Discuss Bathroom pull switch with three sets of wires conundrum - help required! in the DIY Electrical Advice area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Hello!

I’m looking to solve a problem that’s been bugging me for a few days now (and a few fuses!). So the switch broke on my bathroom pull switch and I attempted to replace it which is when the trouble began - there're three sets of wires for a start…

IMG-3777 - https://ibb.co/TKs4n1c

So the first picture is of the old pull switch mechanism (you can see it didn’t unscrew so I had to break it off - I should have known this would be a bad omen!), there were no markings on the switch itself or on any of the wires. There are three lights in the bathroom and one light/extractor fan which all come on with the pull switch and all go off with the pull switch. There is no isolator fuse for the extractor and which has the led light integrated in the middle of the fan.


I believe I have established which wires are doing what by tracing their path through the loft and by using a voltmeter. For the purposes of this I have named each of the wires as follows:

L = Load wires coming into the switch

S = These are the wires I believe go to the lights (Switch)

B = This I’ve called Blank which I presume is running the power onto the next lights in the house?

Assuming the Earths have been wired into the earth of the switch that leaves the two remaining wires. Black (Neutral) which I’ve called B and Red (Live) which I’ve called R.

So the remaining wires I have are:

LR + LB = Load Red + Load Black etc…

SR + SB = Switch Red + Switch Black

BR + BB = Blank Red + Blank Black

After loads of research and trial and error I am aware that one of the Blacks becomes a Live but it has scrambled my head and I just can’t figure out the combination! There was a choc-block in the original switch and so I have used this in the new switch.

The new switch has the following connections: COM + L1 + L2.

After numerous attempts after I’d researched I kept coming back to the following wiring method but whilst all the lights worked and the extractor fan/light, the extractor fan/light and one other light stayed on when I switched the pull switch off!?

IMG-3787 - https://ibb.co/P9GKZ4W

The wiring I used was LR+SR into the choc with SB connected, then BB + LB in COM and SR in L1.

And there lies the problem I cannot for the life of me work out the correct wiring so all the lights and fan goes on and all go off again - together :)

So the challenge is and the help I’m asking is can you help solve this?

I’ve done wiring before but this one has really confused me so your help is gratefully received!

So here’s what’s remaining:

The wires I've labelled:

IMG-3817 - https://ibb.co/LkKVDRH


And the connections excluding the choc-block:

IMG-3818 - https://ibb.co/3RFnCHH

Thank you!
 
agree^^^. a spark should sort that within an hour. also you should have the benefit of the circuit being tested for safety and compliance with regulations.
 
Yeah, I called three sparks, all went to answerphone and none have called back. I'm peeing in the dark and the missus is not happy :D.

I was more hoping for a BR+LR go to COM and SB goes to L1 kind of answer as I've labelled all the wires in the pic. I have a VoltTester and know the live in is LR but no others - I undid the old fixing without marking them though I did take a pic and have uploaded that. The old fixing wasn't much use as there was no way of knowing which was which anyway.

Any other ideas?
 
as there doesn't appear to be aN present, unlees youinadvertently connect anything to E, not much chance of it going bang. so it's trial and error or call in a local sparks.
 
sw/L is witched live. only becomes live when switch is operated. quite often to use the black conductor in twin/E cable as sw/L. although this should have a red sleeve attached so you know it's not neutral. hope that makes it clearer.
 
Just to throw in another curved ball.
\
Got a fan in your bathroom? Maybe that is somehow connected to the switch too.......
 

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