Help - strange wiring problem.

[jonesgw]

Hi - if anyone has any previous experience on this type of problem I would really appreciate your help.
I have recently moved into a 1945 ish house. The electrics have been updated but not I suspect in the last 10 years at least. I have almost completed redecorating the living room. This included moving the light switch box from one side of the door frame to another. I was very careful to replicate the wiring configuration that was in the existing wall box to the new wall box which I fitted. The room has 4 wall lights that are daisy chain linked back to the wall box which was and will be again a dimmer switch. There is a live, neutral and earth 3 of the lights have two sets of cables and the last has one - no problem there - where I do have a problem is that the only other wire that was present in the original dimmer switch was one permanent live - what I should have done is recorded exactly how the original was wired (hindsight is a wonderful thing)

So the question is how do I wire up the new dimmer to the cables that I have available - sleeved cable with live, neutral and earth to the lights and one permanent live?

Many thanks to anyone who can help.........

 

[jonesgw]

This must be a very difficult question that has you all perplexed........please can someone confirm that I am missing a neutral somewhere or suggest a work around or that I need to seek profesional help - a response of any sort would be appreciated.....

 

[markthebuilder]

most of the people that may help you are at work be patient
I may be abel to clarify something for them though.
you say live neutral and earth and a permanent live.
do you mean that or do you mean earth permanent live and what is infact your switch live return to the light (the wire will becomes live when you operate the switch) Total 3 wires or total 4 wiers.

 

[jonesgw]

Apologies - the whole room has been plastered and painted and I am really worried that I may have to get the hammer drill out again !!!!!

To clarify - there is one single wire on its own which is live (I know this cause it caught me out once !!) -
The other three wires share the same sleeve and begin the daisy chain to the four wall lights.

So four wires in total.

Again sorry for the panic.

 

[Big_Spark]

Without actually looking at the switch, it would seem from your description that what you have is a permanent feed to the switch as a "two plate system" This is why you have the neutral there as well with this type of cabling.

Obviously there is also a neutral going out to the light fittings so this is likely linked in a connector block..correct me if this is not the case here.

I would assume that the permanent live was connected to aone of the common terminals of a switch and was then linked across to the other common terminals by short loops of wire. The other cables you describe sound like the switch lines taking the live feed up to the lights when the switch is operated.

A photo of the switch and the cables would be helpful to ensure that what I have said is accurate.

 

[jonesgw]

Big_Spark - sorry for not responding sooner especially given me impatience a couple of days back. Thanks for your message.
I will try and find someone who can help with a photo but at present I can't provide.



When I removed the original dimmer switch I was surprised at the time that there was just the one wire coming from the wall cavity - this is the permanent live - the other three wires are very obviously the wires that run to the four wall lights in a daisy chain. There were no short loops.
As I read more (and hopefully learn) it is quite obvious that there must be a return neutral somewhere in the daisy chain as the wall lights worked perfectly before I moved the box from one side of the door to another. I was very careful when extending over and around the door frame to replicate all the original wires.
If there is a neutral return somewhere in the ceiling how would you suggest I connect the dimmer.
Earth to the metal box earth connection.
The permanent live (from the wall) and red/live cable (leading to the lights) together in one terminal
and the neutral to L2?
There are only two terminals on the dimmer I have bought.
Apologies if I am not being clear enough for you to make an accurate judgement.
I will try the above (mains off of course) until I find the right combination as they did work before and I have been very careful to replicate the cables.
Many thanks.
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[RF Lighting]

do you just have one cable at the switch which conatins a red and a black?

From your description I would guess that there is a joint box somewhere which is where the cable from the wall lights meets the cable from the switch and a feed.

If you could clarify the number and colour of cores, and which sheath they go into would be helpful.

 

[jonesgw]

Update is the lights are now working as they were before I moved the socket.
Thank you to all who have responded and offered their help and suggestions. Sorry if I have wasted anyone's time.
There must have been a neutral link back to the consumer board hidden in the ceiling somewhere.

Thanks again to all.