3 Pole Switch issue

[lancs_lad]

I have a 3 pole switch for hall lights, landing lights and an outside light. I've just replaced the outside light and it doesn't work. On checking the power there is no live to the switch although the landing and hall lights do have power. No breaker issues so I'm stumped. Any ideas? The outside light was working prior to be being replaced.

 

[terryplumb]

Have you changed the switch ?
What did you use to determine there is no voltage to and from the switch ?

 

[ericmark]

Three pole switch I assume should read three gang? I am guessing as with most UK homes there is no neutral at the switch, and you have assumed black or blue is neutral which is likely incorrect.

As @terryplumb says what are you testing with?

 

[JohnW2]

A photo showing connections to the replaced switch might help us.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Did the outside light work before? Or did you replace it because it did not?

 

[ericmark]

I have lost count of how many outside lights only worked when hall light switched off, because some one has used the switched line to hall light as a return for outside light, and it has worked well until LED lights have been fitted.

My own outside lights come from a 4 gang switch with three independent circuits, found out when RCBO's were fitted and some one had previously got the neutrals mixed up.

There is a Chinese switch that uses one line in for three lines out, this has caused no end of problems when lights are on different circuits.

Pictures are good, and this site is good for uploading pictures.

 

[TimboTwo]

Incorrect connections in outside light.
Photo of connections in light, please.

 

[lancs_lad]

 

[lancs_lad]

The exterior light is the right hand side

 

[ericmark]

You seem to have four cables, the centre two are for internal lights and are three core, brown, black, grey so likely two way lighting for internal lights, so outer pair of cables brown and blue seems likely blues are neutral so connected in the block connector and the browns are line in and line out, so all seems correct.

It is common to provide an isolation option for outside lights, so if you do get water in them you can isolate (switch both line and neutral) until the fault is corrected, so I wonder if there is a fused connection unit (FCU) before the light switch. Maybe even a RCD FCU?

 

[lancs_lad]

Sorted! Only been in the house a couple of years but the front light is on the same circuit as the lights down the side which have light sensors