Complete Newb Toilet Light Switch

[jasminster]

Hi all,
so we've just moved into this new property and downstairs toilet has no light switch but a blank plate covering. I opened it up and there is one terminal covering all the brown wires and one for the blue wires. I went and bout a new light switch. I flicked the light switch on the fuse box to OFF then ran a length of wire from Brown collection to the COM of the light switch and another one from blue collection to the L1 (or even L2) but in both occasions the light came on initially but as soon as I flicked the switch, the fuse was tripped. Can anyone please help shed some light on this situation?? I'm desperate to get this sorted but not having much luck so far. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I have photos and have uploaded.
Thanks in advance
Jasmin

 

[Fleeting]

What is controlling the light at the moment.
What you have done is creating a dead short between line and neutral.

 

[Sharpend]

Is there a switch elsewhere for this light?

 

[MDJ]

Dear oh dear, I hope you have a fire extinguisher

 

[jasminster]

What is controlling the light at the moment.
What you have done is creating a dead short between line and neutral.

When I put the bulb, the light comes on so its on ON position at the minute. I believe the previous occupiers had smart bulbs fitted hence the removal of the light switch.

 

[jasminster]

Is there a switch elsewhere for this light?

No there's no other switch for this light.

 

[jasminster]

Dear oh dear, I hope you have a fire extinguisher

Yes I do but I'm pretty much sure its either empty or expired! LOL

 

[Geoff1946]

Oh dear. Undo what you have done. You can probably throw your new switch away having used it to short out the supply.
Now, forget the blue wires. They are neutral. One of those brown wires will go to the light. You need to work out which one, that's the difficult bit which an electrician would use test equipment to identify it.
You may be able to see physically where each goes, or do it by trial and error. Your new switch goes between the brown wire to the light and the rest of the brown cluster. Alternatively you may be wise to find an electrician.

 

[jasminster]

Thanks everyone for your help.
So once I found the wire that goes to the light bulb, does that connect to L1?

 

[monkey5]

Where abouts are you? There looks to be one over sleved with brown, is it black underneath?
Do you have a fan too? If so what controls that?

 

[jasminster]

Oh dear. Undo what you have done. You can probably throw your new switch away having used it to short out the supply.
Now, forget the blue wires. They are neutral. One of those brown wires will go to the light. You need to work out which one, that's the difficult bit which an electrician would use test equipment to identify it.
You may be able to see physically where each goes, or do it by trial and error. Your new switch goes between the brown wire to the light and the rest of the brown cluster. Alternatively you may be wise to find an electrician.

Thanks for your helpful reply! I could probably remove one wire a time from the bunch and will figure out which one connects to the light. So once I figured out which brown wire goes to the light, does it go in the com and the rest in L1?

 

[Sharpend]

Ideally yes but doubt you will get remaining into Com together.
Switched brown (the one that goes to the light) goes in L1

 

[peterspurs]

looking at it I think there will be a fan connected as well so will have to take that into consideration

 

[jasminster]

Where abouts are you? There looks to be one over sleved with brown, is it black underneath?
Do you have a fan too? If so what controls that?

Hi,
Yes the sleeved one is black. There's an extractor fan that has an isolator switch above the toilet door and it has a pull cord to make it go faster. Thanks

 

[jasminster]

What is controlling the light at the moment.
What you have done is creating a dead short between line and neutral.

As it is, the light is always on and the only way to turn it off is to remove the bulb.

 

[Geoff1946]

Noticing that there is a fan makes the job easier. The sleeved black will be the switched live to the fan and needs to go in L1 of your switch. Now look where it goes into its sheath and one of the other browns will also go, along with the grey. That brown is the fan permanent live and connects to supply Com of your switch. There are now only two browns to choose from for the supply, (com), and feed to lamp, L1. You can safely trial and error with those and nothing will go bang! Just don't connect them to the blue wire.
I was quite serious about dumping the switch you tripped the system with. It could be damaged even if it seems to work; not worth the risk for a couple of quid.

 

[jasminster]

Noticing that there is a fan makes the job easier. The sleeved black will be the switched live to the fan and needs to go in L1 of your switch. Now look where it goes into its sheath and one of the other browns will also go, along with the grey. That brown is the fan permanent live and connects to supply Com of your switch. There are now only two browns to choose from for the supply, (com), and feed to lamp, L1. You can safely trial and error with those and nothing will go bang! Just don't connect them to the blue wire.
I was quite serious about dumping the switch you tripped the system with. It could be damaged even if it seems to work; not worth the risk for a couple of quid.

Thanks ever so much for that advice! I will pop to the shops next week and pick up a new switch and will follow your instructions to fit the new switch. I will post an update once I'm done. Thanks again

Locked to prevent being resurrected (again)