Light socket help

[Sgt Bilko]

Wintery afternoon everyone!

I am trying to change an old socket in the living room after decorating, but would just like to double check. Both sockets are dual switches (for upstairs and living room lights, non dimmed).

The old socket is this

From the top left (ignoring the earth), there is Com, L1, L2 (this L2 has a black and blue wire where the black wire has a red sleeve).
Bottom left: L1, L2, Com

The new one this

On the new switch both are Common, 2 way. 1 way

Is a case of transferring Com-Common, L1-1 way, L2-2 way?

 

[londonboy]

Is a case of transferring Com-Common, L1-1 way, L2-2 way?

Yes.
By the way thats a switch, you couldnt plug your tv into it could you?

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Sgt Bilko]

Is a case of transferring Com-Common, L1-1 way, L2-2 way?

Yes.
By the way thats a switch, you couldnt plug your tv into it could you?

Thanks for you help - and duly noted. Socket=switch.

With a name like bilko he probably plugs his telly into the nearest lamp post.

I think you may have answered why i can only turn my tv on from dusk!

 

[Sgt Bilko]

Odd, done as suggested (straight swap) and its tripping the main fuses (RCBs??) when i reactivate the circuit breakers for the lights.

Any suggestions?

 

[bernardgreen]

circuit breakers

Are there two breakers and the lights each have a different breaker.

If so then you may have mixed up the two sets of wires. There are two 3core cables with red, yellow and blue +earth, one three core cable to one switch, the other to the other. it is very easy in a tight box to mix up the wires.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

its tripping the main fuses (RCBs??)

More than one?

Do you mean it's tripping more than one RCD?

Any suggestions?

If they are on separate RCDs and you have somehow cross-connected them then RCD tripping could be the result.

Is a case of transferring Com-Common, L1-1 way, L2-2 way?

Yes.

done as suggested (straight swap)

I suspect not.

 

[londonboy]

So as you look at the back of the switch on one side you should have 5 wires, and on the other side you should have 3 wires.

Can you upload a better picture of before and another with the new wiring?

 

[GaryMo]

It looks like (and should be):

Switch 1 (1 x 3 core+E)

C - Red
L1 - Yellow
L2 - Blue

Switch 2 (1 x 2 core+E & 1 x 3 core+E)

C - Red (3 core+E)
L1 - Yellow (3 core+E) & Red (2 core+E)
L2 - Blue (3 core+E) & Black with red sleeving (2 core+E)

Have you got the 3 cores mixed up so the 2 core is paired with the wrong 3 core?

There should also be red sleeving on the yellow and blue conductors to indicate them being line conductors.

 

[ccam108]

Have you moved wires from top three terminals in the old switch to one new switch and bottom three terminals to the other new switch?

If so then you have done it wrong.

Imagine one of the new switches upside down, then the wires would be a straight swap.

Your old switch is wired like this:
[code:1]Top: Com(sw1), L1(sw2), L2(sw2)
Bottom: L1(sw1), L2(sw1), Com(sw2)[/code:1]

Note the grouping. Each row is not one switch, each side is.

Hope that helps.

Colin C

 

[ColJack]

the old switch was split like this ( ignore the coloured dot's, they were for someone elses problem.. )
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