My problem is very simple indeed but I am baffled.
At my room I have a 220 volt light switch that I want to replace with a circuit that I can control remotely.
I opened the box and It has THREE wires two red and one white coming from internal tube...
The mechanical switch has one input and one output. Basics.!!!
The INPUT has the red and white wired together !!!!!!
And the output has the 3rd red.( I presume going to the room light bulb)
When the switch is OFF Both red and white are hot and red is not. Once I flip the switch Both sides of the switch are hot, and the room light is on
What baffled me; there no neutral wire ( This is in the middle east, no ground wiring at all)
If Red indicates hot and white indicates neutral WHY the RED and White connected together

I feel I am addressing such basic issue that confronting someone when opening a light switch for the first time.

 

Neutral is at the light fitting,not the switch. This sounds like a normal setup to me.

 

It is difficult, at best, to replace that switch with a remotely controlled switch unless you install a neutral wire to the switch box.
As you have observed when the switch is ON all the wires are live - there is no way to power the remote switch circuitry. When the switch is OFF any power used by the switch must pass through the light bulb and that might work with incandescent bulbs but is likely problematic with LED or fluorescent bulbs.

 

It is normal....and the proof it is working. The issue is (funny enough) is with me
What I want to do is two things:

1. to replace the switch with a relay...( Easy enough) ( can I disregard the white wire ??????)
2. Have access to 220 volt ( within the switch box) to feed the wifi controlling circuit of the relay.....( I cannot figure this out)

 

I believe AlbertHall just answered me....I cannot do it.
What is this white wire is for ?????

 

It's possible the three wires are to allow one light to be independently controlled by two SPDT switches at different locations.

 

In my case there is no other switch with similar arrangement. But remember who ever did the wiring did not follow any approved code of practice.

 

One thing I did not do is measure the voltage in each wire separately.....
I know the red must be hot but the white:
I will come with two possibilities that make no sense
1. It hot !!!!!!
2. It is not hot !!!!!!!

 

It may be that either the red or white wire is passing along the live connection to another light fitting.

 

I think we are close to discover the mystery of the White wire.
What If I simply float the white wire and check if other sets of lights in the room still work or not ????

This is a safe test...I think !!!

 

I think we are close to discover the mystery of the White wire.
What If I simply float the white wire and check if other sets of lights in the room still work or not ????

This is a safe test...I think !!!

Yes, this should be safe. Note that it may be either the white or the red wire which brings in the live to the switch.

 

Surprise Surprise ( to me of course) The HOT WIRE IS WHITE and both RED are very cold.
You live and learn....

 

So, The relay should replace the switch wiring AS IS. Common will be one RED and the Normally open will be both White and Red

 

As you suggested I have to provide 220 source to the box. Which means get a Neutral wire from the connection box above the switch ( close to the ceiling)) and use the white wire together with the Neutral to get 220v.

 

Surprise Surprise ( to me of course) The HOT WIRE IS WHITE and both RED are very cold.
You live and learn....

With all three wires disconnected from the switch, check around your room and see what has lost power.

 

Everything except the A/C unit which could be on a different phase ( my house is 3-phase )

 

Everything except the A/C unit which could be on a different phase ( my house is 3-phase )

So you are saying that there is no power in the entire room?
WHITE wire is the feeder LINE into the room.
RED wire is connected to the WHITE wire to deliver LINE power to the rest of the room.
How many outlets and appliances are in your room? You ought to be good for up to 10A depending on the amperage that the service was designed for.

 

Good point... I have two relays by FOTEK SSR-10 DA and SSR-40 DA.. So I will be OK.
My next challenge is getting this Neutral wire to the box.

It seems to me that most of you taken this wiring and color code lightly..
I am furious to the fact the guy used white instead of RED for hot lines.
Was he short of RED, or this is NORMAL ...I wonder.

 

Surprise Surprise ( to me of course) The HOT WIRE IS WHITE and both RED are very cold.
You live and learn....

By code in N.A. and some European, if a conductor is used that does not conform to the required colour code, it will be colour taped or otherwise indicated at each junction point.
Max.

 

Was he short of RED, or this is NORMAL ...I wonder.

A bit of googling should tell you what the Egyptian wiring code is.