upstairs/downstairs switches not having desired effect

[Gallois]

I have a three gang switch down and a two gang up. I've tried to show to the best of my ability what happens, but if there is a better way to represent it please let me know and I will redo it. As far as I can see switch one downstairs has no effect (there are security lights outside the door but it doesn't seem to affect them), and switch one upstairs also does not seem to have any affect.

Down 000 ON
Up 00 OFF

Down 100 ON
up 00 OFF

Down 110 ON
up 00 ON

Down 111 OFF
Up 00 ON

Down 111 ON
Up 10 OFF
01 OFF

The only configuration I've found that allows me to turn the up light on from down and off from up is:

Down 011 OFF
Up 00 ON
01 OFF

Which works - but confuses the hell out of me sometimes as I need to remember this configuration.

Any help gratefully received.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Even if I have managed to understand that while you haven't quoted all the combinations I think a nice, big, clear picture of the wiring of both switches will be required.

Take the switches off slowly so that you may notice where any loose wires should be connected.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Look at the Wiki articles on 2-way switching, study the different ways of wiring it, learn how they work.

It might help to print a few copies of the diagrams so that you can use a felt tip to trace the various routes through (or not) the switches from permanent live in to switched live out.

I've not looked at your truth table in detail but somewhere you'll probably have a COM and L1/L2 transposed.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

BTW - if you put CODE tags around text like that, and use Notepad or ANO text editor set to a monospace font, then it will keep the space alignments....

[code:1]
Down 000 ON
Up 00 OFF

Down 100 ON
up 00 OFF

Down 110 ON
up 00 ON

Down 111 OFF
Up 00 ON

Down 111 ON
Up 10 OFF
01 OFF

The only configuration I've found that allows me to turn the up light on from down and off from up is:

Down 011 OFF
Up 00 ON
01 OFF

[/code:1]

 

[Gallois]

As requested here are two pictures of the wiring currently in the sockets.

The first picture is down - the second (white) is up

It seems the images were rotated when I uploaded them. I don't know how to fix that I'm afraid.

Untitled

• Gallois
• 20 Feb 2013
• 1

Untitled

• Gallois
• 20 Feb 2013
• 1

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Most important point first:

1. You do not have an earth connection to that metal switch - nothing else is as important as sorting that out.
   
2. At the upstairs switch there are two wires twisted together. They should either be in a piece of choc-block connector or, more likely in one of the switch terminals, which might be why things aren't working.
   
3. It's impossible to tell what a wire does just by looking at the colour, and you have multiple reds, blues and yellows at each switch. We need to know which terminal is connected to which, i.e. you need to draw a diagram showing how each switch is wired.

Electrical installation by guesswork is a pretty dumb idea - basically there are two plans for you to choose between:

PLAN A:

• Learn how lighting circuits are wired and how switches work etc. //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting
• Get a multimeter and learn how to use it. http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=multimeter+101
• Identify which conductors are which at the switches.
• Connect them all up properly.

PLAN B:

• Get an electrician.

 

[Gallois]

I think it's Plan B then!

The downstairs switch (that previous owners installed - not me!) has an earth connection in the housing in the recess - is this insufficient? And if so - can I at least fix this problem?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You can move it to be connected to the switchplate.

But is it connected to anything at the other end?

 

[Gallois]

There are three earth cores which originate from three, three core flexes which feed the switch.

I presume I can connect this to the switch plate.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Where are those other cores connected at the other ends of the 3C+E cables?

 

[Gallois]

Honestly I have no idea as I can't see - they go vertical upwards in the wall. But it's next to the front door so I presume it's first in the circuit so the main box?

 

[Taylortwocities]

The blue and red twisted together in the second picture.

Try putting them in the (only) spare terminal in the back of that switch.
It may fix your problem.

But first, sort out the earthing....