Another 2 way switch problem

[Bigdave101]

Howdy fellas

Just moved into a new flat and the prevoius owners seemed to think it was funny to pretty much destroy most of the existing light switches before they left (go figure)

Ive managed to fix all of them bar the 2 way switch in my lobby

1 side controls the lobby light, the other side the bathroom

there is another switch beside the front door which also controls the lobby light

Problem i have is all 5 wires coming out of the wall are red sheathed

i have manged to work out which wire does what but am completely stumped as to how to wire it through

I keep managing to link it up so it turns on the bathroom light but then i can turn off other lights in the house from this switch(and not the lobby one i want)

Any ideas?

 

[Adam_151]

i have manged to work out which wire does what but am completely stumped as to how to wire it through

If you tell us what function each of the wires has we can tell you were to connect them

I'm guessing (from your post) that the 5 wires will be:

loop in, loop out, 2x strappers for lobby light, switched live out to bathroom light?

 

[Bigdave101]

right, should have put that in the origional post

I have

loop in (live)

Lobby

Bathroom

front room (jigged this one to the live wire and its attached to the front room lights)

extra( loop out? dunno what this one does)

There was also a spare piece of wire in the mangled remains of the switch but im not sure if it was being used for anything

Sorry about the way this is written but pretty new to this and too skint to call in a sparky

 

[Adam_151]

that doesn't sound right to me, can't see why you would have a wire for the front room light in there? and you need more wires for the lobby light if its two way switching.

You want to connect both loop in and loop out to both commons on the new switch, so, probably best one in each, and link wire between them.

Bathroom light wire goes to L1 on the side of the switch you want to operate the bathroom light.

and this is where things don't make sense anymore, if the two remaining wires were strappers for the two way circuit, they'd go to L1 and L2 on the other switch, but what you seem to suggest doesn't make sense, the fact that there is one that goes to the front room :s

 

[Bigdave101]

would the front room wire not be the link out?

Ive been trying to get this to work for hours and had the wires all different configurations, just cant seem to get them to work right

 

[Adam_151]

put a loop wire in each common, and a link wire between them, and the wire that goes to the bathroom light in one of the L1's

timinate the other wires in a spare piece of choc block (spearately) switch on, and check that the bathroom light, along with all the other lights on the circuit work

if so, switch off again, and try the wires that are yet to be connected in L1 and L2 in the other switch

if that doesn't work, you are going to have to have another look at identifying cables

 

[Steve]

loop in (live)

Lobby

Bathroom

front room (jigged this one to the live wire and its attached to the front room lights)

extra( loop out? dunno what this one does)

i reckon: loop in and loop out to the COMs with a link wire.

lobby and bathroom to L1's

front room to the COMs too - another loop out to another switch?

 

[Bigdave101]

right i now appear to have power to all the lights but now have the problem that the lobby switches dont appear to work as they should

both switches (1 beside the front door, the other attached to the 2 switch socket) have to be on before either of them work

Not sure if that makes sense but basically if i came in the front door i could turn on the light and turn it off besdie the bathroom door

now, as long as both are in the on position i can turn them on off in both places

still not sure if that makes sense

Am i just being really dense?

 

[Adam_151]

It sounds like it is only making use of one strapper, could've got one of them wrong, or one of the switches could be damaged (probably unlikely)

can you take the switch near the door off the wall and post how that is wired?

and do you own a multimeter?, it looks like you're going to need one

 

[Bigdave101]

Pretty sure the switch is fine (its ne3w and ive checked by swapping the wires about to each side)

Unfortunately i dont have a multimeter, but i can get one from a mate if need be

Had a look inside the other box and i have 1 live wire (ouch!!!) and two other wires

This is all overcomplicated by the fatc that theyre all red

 

[Bigdave101]

WOO HOO, WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

Seems i had the L1 and L2 wires on the one by the door mixed up, its now working as it should

Just got some wire shortening to do now and im finished

Cheers guys, your help was much appreciated

Better add this site to my favourites, feels like im gonna need it in the weeks and months to come judging by the state of this place

 

[Adam_151]

Yes, if you could borrow the multimeter from your mate, that would be the ideal way to identify wires