Welcome to DIY Doctor's blog

Replacing a light switch may seem like a simple job, but it requires some basic electrical knowledge, and may end up becoming quite confusing if you don’t know what to do.

Always make sure that you read the instruction manual that comes with your new switch plate cover before you begin work, and if you don’t feel confident get a qualified electrician to do it instead.

Step One: Turn Off The Power Supply
Turn off the power at the fuse box before you do anything. If you switch the light on in the room that you’re working in then you can check that you’ve flipped the right switch.

Step Two: Remove the Light Switch Plate Cover
Using an insulated screwdriver, unscrew the screws from the front of the plate. Then pull it carefully towards you to reveal the connecting wires.

Step Three: Check the Switch Isn’t Live
Using a proprietary test lamp, or a two-pole voltage detector; test whether the wires are live. If they are, do not continue as it is not safe. Check that the power is off as in Step One. Providing they are not live, then you can proceed as normal.

Step Four: Note the Connecting Sequence
The number of wires may vary depending on the type of switch you have. Make a note of which wire connects to which terminal in case you forget or the instructions are confusing. Taking a picture with a mobile device may help.

Step Five: Disconnect The Switch Cover
Using your insulated screwdriver, disconnect the wires from the switch plate.

Step Six: Replacing Your Switch
Your new switch will have instructions on how to wire it correctly, so following these would be the best course of action. It should be wired in the same way as the previous switch cover, whether it was a one way switch, a two way switch or an intermediate switch. You should however, always make sure that the bare earth wire is covered by a green and yellow insulating sleeve. If there is no earth wire then do not use a metal plate cover. Live wires are ‘line conductors’ and need to be insulated with a brown cover.

If you’re interested in new light switches or plug plate covers, then you can buy Light Switches Online at Harbro in a variety of attractive styles that will add the finishing touches to your newly decorated room.

Tweet

Share via email

Through many years of use, it’s easy to see how the door gasket or seal on your washing machine can eventually wear out. This can cause a variety of problems, most notably the potential for the machine to leak when it’s running a cycle. This could be a major problem for both the appliance and wherever it is stored. Most spaces are not waterproof, meaning the leaking water could damage the floor or kitchen units. For this reason, if you find that your door seal is beginning to look as though it might be wearing out, or it has already started to lose its watertight qualities, then you should certainly think about replacement.

Fortunately, replacing the gasket on most washing machines isn’t a particularly tough DIY job; it requires minimal tools, and is generally straightforward. Companies such as Easy Spares are your best bet for finding the right seal for your appliance. You need to ensure a snug fit, or you’ll continue to suffer problems.

Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1
The first thing to do, as with just about any job that involves some form of electrics, is to ensure that the power supply to the washing machine is off. This is primarily a safety measure, as it is never safe to work with plumbed-in appliances when they are also connected to a supply of electricity. You also won’t have the problem of any warning beeps while working on the unit.

Step 2
Turning off the water system is the next thing to do. Again this is a safety measure, but it will also ensure that nothing gets wet inadvertently. All you need to do is turn the main tap off, wherever that might be in your home.

Step 3
It’s important to have a good look at what you’re working with before you dive in and tear off the old gasket. Find out how it is held on and where, and then gather together any tools that you think will be useful in getting it off. There are several extras that you might encounter, including clips and tensioners.

Step 4
When actually removing the seal, undo the outer clamp first. You may or may not need to slacken off any tension bands, and detach clips. You’ll probably need a flat headed screwdriver to ease off the clamp, but be careful not to break anything.

Step 5
Now it’s time to remove the inner clamp. This is the one that attaches the gasket to the drum. Again, there may be clips to undo, but somewhere there’ll be a clamp that needs taking off.
Step 6

With all clamps, clips and tensioners free, it’s time to take off the old seal. It shouldn’t be too difficult to prize it away from its mountings and grooves by hand. Be careful if you use a tool to do this; it’s not always easy to see what you’re doing unless you feel with your hands, and a tool could potentially cause harm or damage the machine. Be aware that there could even be water inside the seal.

Step 7
The final job is of course to attach the new door seal. This bit can be tricky, as some gaskets will have a tighter fit than others, especially if they don’t come with a tension adjustment. Once it’s in place, work round with your hands, fitting the seal into the groove. Ensure that all clamps fit tightly, and that everything is snug in place. It’s a good idea to double check that you’ve done everything correctly before running the machine again.

Tweet

Share via email

Many people complain that their light bulbs blow regularly and we run through the main reasons that this happens

It is not likely that the problem you have is a major one. Your circuit breakers (MCB) in the house are designed to trip if there is any fault in the wiring. A bulb blowing may trip the switch, but providing a brand new bulb replaced in the fitting does not blow straight away than you can look for one of these minor problems.

Firstly isolate the power supply to the bulb – turn it off at the main fuse board to be sure.

• Don’t buy cheap light bulbs – they are a false economy
• Overloading a system – when the light fitting says a maximum wattage for the bulbs that means the life of the bulb may be reduced if you overload it
• Using too many bulbs of the ‘right’ wattage in a light fitting – you should pay attention to the maximum number of watts allowed for the whole fitting. This is a common problem with halogen bulbs
• There may be a loose connection in the lamp holder
• If the fitting is a spring loaded one make sure it is fitting snugly against the bulb, and not loose
• The ‘live’ wire in the fitting may be loose

If you replace the bulb and the fuse trips immediately, you should call in an electrician to source the problem.

For the sake of safety can we repeat that you must make sure you have turned the power off to the light fitting before you try to do any maintenance.

Please click through to the projects section on our main site where we have a more detailed project on this problem with bulbs, and how to deal with it.

Tweet

Share via email

Have you considered using wind power to supplement the energy you use at home?

Generating renewable energy using domestic wind turbines will help to save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

Also you are likely to find that, as you become aware of how much effort is needed to generate electricity, you will be more likely to find ways to conserve the energy you use.

Using Microwind turbines

Small-scale wind turbines are also known as microwind, or small-wind turbines. They convert wind energy into usable electricity for your home, so you can power your lights and electrical goods. In addition providing you qualify for the government’s Feed-in-Tariff scheme you can also receive payments for every unit of electricity you generate. If you generate electricity you don’t use this ‘extra’ electricity can be exported back to the National Grid.

Find out more about the Feed-in-Tariff Scheme.

You have a choice of mounting the turbine on your roof, or on a mast to make it freestanding. Your choice will depend on the land you have available, and on what is the the most efficient way of capturing wind energy in your area.

Obviously turbines work best in areas where exposure to the wind is unrestricted.

So how effective is a domestic wind turbine?

According to the Energy Saving Trust, wind turbines are a viable source of self-generated energy for the home owner. The Energy Trust is a social enterprise company with charity status, aiming to help Britain reduce carbon emissions, use water more sustainably and save money on energy bills.

“A well sited 6kW turbine could generate around 10,000kWh per year which is equivalent to around 5.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. A system this size could generate income and savings of around £3,200 a year when eligible for the Feed-In Tariff” Energy Saving Trust

Can you move a wind turbine?

If you move house it is possible to relocate your turbine, providing the new site is suitable. However there are costs involved with dismantling and reinstalling, so you might be better off using your money-saving device as a selling point, and planning to put in a new one at your new home.

For more information on Green energy including wind power, visit our Green Living section.

Our Green Living pages are written in conjunction with our ‘Green’ partners Be Energy Smart. Their website is full of useful information about energy saving initiatives, and generating green energy, including questions and answers, and free energy assessments for your home.

Click here to visit the Be Energy Smart website.

Tweet

Share via email

We came across this film on YouTube – It’s an edited video of electrical disasters put together by Seansy59. It would be funny if it wasn’t so scary. We are sure you already know that electrics are not to be messed about with – get a professional in if you don’t know what you are doing!!

Watch and be horrified!

Tweet

Share via email