2 gang 2 way switch

[ro234]

I've looked at lots of threads but can't find the answer to this... I've tried to replace an old two gang two way switch with a new one but can't get it to work. The old one has terminals simply labelled 1, 2 and 3, but the new one has terminals labelled COM, L1 and L2 (for each of the two switches).

There seem to be too many wires - I've taken a picture in the hope you can help me know which should go where, I've tried several wiring diagrams and none seem to work. The other switch in the circuit just has 4 wires instead of 7 here - reds into COM and one of the L1s, blue in the other L1 and yellow in L2. As you should be able to see, the blacks are joined up already by a connector on each side.

Thanks in advance.

Untitled

• ro234
• 24 Dec 2012
• 1

 

[RF Lighting]

Did you note how the old switch was connected?

Please can we have pictures of the other end(s) of those wires?

 

[ro234]

I regret now hugely that I didn't note how the old switch was wired - I didn't think I would be able to correlate the 1, 2 and 3 labelling to the COM, L1 and L2 labelling on the new switch, and having done a couple of 2 gang switches before that worked, I'm afraid I just assumed that red was COM and yellow and blue went into each of the L1s.

Here's a picture of the other switch, you can't read the labels so:

Top row: COM, L1, L2
Bottom row: L1, L2, COM

Thanks very much!

Untitled

• ro234
• 24 Dec 2012
• 1

 

[RF Lighting]

Can I just clarify how these switches should work.

First picture:
One switch operates a light which is not controlled by any other switch.

The other switch operates a light which is also controlled by the other switch.


Second picture:
One switch operates a light which is not controlled by any other switch. This is a different light to the one controlled by the switch in the first picture.

The other switch operates a light which is also controlled by the swich in the first picture.

Is that correct?

 

[ro234]

Not quite - before the old switch (now removed from the first picture) broke, each set of lights - set 1 (5 ceiling bulbs) and set 2 (2 wall fittings, 2 bulbs each) could be controlled by a switch on either switch fitting.

Does that make sense?

 

[RF Lighting]

Ah I see so the two switches both control two sets of lights from either position.

Were there any short links of wire linking any of the terminals on the old switch?

 

[ro234]

Sorry, should have said that, yes there was one, but I'm afraid I don't know where it went, other than from one of the switches to the other...

 

[RF Lighting]

Have you altered any of the wiring on the switch in the second picture? It is not currently wired as a two way switch and will only be able to control them from that switch position.

 

[ro234]

Fortunately I had enough sense not to do that - no, I haven't done anything with it at all, other than unscrew it to look at it and take a photo.

I'm happy for it to do nothing as long as the first switch can be made to work to be honest... It's a bit out of the way, whereas the first switch is at the entrance to the room.

 

[RF Lighting]

Right, there's a few things that don't quite add up. I need you to try something.

I presume you have the new switch and the power is isolated to the wiring?

If so, then you will see at the first position there are two shorter red wires on the left, and three longer ones on the right.

You will see that one of the longer reds and the blue and yellow wires all cone into the switch in the same cable. For the time being you need to just put a bit of strip connector onto the end of each wire and tuck them out of the way.

Then connect the two remaining longer reds to the C and L1 terminals on one side of the new switch. It doesn't matter which way round they go.

Next connect the two shorter reds to the C and L1 terminals on the other half of the switch. Again it doesn't matter which way round they go.

Screw both switches back to the wall being careful not to nick any of the wires with the fixing screws etc.

Now turn the power on and let me know what each half of the new switch does (if anything)

 

[ro234]

Thanks so much! Having googled to find this forum, I don't know how to get thanks to show up on your official thanks count, but I'm very grateful!!

The result of that is that I wired the left hand red wires to the left hand side of new switch, and the right hand red wires (excluding the one in the same cable as the blue and yellow) into the right side of the switch as instructed. The left switch does nothing, but the right switch turns the ceiling lights (set 1 I think I called them) on and off as expected. The second switch does nothing with either switch.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

I don't know how to get thanks to show up on your official thanks count

Click the 'thanks' button on his post.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Have you altered any of the wiring on the switch in the second picture? It is not currently wired as a two way switch

Reread, sorry.

Are you sure the description is correct?
Doesn't seem like two 2way circuits.

 

[RF Lighting]

Have you altered any of the wiring on the switch in the second picture? It is not currently wired as a two way switch

Tis.

Not with an empty L2 terminal it's not.

Thanks so much! Having googled to find this forum, I don't know how to get thanks to show up on your official thanks count, but I'm very grateful!!

The result of that is that I wired the left hand red wires to the left hand side of new switch, and the right hand red wires (excluding the one in the same cable as the blue and yellow) into the right side of the switch as instructed. The left switch does nothing, but the right switch turns the ceiling lights (set 1 I think I called them) on and off as expected. The second switch does nothing with either switch.

So at the moment set of lights number 2 do not work from any of the switch positions?

I have to go out now I'm afraid, but I can carry on where we left off tomorrow afternoon after I've done the christmas thing.

 

[ro234]

No, not sure. All I know is that both switches used to be able to control each set of lights, before one of the switches broke, and that I haven't done anything to the wiring of the second switch.