Properly Phased Wiring In Lights

[Beardog]

I was wondering if anyone knows this simple question.

I have 1 light (outside) that flickers when it is off. it used to be 5 . The electrician went into the crawl hole & rewired the 5 lights & 1 still flickers when off.Yesterday we had the Govn sparky hook up 2 copper lines in order to get our permanent hookup & drop our rate down to 3%. When they got done, I noticed now 4 lights that weren't flickering dimly - now flickered & the 1 light outside stopped flickering. I went to the meter & switched the 2 lines & the problem went back to the 1 light outside flickering.

Is it as easy as reversing the 2 wires on the ballast of the flickering light to solve the problem or do I need to go into the crawl hole to reverse it/ Seems like I should be able to do it the easy way, but even though I can do some electrical wiring, it really isn't my field of expertise.

Thanks guys!!

[Crossy]

Flickering fluorescents is invariably because the switch is in the neutral, semi confirmed by the result of swapping your incoming (by the way, this is a highly dangerous thing to do unless you know exactly what you're doing, in a MEN system it is possible that the results could be explosive [direct live to ground path]).

Get out your trusty neon-screwdriver and verify that the switch is correctly wired.

Edited March 24, 2008 by Crossy

[lopburi3]

I would first go to the switch turning the light on and off to check which line is being switched (should be hot). You do have a screwdriver type tester? I suspect it is a neutral being switched at the light that flickers from what happened when you changed the input at meter. Be very careful.

Cossy was faster - agree with everything he said.

[Crossy]

Two votes for switched neutral, any advance on two?

NOTE If your switch is correctly wired and you have ELECTRONIC ballasts there could be another effect in play, I won't discuss it now to avoid confusion, come back to this thread when you've confirmed the wiring

[Beardog]

The test light comes on when I touch the gray wire. I tested 3 outlets the same gray lights up. The only difference in any switches are the affected light is wired black on top & gray on the bottom. The other switches are wired the opposite.

Thanks for the help. I know if it was the U.S. I would have been BBQ'd when grounded- so I was real careful not to cross wires or ground myself when I switched the main wires. The thieves around here do the same to bag the copper , Hense the new copper wires to get my permanent. 220 hurts a lot & worse if you screw up fatal!

So what is next. I will be more careful, now that you guys mention it. I guess aware isn't good enough!

[Crossy]

OK. firstly, normal colour code here is US standard, black is live, grey is neutral so the neon should come on when touched to the black in an outlet! Assuming grounded outlets live is should be on the left with the ground at the to, illustration here http://www.crossy.co.uk/wiring/plugs.html

To check your light switch do this (care please):-

With the light OFF touch each connection of the switch (with the neon of course), you should get a light on one side only.

With the light ON touch each connection of the switch, you should get a light on both sides, if you get no light either side then the swich is in the neutral, get your man to fix it.

BEFORE doing the above, you should check that what you think is live really is. The incoming live should go via the ELCB to the common of your MCBs (breakers) in your distribution board, verify with your neon. Check the diagrams here http://www.crossy.co.uk/wiring/Consumer.html anything coloured RED on the diagrams should illuminate the neon, blue should not.

Edited March 24, 2008 by Crossy

[Beardog]

When light is on no neon. I guess I will call the sparky tomorrow . Probably 200 baht. I sure don't want to go into the hot attic to try & fix it!

Thanks again for the help Crossy!!!!!

Barry

[Crossy]

When light is on no neon. I guess I will call the sparky tomorrow . Probably 200 baht. I sure don't want to go into the hot attic to try & fix it!

Thanks again for the help Crossy!!!!!

Barry

That's why we're here mate

Do PLEASE check that your incoming 'live' really is the hot side otherwise your whole installation could be reversed, not a good situation

[Beardog]

I will do Crossy. plumbing if something screws up it could be unpleasant. Electrical it could be catastrophic. I will have it checked as I do not want any chance of a fire. It seems like he made the gray hot instead of the black. other than the light everything is kosher, If it is that he made gray instead of black & it is alright i will leave it & make a note on the circuit breaker box to remind me of the code. I guess the Thai's are not famous for using standard anything. I handed my electrician a bag of 50 connectors instead of the electrical tape that they always use & he thanked me put them in his parts box & used the black tape anyway. His brother (instead of crimping the connector or using the screw ons I gave them )put the crimp type on the wire (and didn't crimp the wires together) & taped the 2 parts together. I later made sure that all the connectors were crimped when they left except for the attic. when the Electrician comes over I will have him(show him how to crimp the connections & have him redo the (I think it is only 6 or so wires) properly. Thanks again Crossy!

[Beardog]

I will do Crossy. plumbing if something screws up it could be unpleasant. Electrical it could be catastrophic. I will have it checked as I do not want any chance of a fire. It seems like he made the gray hot instead of the black. other than the light everything is kosher, If it is that he made gray instead of black & it is alright i will leave it & make a note on the circuit breaker box to remind me of the code. I guess the Thai's are not famous for using standard anything. I handed my electrician a bag of 50 connectors instead of the electrical tape that they always use & he thanked me put them in his parts box & used the black tape anyway. His brother (instead of crimping the connector or using the screw ons I gave them )put the crimp type on the wire (and didn't crimp the wires together) & taped the 2 parts together. I later made sure that all the connectors were crimped when they left except for the attic. when the Electrician comes over I will have him(show him how to crimp the connections & have him redo the (I think it is only 6 or so wires) properly. Thanks again Crossy! just checked the main breaker box & they used a 2 wire system (not 3 ) Black is hot gray is neutral. at least I have never gotten any shocks from anything, but I will be replacing the cheesy electrical tape with the proper connectors. I wish the contractors would ask first , it is so cheap to do it right the first time & lame to have to redo what you don't watch!

Edited March 24, 2008 by Beardog