New light switch problem

Hi all,

I am replacing the light switch in our dining room. Unfortunately, I didn't mark the wires in the old switch properly before I removed it.

So....

The switch controls both the dining room light and lounge light. However, it seems it also has feeds for several other lights on the same floor (cloakroom, hall, outside light).

The cables coming into the switch are as follows :

1x 3 core and earth (brown, black, gray, earth)
4x twin core and earth (brown, blue ,earth)

Both the existing switch and new one have two sets or terminals (L1,L2 and L3). The old switch had the 3 core and earth cable connected as follows, o I've duplicated that one one side of the new switch

Gray to L3
Black to L1
Brown to L2

All of the blue cables are connected together in a choc block so that's not a problem.

So, I'm left with 4 x brown wires and a further wire that in the old switch joined L1 on one side of the switch to L2 on the other.

After having a go myself and ALMOST getting it working (i.e. the lights would only work when another light was switched on etc), I've had a handyman in and he couldn't get it right either, although he does seem to have identified each brown feed and labelled them.

Help please !

Ok. The brown feed wires go into the same terminals as the link wire (L1 one one switch and L2 on the other). Doesn't matter which terminals you use, just share them out, one in each. Leave the link in place.

The spare L1 on the other switch will be for the black wire in the 3C cable. The brown wire goes to L2, sharing with the link wire. the grey goes to L3. Wire in the brown core of one of the two 2C lighting cables into L3 with the grey.

You should be left with one 2+E cable which is for a light which is controlled from one position. Put the brown in terminal L2. You should end up with all terminals used up except for L3 on one side.

Make sense? Not easy to be sure without seeing...

Thanks - will give it a try later.

By the way, I've edited my previous post - I think this is more likely what you need to do. Also, check the wiring in the switch on the other side of the room. It should have black in L1, brown in L2 and grey in L3.

Tried your suggestions but just couldn't get it to work - thanks very much for replying.

Got an electrician in in the end - only charged us £20.

Cheers.