Ask The Trades - S/W Back Box is live

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Ask The Trades › DIY Forum › Electrical Questions › S/W Back Box is live - is this normal?

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S/W Back Box is live - is this normal? (Read 4352 times)

Nigef

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S/W Back Box is live - is this normal?
Sep 22^nd, 2009, 3:11pm

Hi all - can someone please help?

Not in the trade and I am just in the middle of changing a two gang, two way switch for a slim line brass one and noticed with the power on and testing the case with a neon scredriver that the back box is giving a reading (ie, the neon bulb is lit).

Is this by any chance normal? Huh

I don't fancy a 240 volt sandwhich before tea!

Many thanks

Nige

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sparky415 Trade Member Offline Its more complicated than I first thought Posts: 679 Total Thanks: 0 For This Post: 0 Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: S/W Back Box is live - is this normal? Reply #1 - Sep 22^nd, 2009, 5:25pm Not normal! The problem might be that you have lost the earth to the switch and you are now picking up induced voltage with your neon You could really do with a proper tester!
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CWatters Super Member Offline "Daddy fick it" says James Posts: 5150 Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0 Gender:	Re: S/W Back Box is live - is this normal? Reply #2 - Sep 23^rd, 2009, 7:46am The break in the earth may not be at the faceplate. It could be elsewhere leaving a long wire "aerial" connected to the faceplate.
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sparky415 Trade Member Offline Its more complicated than I first thought Posts: 679 Total Thanks: 0 For This Post: 0 Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: S/W Back Box is live - is this normal? Reply #3 - Sep 23^rd, 2009, 5:36pm Sorry, that's what I ment by my post Thanks CW, I might be wrong and there might be 230v on the new brass switch..... Nigef might be in heap on the floor.... Nige come back and tell us what you found please.... I might not be able to sleep if you don't
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Nigef

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Re: S/W Back Box is live - is this normal?
Reply #4 - Sep 26^th, 2009, 8:24am

Thanks for your help and concern guys.

It looks like the Sparky who had wired up the thing 15 years ago must have sliced the live accidentally and I must have then pulled the earth accross it when fitting the new S/W. A bit of insulting tape and I managed to have tea and scones later that day as normal and not looking like a burnt sausage Embarrassed

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CWatters Super Member Offline "Daddy fick it" says James Posts: 5150 Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0 Gender:	Re: S/W Back Box is live - is this normal? Reply #5 - Sep 26^th, 2009, 9:59am Why didn't that fault blow the fuse or trip the RCD?
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sparky415 Trade Member Offline Its more complicated than I first thought Posts: 679 Total Thanks: 0 For This Post: 0 Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: S/W Back Box is live - is this normal? Reply #6 - Sep 26^th, 2009, 4:23pm As CW says if you didn't blow a fuse or trip a RCD there's something wrong with your wiring Also was there any green sleeving on the earth wire?
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