added to the existing light circuit in the loft.

Lucky I'm the type of person that learns from their mistakes and tends not to do the same mistake twice. Lesson well and truly learnt.

Thanks for your help.