Light switch

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t0ny

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#196066 18-May-2016 08:34

I have recently bought a new house and the light switches have an LED in the middle of the switch. At the moment when the lights are off, the LED lights up and when it is on, it turns off. Is that how these things supposed to work or has the electrician not wired them properly. Pic of the light switch as per below:

Jase2985

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#1554560 18-May-2016 08:36

im guessing its suppose to be like that so you can see the switch in the dark

t0ny

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#1554563 18-May-2016 08:51

Thanks, makes sense when you think about it. I was thinking more along the lines of a visual aid to advise power is on. Btw..anyone know where i can get covers for that type of switch so i can replace the white part with something more visually appealing?

Jase2985

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#1554593 18-May-2016 09:21

visual aid to say power it on is the light/LED is working :)

trig42

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#1554595 18-May-2016 09:22

I believe they can be wired either way (so LED can be on or off when switch is on). Most have them wired like yours so they are visible in the dark.

Are they Schneider switches? If so, there should be different coloured panels available. Check with a electrical wholesaler (like Ideal or JA Russell).

Fred99

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#1554628 18-May-2016 10:04

trig42:

I believe they can be wired either way (so LED can be on or off when switch is on). Most have them wired like yours so they are visible in the dark.

Are they Schneider switches? If so, there should be different coloured panels available. Check with a electrical wholesaler (like Ideal or JA Russell).

There's something about that concept (being able to wire them differently - so that the blue light indicates that they're either turned off or on) that grates with me. IMO something like that should always be designed with standard, predictable behaviour.

Disrespective

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#1554642 18-May-2016 10:20

I have some Clipsal (saturn Zen) switches which have similar technology in them. I can wire them to do a few different things. LED on when switch on, led on when switch off, led always on, led always off. If you pull the switch off the wall you might find two small gauge wires which have been wired into the circuit. These will control the LED depending on what they are wired to (neutral or live combinations etc).

I like having my switches have the LED on, when the switch is off, and the led off when the switch is on. This way I can find the switch in the dark, and can tell if the circuit is open or closed for circuits with no other visual cues.

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andrewNZ

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#1554654 18-May-2016 10:38

The switches in the OP are PDL 800 series Modena.

Yuck.