Hallway light switches

[jaybee2]

I have a light in lowerhall area and one at bottom of stairs and light at top of stairs.

In lower hallway (A) I have a 1 gang switch and 2 gang at bottom of stairs (B).

When A is on the lower hall light is on, when B is on the lower hall light is still on. Both A and B have to be off to turn off the lower hall light. When A is on and B is turned on I see the light flicker.
The other gang on B turns on the bottom and top stairs lights.
I would have expected the 1st gang at bottom of stairs to tun on the bottom of stairs and lower hall light. same for the 1 gang in lowerhall.

yours thoughts would be appreciated as I dont like the flickering and having to remember to turn of one switch then the other at night.

 

[ericmark]

Years ago it was common to use twin core rather than triple core cable between the switches of a two way system. This can result in some inductive and capacitive coupling which can cause energy saving lamps to flash as the voltage slowly builds up. However normal bulbs leak away the power and don't have same problem.

If you are using energy saving bulbs you may find other makes will be OK. If it happens with standard bulbs then I would say one of the switches is faulty.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'd say it was wired incorrectly - leaving aside the flickering for now, there ought to be proper 2-way switching between A and the lower hallway gang of B. If they both need to be off for the light to be off (and presumably if either one is on the light is on?) then they've been wired in parallel.

Jaybee2 - can you describe and/or photograph the wiring at A and B?

 

[jaybee2]

I'd say it was wired incorrectly - leaving aside the flickering for now, there ought to be proper 2-way switching between A and the lower hallway gang of B. If they both need to be off for the light to be off (and presumably if either one is on the light is on?) then they've been wired in parallel.

Jaybee2 - can you describe and/or photograph the wiring at A and B?

I have uploaded pics to album

[/list]

 

[ColJack]

the pics of the switches are not much help, we need to be able to see clearly what wire goes where..
the lights themselves seem fine..

what do you mean by flicker though.. just when you flick the switch or at random?

these are just pasted in randomly, don't assume that the light next to each switch is the right one..

upper stairs light

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

lower hall 1 gang

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

turns on lower hall light (right hand side in layout pic)

lower hall light wiring

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

bottom stairs 2 gang switch

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

1 switch turns on lower hall light, other turns on two stair lights

light lower stairs

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

upper stairs 1 gang

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

 

[jaybee2]

the pics of the switches are not much help, we need to be able to see clearly what wire goes where..
the lights themselves seem fine..

what do you mean by flicker though.. just when you flick the switch or at random?

when the switch for lower stairs 1 gang is on and the switch on lower hall is turned on I get a flickering and yes they are energy bulbs

 

[ColJack]

I can't work it out right now, it's 1 in the morning..
I'll take another look in the morning and see if I can see anything obvious..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

lower hall light wiring

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

bottom stairs 2 gang switch

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

1 switch turns on lower hall light, other turns on two stair lights

What type of cable is that single grey neutral?

 

[1john]

pvc/pvc single core, quite common in older installations.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

For some reason I quoted the wrong picture...

light lower stairs

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

It's just that it looks rather thick, and appears to have a (relatively) very thick layer of white insulation around the copper core....

 

[ColJack]

it's the black inner core.. same thickness as the black next to it..
it's the cheaper "make it all white then dip half in red and half in black" method of insulating the wire that's all..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Fairy nuff.

 

[sparkwright]

Switch photographs don't clearly show connections.

Assuming there is an upstairs 2-way switch.

There is a photo of a switch claiming to be the upper stairs switch, but is identical to lower hall switch.

What I believe to be the lower hall switch seems to supply the feed to the upstairs light switch(es) at the 2 gang switch.

At what I believe to be the lower hall 1 gang switch I can only assume there is a 3 core and earth cable and a 2 core and earth cable.

The 2 core and earth cable (if that's what it is, lousy pic) consists of two reds and an earth). These reds would be permanant live and switched live.

What would happen if just these two reds were swapped over?

 

[jaybee2]

Switch photographs don't clearly show connections.

Assuming there is an upstairs 2-way switch.

There is a photo of a switch claiming to be the upper stairs switch, but is identical to lower hall switch.

What I believe to be the lower hall switch seems to supply the feed to the upstairs light switch(es) at the 2 gang switch.

At what I believe to be the lower hall 1 gang switch I can only assume there is a 3 core and earth cable and a 2 core and earth cable.

The 2 core and earth cable (if that's what it is, lousy pic) consists of two reds and an earth). These reds would be permanant live and switched live.

What would happen if just these two reds were swapped over?

lower hall switch

• jaybee2
• 12 Jan 2010
• 1

lower hall light wiring

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

light lower stairs

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

lower stairs 2 gang

• jaybee2
• 12 Jan 2010
• 1

the red and black (Righ hand side switch the lower hall light

upper stairs 1 gang (operates upper stairs and low

• jaybee2
• 12 Jan 2010
• 1

upper stairs light

• jaybee2
• 11 Jan 2010
• 1

Apologies for previous pic of switches. I hope the extra ones can be seen clearly. Upstairs it is a 1 gang switch.
The 2 gang switch at bottom of stairs- the right hand side black and red wires is the switch to turn on lower hall light

 

[1john]

i think your in your top left picture that the switcj pictured needs to be a 2 way switch, with the twin and earth on the l1 and l2 terminals and the single red in the com terminal.