HELP! re wiring double switch light

[unclediynot]

Hi, cut a long story short in my bedroom was a double switch which controlled the main light and one above the bed which could also be switched on/off by the light above the bed. The light above the bed was covered up after decorating, so i wanted to change the double switch on the wall to a single switch!

But it has proved to be a disaster and i can not reconnect the wires to put it back to as before!

From the wall are 5 main grey cables and they contain:

1) earth (green and yellow), brown wire, black wire with black sleeve, white wire with black sleeve

2) blue wire, earth, brown wire with black sleeve

3) earth, blue wire and brown wire

4) same as above, ie earth, blue wire and brown wire

5) blue wire, brown wire with black sleeve and earth

and there is a loose brown wire which was used as a loop somewhere.

The earth wires are all connected to 1 connector strip and this then goes into the double switch - this part has not been touched

The blue wires are all connected to 1 connector strip but is not connected to any where else.

My double switch has at the top COM, L1 and L2 and at the bottom, L1, L2 and COM.

There is an ensuite and another bedroom behind ours, i am thinking these wires are all connected as the lights in these other two rooms do not come on now.

Can someone please help, i just want to reconnect it back to the double switch and leave connecting it to the single one if it can not be done!

Thank you so much, my wife and baby are coming back tomorrow, need to get this fixed. Thanks again.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The light above the bed was covered up after decorating, so i wanted to change the double switch on the wall to a single switch!

In that case you must determine which is this cable at the switch and ensure it is not connected.

From the wall are 5 main grey cables and they contain:

1) earth (green and yellow), brown wire, black wire with black sleeve, white wire with black sleeve

Could this white wire be, in fact, grey?

The earth wires are all connected to 1 connector strip and this then goes into the double switch - this part has not been touched
The blue wires are all connected to 1 connector strip but is not connected to any where else.

That is how it should be.

Can someone please help, i just want to reconnect it back to the double switch and leave connecting it to the single one if it can not be done!

The five cables are likely to be:

The Supply (permanent live)
To other (light)switch. likely the Brown,Black,Grey.
To Main light. - Just one ???
To other room(s)

You will need to identify these before we can say for sure.

Do you have a multi-meter? You will need one.

 

[Spark123]

It is probably brown sleeve as opposed to black, this indicates line (or phase) wires. People often call these live wires too.

Your 3 core and earth ought to be brown, black, grey and earth.
As all the blue wires are together (neutrals) I'm thinking that they have used a loop at the switch method.

If the light above the bed has been covered up how has it been disconnected and made safe?

The double switch will be two switches arranged as triangles i.e. the com on the top and L1/L2 at the bottom will be one switch, the com at the bottom and L1/L2 at the top the other switch. I'm assuming the other switch is a pull cord?

In an upshot you need to figure out what each of the wires does and then you can start re-connecting them. You'll probably find there is a cable from the supply (brown, blue, earth), a supply out (brown, blue, earth), a supply to the main light (brown, blue earth) which needs to be switched, a supply to the other light (brown, blue, earth) which needs to be disconnected and a strapper wire to the other switch (brown, black, grey, earth). You need to find out how this is also wired if you wish to reconnect it, you may even use it to switch the main light on/off if you wish to replace the two gang switch with a single gang one.

 

[stickle]

text removed

 

[EFLImpudence]

Please ignore stickles very poor post.

Working live leads to being dead.

Do not do it.

 

[unclediynot]

The light above the bed was covered up after decorating, so i wanted to change the double switch on the wall to a single switch!

In that case you must determine which is this cable at the switch and ensure it is not connected.

From the wall are 5 main grey cables and they contain:

1) earth (green and yellow), brown wire, black wire with black sleeve, white wire with black sleeve

Could this white wire be, in fact, grey?
yes

The earth wires are all connected to 1 connector strip and this then goes into the double switch - this part has not been touched
The blue wires are all connected to 1 connector strip but is not connected to any where else.

That is how it should be.

Can someone please help, i just want to reconnect it back to the double switch and leave connecting it to the single one if it can not be done!

The five cables are likely to be:

The Supply (permanent live)
To other (light)switch. likely the Brown,Black,Grey.
To Main light. - Just one ??? yes one main light in the bedroom
To other room(s)

You will need to identify these before we can say for sure.

Do you have a multi-meter? You will need one.

no

thanks for your help

 

[flameport]

text removed

DANGEROUS - DO NOT EVER DO ANY OF THAT

 

[unclediynot]

The ensuite has a light, pull cord above mirror and extractor fan switch.

I may have to call someone out I think
thank you all

 

[Belboz]

OP - Not helpful now but always make a sketch or take a pic before undoing any wiring.

Problem here is that no-one can tell by the colours of the wires what way to put it back.

You will need a multimeter or a live tester.

Needless to say, don't try working with live electrics in the manner posted by stickle.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

A quote of stickle's dangerous post

I've asked the mods to delete the original - when it's gone would you edit yours so that the quote is removed too?