neutral at a switch

[berlingo2]

Hi Guys

Has anyone ever heard of having to use Porcelain connector bocks to terminate the neutrals at a light switch, Somebody told me the other day that you do. If so where would this be in the regs ?

 

[daryl631]

Just use the normal plastic ones sounds a bit old school to me

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Think they may be getting confused between 'light fittings' & 'light switches':|

some light fittings, e.g. certain bulkhead or enclosed bathroom lights can have a lot of heat from the bulb in close proximity to the connection terminals for the incoming cable.

If heat is an issue most plastic connector terminals would stand risk of melting. therefore porcelain are used..

RULE:

If porcelain are inside the light fitting DON'T swap them for plastic, even if you knacker a screw thread.. replace with proper porcelain connector.

BUT.. at a light switch... there aye no heat .....

(or extremely minimal! as we all know lectwick generates heat as it goes down cable)

unless you is using very strange switches? ? :|

So normal plastic with appropriate current rating are all OK,

i.e. best not using 3a rated block on a 6a rated circuit IMHO

so me thinks someone was talking about light fittings and Chinese whispers has made it light switches....

next person to pass it one will say light-houses must be made of porcelain o withstand sea water!Blushing:coat

HTH

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hi GuysHas anyone ever heard of having to use Porcelain connector bocks to terminate the neutrals at a light switch, Somebody told me the other day that you do. If so where would this be in the regs ?

the general fundamental principal is 134.1.4 pg 19

section 526 starting page 106 gives load of requirements for electrical connections..

the one about heat is 526.4

twould be somewhere in that lot if it existed IMHO? ?:|

 

[batty]

One of the things I was told on my first part p assessment was that if you use terminal blocks in switches they need to be affixed to the box otherwise they are not classed as mechanically sound. I personally use wagos or crimp connectors in switches as these are classed as mechanically sound. I must say I have used a lot of terminal blocks over the years with no problems but to comply I do use the latter method.

Batty

 

[great68]

Hi, i was taught to use Bakelite type connectors at switches. These are nowadays replaced with the harder plastic types, not the cheap nylon ones. The reason was, the householder may swap the switch for a dimmer which will get hot. This in turn could melt the connector. Yep i agree its unlikly but its another 'good workmanship' thing, like earth leads in backboxs

 

[Andy™]

so if we are using higher temperature rated connectors, should we not be using higher temp rated insulation on cables?!

 

[great68]

Why ? BS pvc cable has a higher rated temp than non marked nylon connector blocks

 

[Andy™]

never looked into temp ratingof nylon connectors.... what do they normally melt at?

 

[great68]

Dont know , as i said i was taught it as being good workmanship and i guess its the OP answer.

Edit,

Also, most connector blocks now are rubbish, they have skimmed so much metal away they either split along the bottom or the thread strips. This doesnt seem to happen to the hard types

 

[Badger]

never looked into temp ratingof nylon connectors.... what do they normally melt at?

gas mark 6 in the top of oven for 30 minutes :^O :^O:^O :coat

 

[berlingo2]

Dont know , as i said i was taught it as being good workmanship and i guess its the OP answer.Edit,

Also, most connector blocks now are rubbish, they have skimmed so much metal away they either split along the bottom or the thread strips. This doesnt seem to happen to the hard types

Agreed most material is made cheap and nasty nowa days

 

[batty]

use wagos a lot quicker than connectors and they don't need fixing to the box.

Batty

 

[berlingo2]

whats a wago ?

 

[batty]

http://www.wago.com/cps/rde/xchg/SID-53EFFEF9-A7BFA792/wago/style.xsl/eng-325.htm

Link hopefully.

Batty

 

[batty]

Also there is another company that do a similar thing ideal I think try and find link.

Batty

 

[batty]

Link for ideal industries.

http://www.idealindustries.co.uk/index.cfm?pid=12&op=slc&pk=204

Batty

 

[Andy™]

whats a wago ?

push fit connectors, wago is a more popular make but there are others

 

[daryl631]

I must agree these connectors are easier i usualy teminate cable and heatshrink if normal cieling rose is being replaced with downlighters no prob with regs being unaccessable

 

[Evans Electric]

Porcelain connectors at a switch, Sounds like someone is reading from a local council spec. probably Birmingham's. They used to specify wooden rawlplugs and round head black japanned screws to fix boxes and an earth wire to the metal sheathing , c/with crimp lug and self tapper to connect it. It is " Old School" as Daryl says, used to be for light fitts.

Deke