Guy's I hope you can help, I'm replacing a plastic 2-way switch with a silver one. the new box has 2 C holes at top and L1, L2, L1, L2 at the bottom. I have 2 red wires, 2 Black wires and an earth. The 2 red I put in the 2 C holes and 1 Black in L2 the other in L1 with the earth attached to the pannel. This gave me, when power on, both ceiling lights on one switch! I then tried the opposite combination and got the same result on the other switch!....any Ideas what I'm doing wrong?...Pleeeaaasseee
2 Way Switch again!
- Thread starter PeterCFC
- Start date
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B
breezer
you should leave the reds where they are (one in each C teminal) and put one black in L1 and the other black in the other L1
for future reference, read my signature
for future reference, read my signature
Yes - there are a number of things you are doing wrong:
1) Not making a note of how your old switch was wired before removing it and then trying to fit a new one
2) Not making sure that you had the vaguest idea of what switches do, and why there are terminals labelled "COM", "L1" and "L2"
3) Not bothering to do a search on this forum before asking a question which has been asked countless times before
4) Not understanding the difference between the terms "2-way" and "2-gang".
From your description what you have is a simple 2-gang, 1-way switch - when you had it wired as you described, did flicking the switch just change which light was on - i.e. you couldn't get both on or both off?
Try reds to COM and one black to each L1.
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Bvgger - pipped at the post again!
1) Not making a note of how your old switch was wired before removing it and then trying to fit a new one
2) Not making sure that you had the vaguest idea of what switches do, and why there are terminals labelled "COM", "L1" and "L2"
3) Not bothering to do a search on this forum before asking a question which has been asked countless times before
4) Not understanding the difference between the terms "2-way" and "2-gang".
From your description what you have is a simple 2-gang, 1-way switch - when you had it wired as you described, did flicking the switch just change which light was on - i.e. you couldn't get both on or both off?
Try reds to COM and one black to each L1.
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Bvgger - pipped at the post again!
thanks for such a quick reply guys....even if you have made me feel even more stupid than my wife has!.....anyway I did make notes of how it was wired before and it was red- coms...and blacks to L1 and L2 respectivly....thats why I wired it as I did.......If you think both blacks should go in the two L1 holes I can give that a go if it's safe!...sorry again for my ignorance....by the way...I've have been looking on this site for 2-way problems now for 3 hours and couldn't find one that aplied to me so posted my own 
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B
breezer
from what you have described (in the first place) you only have one switch plate (but two switches) and that is all that controls the lights in the room? no other switches?
what you have posted in your 2nd post does not "tie up" with your first post (the wiring description) which is probably why it did not work
what you have posted in your 2nd post does not "tie up" with your first post (the wiring description) which is probably why it did not work
OK, the old plastic light switchs had L1,L3 and L2 at the top then L3, L2 And L1 at the bottom and was wired with the 2 reds in the L1 and L2 terminals at the top and the Black wires in the L2 and L1 Terminals at the bottom.The L3 was not touched..So I used the reds for the coms, as per diagram and wired the Blacks as per old switch, this gave me one switch ( button ) turning on both lights and the other doing nothing!...I'm sorry, I hope this is a little clearer
B
breezer
no it doesn't (make it any clearer) i still want to know can the lights be turned off elsewhere in the room apart from the switch you are changing?
it makes all the difference.
how many "buttons" did your old switch have?
it makes all the difference.
how many "buttons" did your old switch have?
B
breezer
PeterCFC said:Sorry.....No is the answer...there are 2 ceiling lights controled by one 2 way swich on the wall
dont you mean 2 gang? (thats number of buttons)
so are you now saying that you have 2 ceiling lights, operated from one switch position, but the switch has two "buttons" one "button for each light?
B
breezer
but you are saying that orinonally one button operated one light and the other button operated the other light? but now it doesn't and one button operates some light next door ( ) and the other button does nothing
) and the other button does nothingLOL...It ain't quite that bad!....on the old plastic switch each button opperated independantly as they are sopposed to do, but the way I have wired it now seems to make one button turn on both lights and the other button does nothing
B
breezer
my lights just went out WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
seriously, my first post still stands
you should leave the reds where they are (one in each C teminal) and put one black in L1 and the other black in the other L1
but to clarify
one red in C
the black that is in the same cable (as the red you just chose) goes into L1
__________
repeat as above for the other "button"
and leave the earth where you left it (on the plate)
next time you make a drawing double check it.
oh and nothing personal, but i should be careful if i were you, the government is banning all cfc's (starting with a certain football club, then those called peter)
seriously, my first post still stands
you should leave the reds where they are (one in each C teminal) and put one black in L1 and the other black in the other L1
but to clarify
one red in C
the black that is in the same cable (as the red you just chose) goes into L1
__________
repeat as above for the other "button"
and leave the earth where you left it (on the plate)
next time you make a drawing double check it.
oh and nothing personal, but i should be careful if i were you, the government is banning all cfc's (starting with a certain football club, then those called peter)
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