everytime i hook up a light switch i blow a fuse but when i have it wired direct it works what am i doing wrong

symonds, December 2012

remember one end of the switch wire will be black,the other end red,to make it easy for you put the red end into the central connection block,and the black end into the flexi cable going to the light (live side) ,so when your finished you should have,two blacks going to the neutral flexi cable,3 reds in the central connection block,and one black going into the live flexi cable

mm, December 2012

all the switch does is cause a s/c between the loop in live and the flexi cable

mm, December 2012

what peccavi says is true,to find the switch wire,turn off the power at the consumer unit,remove all wires from the ceiling rose,remove wires from the switch,now get yourself a test meter set it on ohms scale,join the switch wires together,go to the ceiling rose,test each couple of wires,thats the ones in same sleeve,get someone to open circuit the switch wires as you do the test,when you find the switch wire,put one end of it in the central connection block of ur ceilling rose,and the other end of it to the flexi cable ,now fit the other two reds into the central connection block on the rose,and the blacks,or blues into the neutral connection with the flexi cable,rewire the switch,turn power on,and if you followed my instructions,your light will now work

mm, December 2012

You are connecting two Live wires together when you turn the switch on.

A live wire runs to the switch and a live wire runs away from the switch (switched live) it's used to turn the lamp on and off - it looks like a neutral wire - but it isn't - it's supposed to have a coloured sleeve around it to show that it's not a neutral conductor.

Your wiring at the switch is very probably correct - it's the wiring at the ceiling that's wrong.

You will have made the mistake of connecting together all the wires of the same colour - one of the wires that looks like a neutral is not neutral - it's live when you turn the switch on - Bang!

take care...

Peccavi, December 2012