Glossary
Light switch (interruptor de luz)
A wiring accessory that opens or closes a circuit to turn a light or an appliance on and off from a single point. A one-way switch breaks only the live wire; a double-pole switch breaks live and neutral at the same time.
What an interruptor is
An interruptor is the wall switch that opens or closes a light’s circuit. It has two stable positions, on and off: once pressed it stays in the new position until you press it again, unlike a push button (pulsador).
How it is wired
A one-way switch has two terminals. The live (phase) wire arrives at one and the switched wire to the light leaves from the other. The neutral goes straight to the light. The switch must break the live, not the neutral: otherwise the light would still be live when off and changing a bulb would be risky.
Types
- One-way (simple or unipolar): the one in almost every room.
- Double-pole (bipolar): breaks live and neutral together; used for water heaters, extractor fans or heaters.
- Two-gang (doble): two switches in one accessory for two different lights.
- With pilot light: a small lamp to find it in the dark or show that something is on.
- Dimmer (regulador): switches and also adjusts brightness.
Switch, two-way switch or push button
To control one light from two places you need two-way switches (conmutadores; three-way switches in the US). From three or more places, intermediate switches are added. For many points with little wiring, push buttons with a latching relay (telerruptor).
Common faults and cost
Rockers that stick halfway, clicking or a light that is slow to come on point to wear or a loose terminal. A simple accessory costs 30 to 50 euros plus VAT fitted, as a guide. See handyman electrician in Seville, Spain.
Related services
Extra sockets and lights
We install extra sockets in your apartment in Seville, Spain where you now use power strips, new light points, two-way switches, USB, data and TV sockets, and new lines for appliances that need them. It is one of the jobs most requested when moving into a new-build home or rearranging the furniture.
Handyman electrician and small jobs
We take care of those small electrical repairs in Seville, Spain that keep getting put off: replacing sockets (outlets in the US) and switches, hanging ceiling lights and wall lights, mounting the TV on the wall, replacing a power strip with a fixed socket or adding one more, and taking the old material away. All in a single visit, with a fixed price and the same care as a large installation.
Need an electrician in Seville, Spain?
Call us or send a WhatsApp message with a photo of the job. You get a fixed quote before any work starts.