Unusual wiring of switches

[faraday]

When my son-in-law replaced a three gang switch because of a broken face plate he was surprised to find the wires all red with all the neutrals connected together in a terminal block which is not connected to anything.
This switch controls the kitchen lights; another switch similarly wired controls the lounge lights.

Since the cable is standard pvc it seems a strange set-up and completely different from the description in any references I have read. I should be grateful for comments on this wiring. My first thoughts about it were that the electrician had a problem which he got around by throwing the book away.

faraday

[raysparx1]

It sounds as if whoever wired it has taken the live wires (live& neutral) into the switch box first then to the lights, I would think it was an amateur that did it as wires normally go from consumer unit to light point then down to switch, at least they haven't put strip connectors under the floor what it means in effect is that each switch box is not only a switch box but a junction box as well.Ray

[faraday]

Ray

Thank you for your helpful answer. I thought it must be like you say because I had noticed that there is one more cable than the number of switched light fittings, that being the one connected to the supply.

faraday

[raysparx1]

Hi faraday, I would think the extra wire you talk about is the feed going to the next switch, so if you had say a centre light and a wall light you would have, feed in, feed out to next switch, a wire going to centre light and a wire going to the wall light, at least that way there are no hidden junction boxes as all the connections are at the switch.

Have a great Christmas, and a happy new year, Ray