One way switch tripping, this should be simple

[dougsclan]

Novice here....

I am puting a light in a cupboard and have found some wiring under the floorboards. I cut the cable and wired it up to a small junction box. red to red, black to black and earth to earth etc. I then attatched a spur, brown to red, blue to black green and yellow to earth. the new wire runs to the bulb and I have placed a one way swith along its path. blue to common, brown to L1 and the earth waves around because there is nothing to attach it to (I have put tape on it). the light comes on when the pwer is restored but blows the trip when I switch it off.

any suggestion

 

[JohnD]

You say you have put the Phase to one end of the switch and the Neutral to the other?



When you turn the switch "on" (not "off") it connects the wires at the two ends of the switch together.

You have manufactured a short-circuiting device.


BTW, that cable you found lying about, is it on a 32Amp circuit with no lighting fuse on it?

 

[dougsclan]

So what should I do....

You mention Phase and neutral..not sure what you mean by that

I appreciate its probably 32am wiring.... so should I out a fuse before the switch?

 

[securespark]

So what should I do....

Jack it in before you kill yourself. Seriously.

You mention Phase and neutral..not sure what you mean by that

I rest my case....



You need to be certain you have connected your supply to the correct circuit, using the correct size JB and correct size cable. Then, you need to make sure you've connected it all up properly. To do this, I suggest reading a book on DIY electrics, and not picking up a tool until you are positive you understand (i) the systems you are working on and (ii) the implications of what you are doing.

Jesus!

Novice...you certainly can't tell....

 

[dougsclan]

duhhh

Thanks for all your help

You have been magnificent

 

[securespark]

Seriously!

You need to learn a whole lot more before attempting what you're doing?

Would you attempt to repair your car's brakes if you were not sure what you were doing?

 

[dougsclan]

I would ask for advice first, perhaps ask a friend or mabye someone on a forum

then if the advice I got made sense and was sure that the person giving the advice was not just flaming me I would work safely and check it as I go

D-I -Y ..hmmmm wonder what that means

I have checked the cable size
I have checked the rating of the JB

Its a lighting circuit.....

I checked the switch.... it was faulty. I have put a new one on... and its working perfectly

I dont know where I would have been without your help...

Oh yeah, I remember, square one!

 

[Steve]

the switch wasn't faulty to begin with. how did you "check it"?. Did you wire the new switch differently?

YOU made it faulty by shorting it between LIVE AND NEUTRAL.

The light switch was OFF when the light was ON, because LIVE AND NEUTRAL were continuous to the light!

Then, you turned the switch ON and SHORTED LIVE AND NEUTRAL, CAUSING THOUSANDS OF AMPS TO FLOW THROUGH THE SWITCH, THUS RUINING IT. THEN, the protective device operated in your fuse box, preventing the entire run of cable back to the fuse box from BURSTING INTO FLAMES AND BURNING THE HOUSE DOWN.

"I found some wire under the floor and cut into it"

Yeah, ok. Some cable. it must be ok to use it then.

"i have checked the cable size"

so what was it?

Its a lighting circuit.....

how did you deduce this?

PLEASE call an electrician next time. The content of the original post makes me shiver. And the guys on here are covering themselves against liability. They dont tell people how to do things if they dont think they can do it. To such people they give advice like "call an electrician". You are one such person.

 

[dougsclan]

Its a lighting circuit..... how did you deduce this?

relatively simple.... Its connected to a light

"I found some wire under the floor and cut into it"

Yeah, ok. Some cable. it must be ok to use it then.

Well, I could have gone into greater detail as to what other wires were there but I was cutting to the chase

I didnt wire the new swith differently and its the same type.

Pehaps i did not explain properly but thatks for all the support

 

[securespark]

D-I -Y ..hmmmm wonder what that means

Does it mean go ahead and the do the work regardless of your limitations?

 

[industryspark]

Novice here....

understatement or what?

found some wiring under the floorboards.

this made me shiver!

So what should I do....

never ever touch electrics again for yours and others safety.

I dont know where I would have been without your help...

Oh yeah, I remember, square one!

seriously here, messing with electrics when you dont have a clue is extremely dangerous.

instead of abusing people who know more than you and are experts in the field i suggest you listen and take note because you may one day kill yourself or someone else whilst your playing around and sticking your head in the sand!!!

 

[securespark]

You must have your work checked to make sure it is safe.

Is the cable a lighting cable? Does it go dead when you turn off or pull out the lighting breakers/fuses?

Is the JB rated sufficiently?

When you connected the spur, you connected red to brown etc.... these wires go in different terminals.

Blue to common, brown to L1, if that is live and neutral, it would in all probability damage the switch.

Why is there nowhere for the earth to go? If you have a metal box to BS or a pattress, there should be a terminal.

 

[plugwash]

Blue to common, brown to L1, if that is live and neutral, it would in all probability damage the switch.

it seems they do generally survive it at least with modern breakers.

 

[Lectrician]

Not cheap ones!