Light switch with only two wire points?

[Tenderfoot]

Hello,

I purchaesd (somewhat naivley) several touch light switches that only seem to have two wire points. The seller stated that these where australian standard switches but now that I am asking the question about how I earth surprise surprise no responce. I am reluctant to turf them as it was just over $200.00 worth. Any advice?

[Ashore]

Hello,

I purchaesd (somewhat naivley) several touch light switches that only seem to have two wire points. The seller stated that these where australian standard switches but now that I am asking the question about how I earth surprise surprise no responce. I am reluctant to turf them as it was just over $200.00 worth. Any advice?

A light switch is just that a switch it either completes the active side of the circuit when on or breaks the circuit when off
Or to put it another way your light fitting itself should have three connection points one for neutral an earth connection and an active connection , the active comes via the switch , when it is on the circuit is complete and light is on , when it is off the active line is open and the circuit is broken and the light is off
However your electrician will proberly be able to show better you when he/she fits them

[dan76]

got a link to the product website, then we could probably guess what the sparky would say

[Ashore]

A light switch is just that a switch it either completes the active side of the circuit when on or breaks the circuit when off
Or to put it another way your light fitting itself should have three connection points one for neutral an earth connection and an active connection , the active comes via the switch , when it is on the circuit is complete and light is on , when it is off the active line is open and the circuit is broken and the light is off
However your electrician will proberly be able to show better you when he/she fits them

woops read the origional too quick and missed the touch refference still got cruise lag , try dans advise

[nev25]

The Electrician that installs them will be able to advise
After all thats why we do a 4 year apprenticeship

[Vernonv]

The Electrician that installs them will be able to advise

I think he's trying to find out if the switches are legal to use in Australia. Probably be handy (and cheaper) to find that out prior to the sparky turning up to install them.

I think on occasion the stock standard "call a sparky" answer needs to be tempered.

I'm with dan76 (and Ashore), find the product web site and go from there.

[dan76]

i also had an inerest in what they would look like

[Bloss]

As your electrician will know, light switches are not earthed - the fitting at the lamp is. That will be so whether the mechanism for switching is mechanical or touch.

I have never seen a fitting that is compliant that does not have that stamped on it - if sometimes hard to read with my presbyopic eyes.

The only problem the sparky might confront if there really are just two terminals on the back is if you have a need for dual point switching ie so you can turn on lighting from two different parts of a room or house.

Otherwise they are not much different to a standard switch which will have an unswitched loop terminal, a common centre terminal (marked C usually) switching between a live terminal (marked 1 usually) and a second live terminal (marked 2 and usually partially covered when new). Loops can be done off the switch and most switch points will have just two wires to be connected - active in and active out (to the fitting).

But this is all of just academic interest as any licensed sparky you use will know how to install them - or tell you to take them back . . .

[taurus]

hi there you need to check light fitting out to see if it has a symbol on it that looks like a square within a square that means double insulated no earth required