Dear Sifu..

Need some advise and help here.

Objective: To provide Neutral Wire to my light switch for my new smart switch

Situation: I have 2 Gang Light Switch (for fan and lamp) next to Aircond switch

Q 1: Can I jumper the neutral in of aircond switch cable to provide Neutral in to the new switch?

I'm not sure if the Air Cond and light from same circuit, which I don't think so.

Q 2: Is it okey to tap neutral from the ceiling light itself? or should i tap from the ceiling fan?

Q 3: What is the black and green wire inside the double gang light switch?
I have multimeter and perhaps I will test out to be sure, but early advise will be great

Last option is to tap new wire from the circuit box, but i will have additional 8 lighting switch point to replace

For reference and better understanding, please refer to both image i provide in this post





Thank you!!!!

q1 : how many rcd or elcb the electrical board has? if 1 then yes, you can loop the neutral from aircon switch.
q2 : not necessary.
q3 : green should be earth that is wrapped with some wire tape to direct connect them together. black one should be neutral that is direct connect with wire tape.

be careful ok. and never assume wire function and phase based on wire color alone. always test before touching. be careful about neutral that is direct connect. sometimes when you separate them, a neutral that is disconnected from the neutral link becomes a live wire. so, you should know what you are doing before proceeding. good luck.

Thanks for your reply.
Yes I will test with Non Contact Volt Meter and also close the circuit before performing the job.

I will test and update later..

Thank you

Manage to install the neutral cable without any issue.
1. test with multimeter
2. Extend the cable with connector / coupler and cover it with electrical tape for added security
3. Install and all working fine.

Thanks alot

I use many types of crimper & tools.
1. Ferrule - insulated & bare (mainly DB, etc)
2. Splice/Lock crimp - good for LED downlight
3. Wire nut/Screw on - cheap & fast
4. Spring/Push Type & Clamp Quick (for thin wire, testing project)
5. Terminal block (Malaysia 1970s technology)

1-4 : Buy from Shopee / Taobao
5 : Buy from local hardware

This post has been edited by amco: Aug 27 2018, 02:14 AM

Hi Sifus,

I recently bought the XiaoMi Aqara switch thinking it would be simple to install. But actually it's not as simple lol. Want to know what does the letter mean


N should be Neutral but what is the rest?


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L = live

L vs L1 is just to differentiate input/ouput (usually)

e.g the incoming live is into the L and the outgoing live to the load into the L1
but its kinda weird for not having N1 as well.

check some quick guide/manual that supposed to be attached with that switch.
should have some info on wiring diagram

after my post above i go google for a quick check. yes its correct.
the N is just one. u have to loop it

but you trouble would be that:
1. common wiring practice don't have N into the switch box
2. have to source for N which will be impossible if there's no conduit in the wall (mostlikely contractor just plaster the wire in)


looking at your switch i guess how it work is:
the switch needs power to operate thus it requires N

basically the N and L together is to power up your switch
then the L1 is to forward the Live for a complete circuit

sadly the manual is in Mandarin and I don't real Mandarin

actually not that hard. but i doubt it'll be doable.

workaround is possible but might be ugly or tedious.
if want simple it'll be ugly
if want nice proper its really tedious.

to me it's like need partial rewiring

my mirror light plug gone case already the plug.. and i want to DIY change the plug but after i dismantle the existing plug.. inside only have Black and Red wire..

first time encounter 2 wire.. as normally it 3 wire..

please help sifu..

current existing

input = AC 100-240V 50/60Hz
output = 12v
Existing is using china head plug.

Hi. Can you advice on this.
Why Live is connected to Neutral and Neutral to Live?


Thanks


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Because, humans make mistakes.
Just like traffic light, red is stop, green is go, but millions of people still beat red light.

Colour code supposed to be standardise but theres a lot of faux electrician out there simply connect using any colour. And it gets more complicated if its looping (ie not direct DB because if you change it at one end it might still be wrong halfway- need to trace back that circuit whether it is just that one circuit or others also affected.

If you can confirm using test pen that the live is the hot one, turn off whole DB box, check again and confirm with working test pen that all are off already, then swap the bottom pair (clean wires without paint) correctly, then it should be OK.

That's why rule #1 always assume previous faux electrician is an idiota, test to confirm your test pen is working, test test test before touching any wires, NEVER WORK HOT (live). Always assume the wire is hot and make sure to confirm the DB box is all off as well, even after lunch break always assume someone has turned it on, test test test, and colours are installed by colour blind previous faux electrician.

This post has been edited by ceo684: Jun 22 2020, 02:51 PM

In the wall, stiff wire, usually it is
Live - Red Yellow Blue sometimes white, depending on phase
Neutral - Black (common neutral)
Earth - Green

Outside of wall - to fitting/flexible cable, usually it is
Live - Red/Brown
Neutral - Blue
Earth - Yellow/Green stripes or Green

This post has been edited by ceo684: Jun 22 2020, 02:48 PM

Thanks. I have confirmed with test pen. The one I circled from incoming (Blue line) is actually LIVE WIRE. Crap man how these licensed electrician does the 3 phase wiring. So dangerous.



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The wiring is correct as done by the electrician in your picture. You are wrong in your assumption that the electrician has done a dangerous job. I'm not trying to be condescending here, but please understand the wiring standards before you do wiring. Please be safe.

Okay. So the color code changed?


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You're looking at the colour code for flexible wire. Sorry, looking again at the image you attached, the wiring standard in Malaysia is still the first one on the left, for wiring within the wall. Where did you get the image from, that shows brown as the live?

The only difference is that the Earth/Ground cable is solid green, not green striped yellow in M'sia.

As ceo684 has posted before, the colour code within the wall is different from the colour code for flexible wire.
This post has been edited by stormer.lyn: Jun 22 2020, 07:43 PM

Is this correct?

The wires in this image are attached correctly