[Help] Dimmer light switch wiring - huh??!!

[Goldstone1976]

We have a ceiling light with dimmable leds controlled by a touch sensitive switch. Recently, it has a disconcerting habit of randomly turning itself on. It’s been happening more frequently.

I put this down to either a ghost or a loose wire in the switch.

Having first flicked the lighting circuit RCD off, I took the plate off.

Imagine my surprise when I saw what’s in the photo above. I’ve never seen anything like that wiring before.

All connections are secure.

Do I:

A) change the wiring - perhaps putting the blue wire somewhere more valuable than dangling in space?

B) call a sparky?

C) Do nothing, put the plate back on and tell the missus I’ve fixed it?

D) Move house because I’ve got a poltergeist?

Seriously, I’ve never seen a switch wired like that before - weird, huh?

Or will a knowledgeable NSC member say “Nah, that’s ok. What you need to do is…”

TIA…

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Is it only at dinner time? Possible power overload from the cooker?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Is it only at dinner time? Possible power overload from the cooker?

Damn! I thought I'd got the edit in before anyone would have the chance to comment on that!

OR... huh? I don't know what you're talking about...

 

[happypig]

Don't waste money on a sparky, have a go at it yourself, what's the worst that could happen ? Electrocutions and house fires never caused anyone any harm..

 

[Goldstone1976]

Don't waste money on a sparky, have a go at it yourself, what's the worst that could happen ? Electrocutions and house fires never caused anyone any harm..

Oh believe me, when faced with something that I've never seen before my first instinct is to call an expert in (I'm in the diminishing group of people that believe that there's still value to be had from experts). And, if a Sparky on here doesn't say 'Nah, no sweat - just do this', that's exactly what I'll do.

I'll need a sparky soon enough to swap out 4 consumer boards for something that's a bit more recent than 1970s anyway, but I was hoping to do that in the spring. Maybe I'll bring that forward.

 

[Acker79]

I feel like this is the sort of thread that the 'question' option is built for.

 

[moggy]

What is the light that is being controlled by the switch? Does the light have a driver?
Is it just a bulb? Some led bulbs are not dimmable.
Need to know that first

 

[nickbrighton]

my first thought is, if you need to come onto a public forum to ask about what wires go where then you really shouldnt be touching the electrics

 

[Goldstone1976]

I feel like this is the sort of thread that the 'question' option is built for.

Wassat?

 

[Goldstone1976]

What is the light that is being controlled by the switch? Does the light have a driver?
Is it just a bulb? Some led bulbs are not dimmable.
Need to know that first

Just a central ceiling light chandelier thingy. 5 bulbs. No driver. These LED bulbs are definitely dimmable.

 

[Goldstone1976]

my first thought is, if you need to come onto a public forum to ask about what wires go where then you really shouldnt be touching the electrics

Yeah, I kinda agree - hence my suggestion that getting a sparky in is probably the best option. However, given there really aren't that many wires and it's the blue (neutral) one dangling in space that surprises me, I wondered if there was simple fix that a sparky one may be able to suggest.

If not, no worries, I'll add it to the 'please replace these 4 consumer units' job that I want doing at some point anyway.

 

[BN9 BHA]

View attachment 152936
B) call a sparky?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Have you tried turning it down and up again?

 

[Justice]

It’s a common and switch line perfectly normal, I would suggest the switch is faulty I am a sparky and will not charge for this information

Before you changed to smart switches that probably used to be a two way switch that’s why the blue cable is in the terminal block. Also the metal back box should also be earthed along with the switch plate.

 

[jackanada]

Try replacing the dimmer.
Wiring looks fine. Just live into and switched live out of dimmer. The neutral is redundant, probably not even connected other end but sensible to have terminated it.

 

[beorhthelm]

We have a ceiling light with dimmable leds controlled by a touch sensitive switch. Recently, it has a disconcerting habit of randomly turning itself on. It’s been happening more frequently.

I put this down to either a ghost or a loose wire in the switch.

I'd suspect more likely the touch sensitive is dodgy. or wiring in the ceiling where there are more crawling/leaking things. change the dimmer.

or crack open the floor boards, call in the sparks and exocist for full coverage.

 

[Acker79]

Wassat?

It's a type of thread. When you create a thread you can post a normal thread, a poll, or a question. If you do it as a question, you can vote up the best response so it is pinned under the initial post.

This was Bozza testing it: https://www.northstandchat.com/threads/wonder-what-the-question-thing-does.397195/#post-10416089

 

[Goldstone1976]

Try replacing the dimmer.
Wiring looks fine. Just live into and switched live out of dimmer. The neutral is redundant, probably not even connected other end but sensible to have terminated it.

It’s a common and switch line perfectly normal, I would suggest the switch is faulty I am a sparky and will not charge for this information

Before you changed to smart switches that probably used to be a two way switch that’s why the blue cable is in the terminal block. Also the metal back box should also be earthed along with the switch plate.

Thanks both. Much appreciated.

I decided to call the sparky to give me a quote for the 4 consumer units anyway, so he’s chuffed.

 

[Justice]

Try replacing the dimmer.
Wiring looks fine. Just live into and switched live out of dimmer. The neutral is redundant, probably not even connected other end but sensible to have terminated it.

Thanks both. Much appreciated.

I decided to call the sparky to give me a quote for the 4 consumer units anyway, so he’s chuffed.

Yes that’s a nice job £2k ish

 

[Goldstone1976]

Yes that’s a nice job £2k ish

Thanks for the guide price. I suspect mine will quote more than that (inside M25 prices). If you fancy a job up in Herts drop me a PM; no worries if not.

At some point I gotta sort out an old 3-phase board too. Now that will be expensive I imagine.