Double gang two way light switch issue after electrician has installed new socket

[Chris Horswill]

Hi all,

Our kitchen has the switch above so the com's are at different ends to each other like the below.
http://lightwiring.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/double-gang-two-way-light-switch2.png

An electrician has changed the light switch in our kitchen to being recessed into the wall rather than the box being on show, but we now have the situation where one of the switches to 1 light is 'on' when the switch is in the 'off' position.

The other switch is ok. To switch on the light you toggle down on the switch.

What could he have done to mess this up and how can I restore it?

[Yes I know I can call him back (which I have) but I am impatient ]

He suggested swapping "up to down" which I have tried but to no avail. The switch acts in the same manner.

Thank you,
Chris

 

[Echo the husky]

On the back to front one, move the red wire from the terminal marked 1way to the terminal marked 2way.

 

[chivers67]

Is that three core & earth cable with the yellow snipped off?

 

[Chris Horswill]

Thanks both, I am pretty sure I've tried swapping the live from 1 way to 2 way with no effect.

Chivers, sorry not sure what you mean. The earth for each flex is screwed to the metal back plate.

There are two independent lights and a flex for each (live, neutral and earth for both).

 

[securespark]

If both switches have wires in the same terminals, they should both act in the same manner.

Is one a botched 2 way? Is there another switch for one of the lights?

 

[securespark]

Can you take a better picture showing the cores leaving the grey sleeves and where they all terminate to?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Thanks both, I am pretty sure I've tried swapping the live from 1 way to 2 way with no effect.

That's not possible.

Chivers, sorry not sure what you mean. The earth for each flex is screwed to the metal back plate.

Nothing to do with earth.
Cable with red and blue wires will have a third - yellow - which someone must have cut back.
Should you want to use it in the future, you will not be able to.

There are two independent lights and a flex for each (live, neutral and earth for both).

NO - Live, Switched live and earth.


'Neutral' is the name of the conductor which completes the circuit from the load back to the supply.
It is not a name for any blue or black wire.

Wires can be anything we want them to be; they do not know what colour they are.

 

[securespark]

Is that three core & earth cable with the yellow snipped off?

Yeah, looks like it, but I can't make out which conductor goes where...

 

[EFLImpudence]

If both switches have wires in the same terminals, they should both act in the same manner.

One IS upside down.

 

[sparkwright]

As said, swapping a wire from 1-way terminal to 2-way terminal WILL make a difference.

I'm sure in the past I've had 2 gang switches that had been assembled wrongly so you would wire to the 1-way terminal, but one switch would work upside down.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I'm sure in the past I've had 2 gang switches that had been assembled wrongly so you would wire to the 1-way terminal, but one switch would work upside down.

I'm sure they don't bother manufacturing switches with the markings the other way round for the switch that IS upside down.

 

[Chris Horswill]

Hi all, thank you to all, this is all resolved now! As Echo the Husky said it did require the red to be moved to the 2 way! I obviously didn't try that!

Interesting point about you spotting the yellow Chivers67! You are right, I'd never spotted that yellow wire on the first check. What would that have been used for?

I attach a picture which might show it better - they are arrowed. There is only one switch for each light. Both yellows have just been cut and left dangling in the wind.

Thank you also, understand about the live and switched live. my bad!

 

[Iggifer]

It's just 3-core and earth as opposed to twin and earth. It's used for two-way switching, amongst other things.

i've seen people use it in place of twin+earth when they've run out of that, so it could be as simple as that.