Replacing plastic light switch cover to metal

[Yorky Lass]

My daughter has just moved home and is wanting to replace the plastic light switches and sockets to metal ones.

She knows they need to be earthed but when the plastic ones are removed there is no earth wire to connect. Well there is a earth wire but it can't be connected to the screw in the cover plate because it looks as if it connects to the wiring circuit itself. Making a contiuous loop around the house.

We aren't very electrically minded so I hope this description makes sense.

Will it be safe to change the cover with just the live and neutral wires connected to the switch?

Thanks in advance

[The Builder]

............is the "backbox" metal or plastic firstly.....................then, the cable should have a red, a black, and a bare earth wire..............or, if a newer installation, a blue, a black, and a bare wire............???

[Yorky Lass]

The backbox is metal. There are 2 red wires going into the switch cover itself and the earth wire, yellow and green, is securely fixed into the box/circuit. There is some bare earth wire showing at the end however and also another totally covered earth wire sort of looping down and back up into the circuit.

It is a council house so I presume it is fully tested.

Many thanks for replying so quickly.

[The Builder]

You might need to get yourself a short length of bare wire and some earth sleeve (green & yellow).................just connect a new earth wire (sleeved) from the screw terminal on the metal box (leaving the existing one there) to the earth terminal on the new metal switch. That'll make sure the circuit earth is connected to the box AND the switch.
DON'T fit the switch without earthing it................if a fault developed........the switch could become live and the fuse/circuit breaker might not operate safely........... :o)

[Yorky Lass]

Thank you very much for such a clear answer. Will buy some earth wire ( or strip some spare cable to get it) and add it as instructed.

Thanks again