2 switches, 1 light, 1 blown fuse

[gbbuggydriver]

Have just replaced old living room ceiling light with new. The new light fitting had a choc bloc with terminals marked live, earth, neutral. So I put the earth in the earth, the 3 live in the live and the 3 neutral in the neutral as per the instructions in the packet. Switched the power back on and the fuse blew. The light can be controlled from 2 different switches - should I have had switched over a live and a neutral because of this rather than put all 3 of each colour in each terminal? I know I should have made a drawing of the connections to the old light but I didn't so now need some help...

 

[sparky40]

If your using 3 plate method of wiring then one of those 'neutrals' is your switch line!!!! was it not identified with sleeving ?

 

[gbbuggydriver]

No sleeve marking that I can see. 3 reds, 3 blacks and the earth.

 

[Spark123]

Yes, it is likely you have connected the switched live to the neutral. You will need a multimeter, separate out all the red and black wires in the 3 cables and connect the meter (set to ohms range) across each cable red/black wire in the cables in turn whilst someone else operates one of the switches. You should see the resistance go from low to infinity on one wire, this is the switch wire. The black on this wire needs to be sleeved red and connects to the live terminal on the lamp. The two other blacks connect together and to the neutral on the lamp, the three reds together and to nothing else in a spare piece of terminal block. Ensure the earths are connected together and to the fitting if required. //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7553&start=39

 

[Steve]

find a multimeter and test for continuity on all 3 pairs of wires until you find one whose continuity varies when you flick one of the switches. Do this with the power off. The one with variable continuity is the switch wire - connect as shown in the diagrams in "for reference"

If this task is beyond you, find a yellow pages instead

 

[swelec]

Crafty

You need to use more than one finger

 

[gbbuggydriver]

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[johnny_t]

When you do identify the wires, you are going to need an extra bit of terminal strip to keep all the reds in