Neon Indicator in Lighting circuit

[sparkwright]

If the switch is on the outside, can't you just see whether the switch is on or off, without the need of neon?

Or start excercising some discipline about the place so no one will ever carelessly leave the light on again.

 

[JohnW2]

If the switch is on the outside, can't you just see whether the switch is on or off, without the need of neon?
Or start excercising some discipline about the place so no one will ever carelessly leave the light on again.

Ah - you're clearly not a student of human nature!

With both our cloakroom and cellar lights, before I 'took measures' there were occasions on which the lights were accidentally left on for weeks. Particularly in relation to the cloakroom, that could even be a fire hazrad, quite apart from the electricity bill.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Hysteresis]

[.

Do you have a particularly 'plush' cloakroom? We don't, and all I had to do was to drill a hole straight through the wall above the door to take a cable through from the external 'indicator light' and then run that cable on the surface of the cloakroom to the light - so no making good was needed, and nothing was visible outside the cloakroom other than the indicator light itself. I also did the same with our large cellar, since the (many!) lights were frequently being left on down there!

Anyway, you clearly understand the issues and the 'proper' and 'bad' practices, so it's up to you to decide what approach you are comfortable with.

Kind Regards, John.[/quote]
Hi John,
Yes the cloakroom is in fact a toilet off a Hall in a newly built Town House belonging to my Son.
I could relatively easily use your solution with only a little bit of 'Tarting Up'. But it was a very attractive proposition just to change the switch.
Ah Well!! - It seemed a good idea at the time.
It is great to have the opportunity to throw these ideas around with like minnded people.
Your advice is really appreciated.

 

[JohnW2]

Yes the cloakroom is in fact a toilet off a Hall in a newly built Town House belonging to my Son.

Ah - one of those euphemistic cloakrooms - mine is really for cloaks .. and therefore doesn't need to be partcularly pleasing to the eye.

I could relatively easily use your solution with only a little bit of 'Tarting Up'. But it was a very attractive proposition just to change the switch.

Indeed, and that was also our initial thinking - but, as I've said, I suggest you might want to think about whether you (or you son) are going to notice that the neon is glowing, since we certainly didn't!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[flameport]

click for details

 

[Stoday]

Don't spend too much on your energy saving measures.

You could use an energy saving lamp say 5W. Leave it on all year 24/7 and it will only use £4 electricity. If most people switch it off and only a few leave it on, it'll only be costing you £1 a year or so.

 

[Lectrician]

Google Danlers Occupancy Sensors.

Available as surface versions to suit a standard pattress or flush box, or circular versions that are cut into the ceiling just like a downlight.

 

[Hysteresis]

Google Danlers Occupancy Sensors.

Available as surface versions to suit a standard pattress or flush box, or circular versions that are cut into the ceiling just like a downlight.

Great idea Lectrician, but a bit pricey at £41. It would take 50 years to pay for itself. A neon or a slave indicator is a more cost effective solution.
Thasnks for the Suggestion though,

 

[Hysteresis]

Don't spend too much on your energy saving measures.

You could use an energy saving lamp say 5W. Leave it on all year 24/7 and it will only use £4 electricity. If most people switch it off and only a few leave it on, it'll only be costing you £1 a year or so.

Good point Stoday. We sometimes tend to get paranoid about energy saving measures.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Would it not be easier to fit an occupancy sensor in or near the light so it can't get left on?

Hi RF Lighting.
Have you a type and part number/supplier of such a sensor?
It sounds like a good solution provided I can wire it directly into the Light circuit and avoid the installation of extra wiring with the attendant plastering and redecoration. Presumably these sensors can be ceiling mounted adjacent to the room light.
Thanks for the suggestion.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Timers_Index/Occupancy_Switch/index.html

You can replace the light with one with an integral sensor if you want although most are intended for external use.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/GLFIN706.html

 

[ban-all-sheds]

so may be redesignating the earth as a neutral return is the best solution.

I think I will disconect the earth and use that core as a proper neutral.

 

[Hysteresis]

Hi Ban all Sheds.
Is it a NO then !!!!!!.
I 100% agree.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[OwainDIYer]

I agree that using the earth as a neutral is very bad practice, but a Neon is of such High impedance, it is no different from using a neon screwdriver as a 'Live' test, and on the face of it, touching a live wire with a screwdriver is very bad practice.

It is.

My suggestion seems OK to me, but is it Legal?. If it isn't Legal then I would suggest that Neon Screwdrivers would also illegal.

They are, in the workplace. They are not an approved voltage indicating device and they can fail dangerously.

Using the earth as a neutral is not just bad practice, is it against the regulations which state that all circuits must have a circuit protective conductor and that the neutral and earth must be separate in the customer's installation *

* a few exceptions like private generator installations using earthed concentric wiring, unless that's been outlawed too. [/b]

 

[Alarm]

http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...&sa=X&ei=LT3yTav_HsiBhQeageU4&ved=0CGMQ8gIwAg

 

[Hysteresis]

Hi Alarm,
That is a very good link. £18 is a bargain,
Thanks for the link