: > :> :>> The question is, : > :> :>> what wiring should be used from the light fittings to : > the : > :> switch? : > :> :>> Historically I would have chosen twin red 1.5mm, what : > now? : > :> :>
: > :> :> Dave has given a good reply. However, as a broader point : > :> brown and : > :> :> brown coloured cable is available, though TLC only seem : > to do : > :> it in : > :> :>
1.0. : > :> : : > :> : I have banned the brown brown cable from my van. It stops : > :> mistakes happening : > :> : on first fix. : > :> : : > :>
: > :> It also makes for slower fault finding, with brown/blue or : > the : > :> older red/black and (indicating) sleeves it's quick and easy : > to : > :> see which wire is - should be - the permanent live and : > switched : > :> live at either end. : > : : > : Not really, since there is no convention as to which wire : > should be : > : which. : >
: > Perhaps on your Island John, but here in the UK... : : : I can only conclude Jerry that you have little or no practical : experience with UK domestic wiring.
I have plenty, dating back to wiring that was likely installed in the 1920s through to the present day. I have also experience of working on conduit/trunking protected industrial wiring and I can tell you that having two wires the same colour within the switch box is no help in telling were each wire goes without the use of a circuit tester of some sort.
: : IME, if one encounters red/red or brown/brown in a lighting circuit, : then you can have a fair degree of confidence that it is the switch drop : cable. Hence that stage of fault finding (i.e. cable identification) is : aided by use of said cable.
Well yes, I can see were that might be useful when someone hacks their way through the wiring buried in the wall or under the floor but most people will already know that they are working within a switch backing box or ceiling rose, even if they are working on a junction box of some sort they are likely to know what circuit they are working on - and were two colour T&E has been used with a marker sleeve it is very obvious that it is a switch drop.
In reality it is far more common to find : normal two colour T&E in use for switch drops. It is also alarmingly : common, to find no over sleeving or other identification in use either. :
If it's so alarming to you John then perhaps you have not the common sense to be working on electrical wiring, after all the fact that you will have removed a switch plate and still not KNOW that you are working on a lighting circuit, or even worse, have not installed a lighting circuit...