Unidentified switch

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Builder2011

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Hello and thank you for reading this thread.

I have moved into a new house. There is a switch by the backdoor which has an unidentified purpose. I attach a photo. Does anyone know what this type of switch it is please? It causes the fuse to trip if I use it. Could it be to do with some external lighting that is recessed into the surface of some external decking?

Thank you.
 

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  • switch.jpg
    switch.jpg
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Could be anything- a switch (uncommon design but hey) is just a switch, where do the wires go is the big question. Next question is what is behind that faceplate- have you looked? (Isolate power before you remove the faceplate)

Have you got some external lighting recessed into some decking- if yes and you can't get them to light up then yes it is possible, good odds that the wiring has got damp (if the place has been empty for a while). You say a fuse trips when you use it- is this an MCB or an RCD (or RCBO)- it does make a difference (pic of the 'fuse' that is tripping may be easiest)
 
That is a Wise Controls radio switch - there will be no wires there, just a battery in the back.

The other end is a receiver unit normally in a rectangular grey box, and is probably connected to garden lighting, pond pump or similar items.
Likely that water has got in somewhere. You will need to locate the receiver box and see what is connected to it.

wise-controls-wiseboxrec-wiseswitch-receiver-4-channel-10-ampscircuit-1-large.jpg
 
Thank you everyone for your replies.

Flame, thank you. I will search for a receiver unit, then message again. Not sure about there being no power wires there as when I tested the switch to try to find out what its for it tripped the fuse in the fuse box.

Tiger, I can't ask the vendor as the house was a bank repossession therefore there are none of the normal vendors sale enquiries, hence no information about the house.
 
Builder2011 said:
Flame, thank you. I will search for a receiver unit, then message again. Not sure about there being no power wires there as when I tested the switch to try to find out what its for it tripped the fuse in the fuse box.
Click to expand...
The switch unit itself does not have any connection to the “fuse box”. It only has an internal battery.
I expect that the Wise receiver box (which does have a mains connection) either has a fault itself, or one of the circuits connected to it is faulty. What happens is when you operate the switch, the remote device operates and the fault trip the fuse box.
Find the remote box, disconnect the attached output circuits one at a time. That will help identify the culprit.
It’s probsbly a garden light, water pump, or something like that.
What exactly is it that trips? An RCD perhaps??
 
Thank you Taylor. I see now. It's the receiver unit that would have the mains connection. Yes there are out door lights, spot lights recessed into the surface of decking and also a circuit of perimeter lights fixed to the boundary fence.

I'm at work now and will have to check later but when the fuse box tripped I believe the trip switch was RCD.

Thank you again for your reply.
 
Look on the bright side - at least you know now that the switch works!

Suggest you learn what each button does, and lose that horrible bit of masking tape.
 
risking stating the bleeding obvious -

turn off mains at the board before opening the remote box
 
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