changing switches

[david656]

ok, i bought a small strip light to light my marquee and fitted a little switch on the wire between light and plug and it works fine BUT i want to change the switch. the switch i used was a proper table light sort of switch, but i now want to use a little round switch which is ment to be used with 9v battery's or something similar.

will this little switch with BARE terminals on the back be safe to ram 230/240v through it?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2363&criteria=rocker%20switch&doy=3m8

not taht switch but looks identical ^ ^

its a little rocker switch

thanks

[BobA]

Should be fine.  It is rated for line voltage and the amps should easily cover your strip light.   Be sure to insulate the terminals after you wire the switch with heat shrink tubing or the like.

[david656]

cool umm ok

so until i get chance to go and get some heat shrink etc got i rap the light wire around the 2 terminals and then electrical tape it just to see if it works?? or is taht unsafe??

and my knowledge isn't brilliant but i presume i leave the brown (netural) as one cable and put the switch between the 2 blue bits (live)

correct me if im wrong PLEASE

once you have okayed it its marrygolds out and give it a wirl i think

[david656]

before i blow my self up can anyone confirm thats how i wire up this little switch??

[david656]

people???

[grantspain]

BROWN=LIVE
BLUE=NEUTRAL
yes basically all you do is leave the blue wire connected and just fit the switch in line of brown wire,it will basically break the live circuit
just don't wire it up with the power switched on and make sure if this strip light has a metal casing then it is earthed correctly

[BobA]

Don't just wrap the wire with AC.   If it goes loose you will get arcing.  You need to solder or crimp the connection.

[grantspain]

Don't just wrap the wire with AC.   If it goes loose you will get arcing.  You need to solder or crimp the connection.

i second that

[david656]

its just tempory till i can get down maplins tomorrow

and ARGH thats the SECOND time i have got brown and blue round the wrong way !! i can wire a plug thou tahts what counts !


if you recon its best left i will wait till tomorrow and wire it properly

although i have some crip bits and a crimper although don't no how to use it could try that i supose

[david656]

ok

i have wired in the switch with spade female things and heat shrinked over them ot came out REALLY well

to test it i stuck a  Belkin surge protector in the wall and then a circut breaker into that ! i wasn't taking no chances, and YEH it worked with out melting !!!

BUT i decidded to actually get a little light yp rocker from maplins, this one

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=44877&doy=6m8

but even though im obviously putting mains through it with more than 12v its not lighting.

does anyone know how to light these things

thanks

[DaOld Man]

One of the terminals should feed one side of the light. The other side of the light (which should be the third terminal), needs to go back to the neutral side of the AC line.
Since the site you posted does not show the terminal arrangement, or even a wiring diagram, I cant help you more than that, unless you can post a good picture of the back side of the switch on this forum.

[david656]

yh thats why i need help ! crap pictures no diagrams

well it has 3 pins, 1 and 2 when connected send power to the item and there is a third pin

so the third pin i stick the blue whre on

ok thanks a lot will try that in a minute

[david656]

just like to say genius it worked