Changing pull shower switch

bigears1 · 22-04-2014 8:10pm #1

I am changing a shower double pole pull switch but I am not sure of the wiring, the old one uses L1 and L2 for the two live wires. On the new switch it is marked Supply and Load, Question: does L1 go to the Supply or Load live contacts?
Any advice would be appreciated

Bruthal · 22-04-2014 8:14pm

bigears1 wrote: »

I am changing a shower double pole pull switch but I am not sure of the wiring, the old one uses L1 and L2 for the two live wires. On the new switch it is marked Supply and Load, Question: does L1 go to the Supply or Load live contacts?
Any advice would be appreciated

If L1 was correctly the supply cable on the old switch, it goes to supply on the new switch.

If you have the cable into the wrong side, the neon light will simply stay on all the time.

As would usually be said here, its not as simple to do properly as people think. And that is besides getting the cable into the correct terminals.

Sir Arthur Daley · 22-04-2014 8:26pm

Bruthal wrote: »

If you have the cable into the wrong side, the neon light will simply stay on all the time.

Unless the neutrals get mixed up.

Bruthal · 22-04-2014 9:27pm

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Unless the neutrals get mixed up.

It might possibly still stay on then as well, just dimmer, with the pullchord off, since the second leg of the neon will be a floating connection to the isolated shower, enough to light it dimly with the other leg of the neon connected to the Live continuously.

Sir Arthur Daley · 22-04-2014 10:05pm

Bruthal wrote: »

since the second leg of the neon will be a floating connection to the isolated shower

Why are you referring it to as a floating connection?

Sir Arthur Daley · 22-04-2014 10:22pm

Did you mean that the neutral from the neon has a floating ground?

Bruthal · 22-04-2014 10:34pm

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Did you mean that the neutral from the neon has a floating ground?

When the pull chord is switched off, the shower neutral from pull chord to shower, is now a floating conductor connected to nothing except the shower, so the shower and its live and neutral wires are all isolated, so are floating in terms of the neon connected to it.

So the neon with one leg connected to live from feed being connected to the load terminal, and the other leg of neon now connected to the load neutral if neutrals are mixed up. So the leg of the neon connected to the shower neutral is connected to an isolated shower unit.

Sir Arthur Daley · 22-04-2014 10:44pm

Bruthal wrote: »

So the leg of the neon connected to the shower neutral is connected to an isolated shower unit.

I would call that a floating ground.

Bruthal · 22-04-2014 10:45pm

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

I would call that a floating ground.

Why?

Its academic anyway. Its a floating connection, or a floating ground. Not really that important to argue over it.

Sir Arthur Daley · 22-04-2014 10:56pm

Bruthal wrote: »

Why?

Its a floating connection.

Sir Arthur Daley · 22-04-2014 10:56pm

Bruthal wrote: »

Its academic anyway. Its a floating connection, or a floating ground. Not really that important to argue over it.

True.

dodzy · 23-04-2014 12:20pm

OP asked a simple question. Why the need for 11 posts ??

Supply = side from where the power comes
Load = Side to the device that requires the power ( the shower in this case )

Obviously OP, you will need to isolate the power from the consumer unit. Following that, is is not nearly as difficult as some would have you believe.

tomdempsey200 · 23-04-2014 12:58pm

dodzy wrote: »

Obviously OP, you will need to isolate the power from the consumer unit. Following that, is is not nearly as difficult as some would have you believe.

except for the fact that the OP appears to have no training or experience

i'm sure FAS wouldn't recommend apprentices be sent out out to replace shower pull cord switches on their first day at work

Sir Arthur Daley · 23-04-2014 4:01pm

dodzy wrote: »

OP asked a simple question. Why the need for 11 posts ??

If the op is unsure about his phase connections one can deduce he is equally unsure where to put the neutral connections, gauging that the light on in the switch if wired incorrectly would not be an approved method of knowing that your switch would be wired backwards correctly.
The switch can be potentially wired 24 different ways yet only one way is the correct way.

Bruthal · 23-04-2014 5:24pm

dodzy wrote: »

OP asked a simple question. Why the need for 11 posts ??

OP got a simple answer in post #2. They should have mod application forms for posters like yourself.

dodzy · 23-04-2014 5:31pm

Not taking away from the safety aspect, but you are over complicating this. OP simply asked about SUPPLY and LOAD as the existing switch was L1 and L2. I think it's fair to assume that the OP will see two cable groups going into the existing switch. The close proximity to the shower will easily indicate which cable group are going to the shower (Load), leaving the other group being the (supply)

Given the likely colour coding of the cable insulation, it really is not that complex a task. Surely you could not dispute this?

And your "mod application" remark is childish, but I'm sure you know that.

Sir Arthur Daley · 23-04-2014 5:44pm

dodzy wrote: »

The close proximity to the shower will easily indicate which cable group are going to the shower (Load), leaving the other group being the (supply)

Are you saying that you can deduce that the cable in the ceiling closest to the shower is the switch wire (load) ?

Bruthal · 23-04-2014 5:54pm

dodzy wrote: »

Not taking away from the safety aspect, but you are over complicating this.

You are reading too much into it. Have a read of post #2 and tell me if you think its complex.

The following posts were a discussion, you know, it happens sometimes.

Given the likely colour coding of the cable insulation, it really is not that complex a task. Surely you could not dispute this?

Point out where I said fitting a shower switch was complex.

Dont forget though, not complex does not always = simple. Shower switches can be a nuisance even for experienced people to fit. You never experienced simple tasks that become horrendous awkward im guessing though.

And your "mod application" remark is childish

You seem bothered by 2 posters posting a bit of banter, complaining the OP asked a simple question, yet the question was answered in the first reply. You then answer it again, while complaining the thread has too many posts.

dodzy · 23-04-2014 7:40pm

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Are you saying that you can deduce that the cable in the ceiling closest to the shower is the switch wire (load) ?

No, I'm saying that the cable which runs from the pull cord switch to the shower will be the load wire. Establishing this fact is made even simpler if the shower is upstairs in a 2 story dwelling with no attic conversion. My money is on this being the case in the majority of situations.

Look, I'm not disputing either your knowledge or that of Bruthal. I'm well aware that you both contribute greatly around various fora on boards.ie, but it would be nice for once if the OP was not assumed as incapable.

Sir Arthur Daley · 23-04-2014 7:50pm

dodzy wrote: »

No, I'm saying that the cable which runs from the pull cord switch to the shower will be the load wire.

Im not disagreeing with you there.

Establishing this fact is made even simpler if the shower is upstairs in a 2 story dwelling with no attic conversion.

As in if the wiring is on surface visible from the shower to the switch?

Bruthal · 23-04-2014 8:08pm

dodzy wrote: »

but it would be nice for once if the OP was not assumed as incapable.

Thats fair enough, but as said, I had given a simple outline in post 2. After that myself and arthur just had a bit of banter, which was not making any reference to the abilities of the OP.

It was described how the neon would indicate a correctly wired switch and all in post 2.

Changing pull shower switch

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