Help figuring out this 2 gang 2 way light switch

[MadaCup]

The decorator knocked the switch today and I am trying to figure out how to connect it back up. I have a suspicion this was never wired correctly in the first place. It controls both a light and a fan, the single switch controls both the light and fan which come on and off at the same time. The other switch is redundant and does nothing.

This is different to my other bathroom which has a 2 gang 2 way switch but one controls the light and one the fan.

Anyway, just trying to get this up and running, I'll figure out the exact wiring another time. Where should the 2 red cables go?

 

[AndyPRK]

put them in the COM terminals

 

[MadaCup]

Both in the right hand side?

 

[AndyPRK]

I guess so. Considering its unlikly 2 terminals would come loose on their own

 

[MadaCup]

Great stuff, that worked. Thanks for your help.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

As the yellow cores are linked across both gangs you would expect that they are perm live, this would then lead to the assumption that the red cores are the switch wires for light and fan.

So terminating both reds in the com of either of the left or right hand gang should give you the function of both light and fan energising at the same time. Ideally you should ID the cores via testing before energising. So a continuity and or a voltage indicator would be a good piece of kit to have in your tool box/bag when attempting this type of work!

 

[JohnW2]

Great stuff, that worked. Thanks for your help.

If that's the functionality you want (one switch controlling both light and fan together, the other switch being redundant), then that's fine.

However, if you would prefer to have one switch controlling the light and the other controlling the fan, then I presume that if you put one red into each of the COMs, you'd get that functionality. However, one would then work 'upside down', and to correct that you'd have to move the yellow(s) from L1 to L2, or vice versa, on just one of the switches.

Kind Regards, John

 

[MadaCup]

Great stuff, that worked. Thanks for your help.

If that's the functionality you want (one switch controlling both light and fan together, the other switch being redundant), then that's fine.

However, if you would prefer to have one switch controlling the light and the other controlling the fan, then I presume that if you put one red into each of the COMs, you'd get that functionality. However, one would then work 'upside down', and to correct that you'd have to move the yellow(s) from L1 to L2, or vice versa, on just one of the switches.

Kind Regards, John

Cheers John! I now have my fan and light working, just the wrong way around as you warned me it would be. I'll figure the final piece of the puzzle out at the weekend!

 

[JohnW2]

Cheers John! I now have my fan and light working, just the wrong way around as you warned me it would be. I'll figure the final piece of the puzzle out at the weekend!

You're welcome. That last step is easy enough - for either switch, moving the wire(s) from L1 to L2, or vice versa, will make that switch work 'the other way up'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

I'm missing something again.

The yellow looks like a single yellow looped across to the other switch.

So how can you have independent control of fan and light? Surely they will come on together?

 

[JohnW2]

I'm missing something again. ... The yellow looks like a single yellow looped across to the other switch. ... So how can you have independent control of fan and light? Surely they will come on together?

As always, it's not inevitable that you are the one who is missing something

However, the assumption (I know!) is that the yellows are the live feed (to both switches) and the two reds are the outgoing switched lives, separately to fan and light. If one red is connected to each switch (both of which are powered by the yellows), one would then have separate control of the fan and light. I find it hard to see what other explanation there could be for the wiring we have been shown - what were you thinking?

Kind Regards, John