Newly fitted light switches trip the breaker. (Ed.)

[Marky.M]

Hi, I have two wall lights in a bedroom. I am currently fitting the switches. There are to be two switches one under each light. When I began to fit the first switch, I connected the wires to the switch unit and the lights came on. But when I go to switch off the light switch it trips the fuse in the consumer unit. Any ideas why this happens? Could it be because the second switch isn’t connected yet? Thanks .

 

[ETAF]

did you take pictures before removing the lights

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

did you take pictures before removing the lights

Maybe a 2-way switch, and he has connected the earth wire to one of the strapper wire terminals.

 

[Marky.M]

I’ll take some pictures and post them. Basically I connected the live wire to the top of the switch unit (labelled 2) the neutral I connected to bottom left of the switch unit ( labelled 1) then with the earth I connected that to the screw that is on the metal front plate of the switch. As I say the light comes on but when I flick the switch to turn it off it trips.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I’ll take some pictures and post them. Basically I connected the live wire to the top of the switch unit (labelled 2) the neutral I connected to bottom left of the switch unit ( labelled 1) then with the earth I connected that to the screw that is on the metal front plate of the switch. As I say the light comes in but when I flick the switch to turn it off it trips.

If that is in fact a neutral, it will cause the trip. Turn the power off, remove the 'neutral', and terminate it separately, in something like a connector strip. Reassemble, power back on, and test again.

 

[Marky.M]

Thanks Harry. Where should the neutral go then within the unit? I’m attaching a pic of the unit.

 

[ETAF]

switches do not have neutrals , unless remote/wireless switches - they may have a black or blue wire - but that is still live - if there are any neutrals they may simply be connected together separately
Is this a new installation you are setting up ?

Light wiring diagrams | Light fitting

light wiring diagrams for domestic light wiring

www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

 

[Jurassicspark]

Thanks Harry. Where should the neutral go then within the unit? I’m attaching a pic of the unit.

The neutral should NOT go into any of those terminals.

 

[Jurassicspark]

Send a picture of the wiring behind the switch.

I assume the neutrals should just be connected together.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks Harry. Where should the neutral go then within the unit? I’m attaching a pic of the unit.

If it is a neutral, then nowhere in that switch. As said, isolate it in a connector, see if everything works as normal. If not, come back here.

 

[Marky.M]

This is a pic of the wiring. I’ve just capped them off for now. The cable will obviously be cut shorter eventually.

 

[Adam_151]

How is it connected at the other end?

If the blue is neutral, you can either wire the switch to either do nothing, or put a short on the supply and take out the fuse....

 

[Marky.M]

It’s a wall lamp see pic. Switch will go directly below it.

 

[Adam_151]

How have you got it connected in the fitting?

 

[EFLImpudence]