2 Way Light Switching Disaster

[ComputerGenius]

Hi - I'm in a bit of a pickle and seem to have become completely tangled by trying to approach this as a logic puzzle (A very dangerous one!)

I have a bunch of wires sticking out of the wall at what used to be upstairs and downstairs switches for the landing lights - You;ll have to pardon me if I don't use the correct terminology here, I am many things but an electrician isn't one of them :0(

Upstairs I have a new light switch with 6 'holes' - split into two banks of three. Each bank has common on top and then 1 way, 2 way beneath (So common, common, then beneath these one way, two way, one way two way)

UPSTAIRS
There are 3 cables sticking out of the wall upstairs, one heads up towards the ceiling, the other two head downwards. The one going up to the ceiling has red, black and earth wires. Each of the two heading downwards has 2 reds and a black.

DOWNSTAIRS
Again, there are three cables, exactly the same configuration as the ones upstairs.

Needless to say, we have pulled the fuses out of the fuse box and are bracing ourselves for another night without lights.

Can any of you guys help please - Sorry for being a numpty on this - Trust me, I'm quite good at most other aspects of DIY but quite clearly not this. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Hacman]

Try having a look at the for reference section, see if you have any joy there.

 

[ComputerGenius]

Thanks - I'm new to this site. I've looked at responses to similar problems but none of them seem to have the amount of cables I have or even the same colours - They talk about blues and yellows :0(

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Don't know if this helps but I have just put the fuse back in for downstairs and used an electricians screwdriver (With a light in it) to identify one of the red wires downstairs that makes the light glow red (None do upstairs at this point).

Did the same thing for the upstairs, with that fuse in, and identified a single red wire there that lights up too.

 

[pdcelec]

Don't know if this helps but I have just put the fuse back in for downstairs and used an electricians screwdriver (With a light in it)

Electricians do not use one of them, they use proper voltage testers!. A neon screwdriver can pick up stray voltages and are for DIY

 

[ninebob]

This is the picture you've been pointed at, but it may not help so much if, as you say, the colours don't match:

1. Throw away your neon screwdriver, they can give results which are about as kosher as a sausage synagogue. You need a proper multimeter, £10 from argos and an essential addition to your toolbox.

2. Can you draw and post a diagram of what you actually have at each switch point? Include any sleeving (or tape wrapped around the end of each wire).

 

[ComputerGenius]

Oh I've been listening - I have a multimeter, however having and knowing how to use are to different things! I'vce decided to bite the bullet - There's a sparky coming 'round today to sort it out. I have kids and just can't take the risk of some dodgy wiring. The last straw came last night when I turned the kitchen light on and received a load of interference on my radio and some flickery lights elsewhere! (The hall & Landing were still disconnected)

Thanks for all the help though you guys, it's usefull to know you are out there. I know I've made myself sounda complete idiot here but ifanyone ever needs answers about computers, plumbing, woodwork etc. then I'm you man :0)

Thanks and bye for now.

 

[securespark]

Each of the two heading downwards has 2 reds and a black

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'd be interested to hear back with details of what the electrician finds...