We don't know.
There are different ways it could have been wired.
The other end could be at a light fitting.
Outside PIR floodlight question
- Thread starter Bunford
- Start date
There are different ways it could have been wired.
The other end could be at a light fitting.
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You suggested earlier, it was the fourth switch. At the rear of that switch, will be the switch wire, which is the wire which goes directly to your light. It will likely be a single wire into the switch terminal, whereas the opposite terminal on that switch, will probably have two wires entering the terminal - those being the live and looped live.
You could also find it with your volt-stick - undo the screws holding the switch, then using the stick, turn the switch on and off. The wire that becomes dead, when switched off at your switch 4, is the switch wire/the one which needs to be removed completely.
If in doubt, post a photo of the switch terminals and wires.
Yes. There is a switch box in the basement that has 4 on/off light switches on it. The 4th of the switches is for the floodlight.
Note - the neutral source, will also need to be traced, and disconnected at it's source.. That source might be within the same switch enclosure.
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So
So for a simple layman who is a willing DIYer, but not an electrician, what should be the dummies guide-like step by step I should go through to remove this?
A dummies guide, just is not possible, without knowing what you are starting with. If you have doubts, then post the photos as requested..
Here are photos of it.
The outside floodlight:
The wire coming out of the property into the floodlight:
The 4 way switch panel that controls the light (the 4th switch turned on is one that turns on floodlight as confirmed by volt stick in later picture):
The wiring coming out of the wall behind switch plate (the wire on the right most side is one going to 4th switch):
The wiring behind the switches (switch on right hand side is the 4th switch controlling floodlight):
Volt stick confirming when 4th switch is on there is power:
CU:
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The wiring behind the switches (switch on right hand side is the 4th switch controlling floodlight):
OK!
The lives do not seem to be looped at the switches, just one live in at the top, black switch wire marked with red sleaving in the bottom terminal. If you disconnect the latter wire, the one with the red sleaving, then your light cannot then be turned on, but there is no sign of any neutral connection in there at all.... Which is a major problem for you.
You will need to trace out that cable, to find out where it has sourced it's neutral connection, and disconnect it, before you can tackle removing that light and cutting the cable off. If you were to simply disconnect the switch-wire, cut the cable and insulate the end, the risk is one of nuisance tripping of that single RCD...
As you only have one single RCD, my suspicion is that who ever wired it, might perhaps have 'borrowed' the neutral from an upstairs circuit. Basically the live comes from your cellar circuit, the neutral taken from either the upstairs, or the ground floor circuit.
Another possibility, is that the cable feeding the light, comes vertically down the outside of that wall, buried under that render, then goes through the wall at ground level, to enter the basement. That would suggest the neutral has likely been sourced from the correct circuit, the cellar circuit, making life much easier for you...
Have you got access to some sort of metal detector, and could perhaps check the wall for a buried cable under that render?
OK!
The lives do not seem to be looped at the switches, just one live in at the top, black switch wire marked with red sleaving in the bottom terminal. If you disconnect the latter wire, the one with the red sleaving, then your light cannot then be turned on, but there is no sign of any neutral connection in there at all.... Which is a major problem for you.
You will need to trace out that cable, to find out where it has sourced it's neutral connection, and disconnect it, before you can tackle removing that light and cutting the cable off. If you were to simply disconnect the switch-wire, cut the cable and insulate the end, the risk is one of nuisance tripping of that single RCD...
As you only have one single RCD, my suspicion is that who ever wired it, might perhaps have 'borrowed' the neutral from an upstairs circuit. Basically the live comes from your cellar circuit, the neutral taken from either the upstairs, or the ground floor circuit.
Another possibility, is that the cable feeding the light, comes vertically down the outside of that wall, buried under that render, then goes through the wall at ground level, to enter the basement. That would suggest the neutral has likely been sourced from the correct circuit, the cellar circuit, making life much easier for you...
Have you got access to some sort of metal detector, and could perhaps check the wall for a buried cable under that render?
Unless you can identify the neutral and disconnect it at source then post 11 is your best course of action
The walls in the property are pretty thick, so the only thing I have is a stud/metal/electrics detector and the volt stick, and I think the walls are too thick for both.The wiring behind the switches (switch on right hand side is the 4th switch controlling floodlight):
OK!
The lives do not seem to be looped at the switches, just one live in at the top, black switch wire marked with red sleaving in the bottom terminal. If you disconnect the latter wire, the one with the red sleaving, then your light cannot then be turned on, but there is no sign of any neutral connection in there at all.... Which is a major problem for you.
You will need to trace out that cable, to find out where it has sourced it's neutral connection, and disconnect it, before you can tackle removing that light and cutting the cable off. If you were to simply disconnect the switch-wire, cut the cable and insulate the end, the risk is one of nuisance tripping of that single RCD...
As you only have one single RCD, my suspicion is that who ever wired it, might perhaps have 'borrowed' the neutral from an upstairs circuit. Basically the live comes from your cellar circuit, the neutral taken from either the upstairs, or the ground floor circuit.
Another possibility, is that the cable feeding the light, comes vertically down the outside of that wall, buried under that render, then goes through the wall at ground level, to enter the basement. That would suggest the neutral has likely been sourced from the correct circuit, the cellar circuit, making life much easier for you...
Have you got access to some sort of metal detector, and could perhaps check the wall for a buried cable under that render?
Part of the reason I'm wanting to remove to remove the eye sore element of it though, so a junction/termination box would still leave me with that issue, so I'm ideally wanting to completely remove all trace if possible.
I'm only suggesting it might be burried under the depth of the render - maybe 20mm. Your volt stick will not pick it up at thet depth, but your metal detector should, most are adjustable for sensitivity. Even smartphones have apps, to detect metal, mine detects cable buried in plaster, just about OK.
Unfortunately, the walls seem too thick as no AC detected by my detector, and as for metal, it appears there is a steel beam across the top of the patio door or something as it constantly trigger when getting anywhere close to it's entire length.
I have discovered an outer conduit though, but there is no AC or metal detected near it or along the outer wall at all.
This is where the switches are. The floodlight in question is above patio door at end of this photo:
This is the patio door, and there is a double socket to the bottom right, which has a plastic white conduit on the outside:
This is the outside view of the floodlight, and the aforementioned conduit:
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I must admit, I was half expecting the cable to go straight down, under the render, into the cellar.
At this point, I think your only way forward, unless someone else can offer ideas - is to use a signal injector and tracer. I'm sure you will not have one, and not many electricians will possess one..
At this point, I think your only way forward, unless someone else can offer ideas - is to use a signal injector and tracer. I'm sure you will not have one, and not many electricians will possess one..
Then - as I suggested - the light cable probably originates at one of the room lights.
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