4 gang 1 way switch

[tim888]

The problem is that from that photo nothing can be deduced about what might be wrong.

IF the permanent live to and from the switch is as I've highlighted with red dashes

View attachment 391311

then what we'd be looking at would be a perfectly functional 4G switch with 4 outgoing switched lives.

If you disconnect one of the grey-sheathed wires I've highlighted, will the trip switch then turn on?


Can you post a photo of the back of the dimmer switch?

The one on the left is a continuous wire with a little insulation striped off. Removing the one on the right did not let the trip come back on…

 

[tim888]

You need to figure out which wire is the incoming permanent live. I‘d probably do that by putting each grey single into its own choc block, turning the electric on and measuring between each wire and earth. The one that gives you 230 V-ish is the one you need. Connect it to one of the COM terminals and link the others with the pigtails. Then turn back off and connect one of the other grey wires to one of the switches, turn on and see if one of the lights works. If not, put the wire back into a choc block and try the next one.

Most likely four wires are switched lives going to each light and one feeds another switch. That one needs to go in with the pigtails.

To be clear: I need to connect the one that gives 230 to the first Com, then connect the rest of the coms with pigtails, and connect each wire to A1, B1, etc…?
If 4 give me 230, those are the lives, but there are 6 grey wires, where do the other two go?

 

[EFLImpudence]

To be clear: I need to connect the one that gives 230 to the first Com, then connect the rest of the coms with pigtails, and connect each wire to A1, B1, etc…?

I would do it like that but at the moment yours are connected the other way round.
230 to B1 and pigtails.

If 4 give me 230, those are the lives, but there are 6 grey wires, where do the other two go?

Only one will give you 230V

 

[EFLImpudence]

...

 

[morqthana]

I thought that unless one of them double insulated is an actual Neutral and was unused

One of them being N would explain the tripping, but there's no reason for N to be there unless the dimmer needed it. There aren't enough wires there for N to be looped at the switch.

You need to figure out which wire is the incoming permanent live. I‘d probably do that by putting each grey single into its own choc block, turning the electric on and measuring between each wire and earth. The one that gives you 230 V-ish is the one you need.

Might be interesting at that point to see if there's also 230V between that and any of the others. tim888 - what sort of bulbs have you got?

Most likely four wires are switched lives going to each light and one feeds another switch. That one needs to go in with the pigtails.

Getting them mixed up would stop lights working, or make one switch a master, wouldn't explain a breaker tripping.

Unless....


Tim - what is tripping? MCB or RCD?

 

[tim888]

One of them being N would explain the tripping, but there's no reason for N to be there unless the dimmer needed it. There aren't enough wires there for N to be looped at the switch.




Might be interesting at that point to see if there's also 230V between that and any of the others. tim888 - what sort of bulbs have you got?




Getting them mixed up would stop lights working, or make one switch a master, wouldn't explain a breaker tripping.

Unless....


Tim - what is tripping? MCB or RCD?

MCB is tripping

I just disconnected the switch altogether, put everything in a choc block to start testing… MCB still won’t come on. Does that mean the MCB might the problem? Possibly fried it while doing all this?

 

[morqthana]

Some MCBs, I think, need to have their lever manually pushed all the way down before they can be turned back on?

 

[robinbanks]

Do you own a multimeter?

 

[SUNRAY]

That's rcds I think

And some MCBs

 

[tim888]

MCB was just in a bad mood, it’s come on now… just needed a delicate touch…

Can’t find multimeter, must still be in old house… but I do have Fluke pen. It would appear I only have one live wire.

So now, live into com, pigtail the rest of the coms, put each of the other wires in a1 b1 etc, but I’m still gonna have one extra wire…??

 

[morqthana]

Once you've connected up all 4 lights (OOI how did the labels arise?), and the "extra" not connected, see if other rooms aren't working.

 

[tim888]

LET THERE BE LIGHT!!! ITS WORKING!!

I busted out the label maker and made some educated guesses before moving everything to the choc block.

Stuck the last wire in the last Com.

Thanks so much everyone, for your help and your patience!

 

[morqthana]

BTW....

So now, live into com, pigtail the rest of the coms,

The permanent live doesn't have to go from COM to COM - you can use A1/B1 at any point if that's easier for any reason

 

[robinbanks]

(Just be consistent or you may find that some light switches are "upside down")

 

[JohnW2]

That's rcds I think

... and, in my experience, some MCBs as well.