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Changing a pull switch to a normal one

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:02 pm
by Dan the man
I'm doing some work at a friends house and he has a pull light switch in a bedroom, he wants it moved to a proper switch on the wall, Is this an easy job to do???

Thanks

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:58 pm
by ericmark
What is easy? OK one cable with three wires so likely a junction box where old switch is and cable to new switch with backing box and switch.

Some walls may be very easy and you can drop cable down cavity. Others have bits of wood in the way, insulation or are solid walls and need a chase down the wall.

The lights may already be on a RCD but also they may not and to comply with new regulations an RCD will need adding or you need to use one of the special cables like Ali-tube.

All to often I have seen where someone has done something in their home which was hard or easy in their eyes and they tell their mate how hard/easy it was. But the walls in their mates house are completely different.

So really like asking how long is a piece of string. Although one can get a cables length but you need to ask a sailor how long that is!

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:20 pm
by Dan the man
lol Thanks Eric, I should of wrote the question a bit better really haha, what I mean is could a competent person be able to do it, I've not actually seen it yet hes just told me about it and I said I'll have a look.
Should it be 1.5mm cable I use??
Thanks

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:38 pm
by jimmy_one_ball
Use exactly the same cable that the circuit is already on. Any change in conductor size needs to be fused.

It's an easy job if you know what to do!