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I could do with a bit of advice.

I have a ventilation system which takes main powers as a switch for the boost.
I wanted to use some Home Easy plugs I had as switches as they work with my existing remotes and Telldus.

I wire up plug sockets with Neutral, Live and Earth. Then have the homes easy HE302 switches (designed for appliances and on/off) plugged in. Then I plug into them a plug with only the Live connected to the switch on the ventilation system.
Then when the remote switch is on it triggers the switch in the ventilation system by providing power.

The problem being the they seem to provide a very low current when switch off. Is that because there is no where to connect the Neutral or is it to do with the design of the relay switch ?

It seemed to work for a few weeks then the ventilation system developed a fault. Not sure if that was just a coincidence. Which lead me to remove what I had done and test, where I noticed the very low current when off. Really not sure what to do.
I need something that will work with Home Easy remote but work where there is not load and not send a small amount of current when off. Or is this normal and the fault just a coincidence ?

Thanks for any advise.

If a device has no neutral it leaches some current through circuit to power itself. This makes it unsuitable for devices that might be damaged or activated by this current, like LED lights. I think it is only recommended to use these kinds of devices with purely resistive loads.

Looking at the HE302 it should work unless it's either broken or there is something wrong with it's construction.

Zapper wrote:If a device has no neutral it leaches some current through circuit to power itself. This makes it unsuitable for devices that might be damaged or activated by this current, like LED lights. I think it is only recommended to use these kinds of devices with purely resistive loads.

Looking at the HE302 it should work unless it's either broken or there is something wrong with it's construction.

So a swich for LED lights is not just garbage, they are made in a specific way?

I thought it was just to make people buy new switches?

Zapper wrote:If a device has no neutral it leaches some current through circuit to power itself. ... it should work unless it's either broken or there is something wrong with it's construction.

Thanks Zapper. Really helps to have a bit of input.

So I guess it might help to wire the plug with an earth and neutral and just short them back to the socket, leaving the live to go through to the ventilation system. At the moment although the socket has all three the plug doesn't.

Else like you say something might be wrong with it.

Thanks again for the help.

simonbove wrote:

Zapper wrote:If a device has no neutral it leaches some current through circuit to power itself. This makes it unsuitable for devices that might be damaged or activated by this current, like LED lights. I think it is only recommended to use these kinds of devices with purely resistive loads.

Looking at the HE302 it should work unless it's either broken or there is something wrong with it's construction.

So a swich for LED lights is not just garbage, they are made in a specific way?

I thought it was just to make people buy new switches?

Yep, but they are a bit trickier to wire and you should probably consult an electrician.

free30 wrote:

Zapper wrote:If a device has no neutral it leaches some current through circuit to power itself. ... it should work unless it's either broken or there is something wrong with it's construction.

Thanks Zapper. Really helps to have a bit of input.

So I guess it might help to wire the plug with an earth and neutral and just short them back to the socket, leaving the live to go through to the ventilation system. At the moment although the socket has all three the plug doesn't.

Else like you say something might be wrong with it.

Thanks again for the help.

If it was connected to a normal wall switch it's live connection might have come from the device itself to complete a circuit. And then you can't just wire in a cord and use a wall plug. Consult the manual and/or an electrician.