Connecting the new light switch FAQ

red (or brown) to L-in black with red sleeving (or blue with brown sleeving) to L-out earth still sleeved green/yellow to backbox terminal.

Double pole light switch ??. A bit unusual. What make is it ?

That sounds like it is either a higher current plate switch (designed for double pole switching a load) or possibly an "intermediate" changeover switch designed for two way switching with more than two switches.

L In and L Out

Sorry , but this is a worrying question because it exposes a very low level of knowledge. Why have you bought a DP switch for a light? Are you going to sleeve the blue/black wire to show that it is a switched live?

Some switches do now have a "parking" position for a neutral (e.g. schneider)

Is the O/P sure it says Lin, Lout, Nin, Nout rather than COM, L1, L2 and N or COM, 1WAY, 2WAY and LOOP ?

I've known people flogged a DP switch for lighting so the OP can just follow John Rumm's advice if his looks like

There are plenty of 16A or 20A, double pole, switches that look just like light switches (often used to turn under-counter sockets for washing machines off and on). There is no problem in using them as light switches, but they often have a heavier action than people like for lights and they don't give any option for 2-way switching.

It's marked British General, Telford, England.

Mrs W went to buy a more attractive switch to replace the dirty old plastic one and this is what she found.

TW

Don't you worry on my behalf you bloke-with-no-name! A low level of knowledge is balanced by vast reserves of common sense and sound first principles.

TW

Exactly that, thank you.

Its now becoming common to bring live/neutral/earth into a light switch backbox and have the (switched)live/neutral/earth exiting the switch backbox. Perhaps it will be common practice to switch live and neutral for some lighting configurations?

Oh dear, the expression "hubris leading to nemesis" comes to mind, but it may be a future occupant that will suffer the latter. Going back to the original plan to move the switch and not leave any way to identify the cable runs: knowledgeable people here have advised you how to do it properly, and it really wouldn't be much more difficult or time-consuming to do it properly than to bodge it. Someone with such a vast reserve of common sense must surely see that it isn't sensible to deliberately create a potentially unsafe situation.

I have been switching the neutral on outside lights for a while.

eg a MD018WH Scolmore module. That is not clunky.

I have been working hard for years to lower my knowledge:-)

As for oversleeving the black or brown then if is not already done then do not bother. It's now only a note on an EICR.

blue

Send her back with a flea in her ear

Bill

Oh bloody hell. Talk about famous last words

Bill