light kerfuffle

[robbie77]

Hello,

I have just added a 3 gang 2 way switch to replace an old 2 gang switch.
The circuit I have added is fine becaue I used three core and earth and did from scratch. So Its the othe 2 switches I need to sort.
the other 2 Gangs (original) operate:

One switch operates a hall switch (2 way) another switch operates a porch light (1 way)

The switch drops only have twin and earth (no three core) so there was a shared common.
From memmory on black goes to L1 one black goes to L2 one red goes to L1 and the common is shared with a piece of wire linking them.

The only real problem I have is the 2 way switch for the hall operates the wrong way around (Off instead of on). I'm a little unsure how to solve this.

Any ideas? I assume I need to swap a wire somewhere?

Thanks

 

[GaryMo]

It's a 2 way circuit so depending on the other switch you could find your newly changed switch to be on or off in either the up or down position.

If you want to change over the operation then swap the conductors over between L1 and L2.

I normally have the same strapper connect to L1 on both sides and L2 on both sides so if both switches are up or both down then the light is off, if one is up and one down then the light is on.

 

[robbie77]

"Hint, if you want to make a switch opperate the oposite way up, identify which type of switch you have and swop the two right hand side terminals"

This is from the wiki. So just try swapping L1 and L2? It won't be the black neutral wires though will it as they operate the switch live?

 

[GaryMo]

Black neutral wires? If they connect to a 2-way switch then they will be strappers or switch wires without sleeving to identify them as line conductors.

 

[1john]

there is a few ways this could be wired, i would suspect the most common would be that one twin is a permanent live and switch return for the porch and the other twin is strappers to the other two way switch for the hall.

If you put the four cables into connector blocks you could energise the power to find which wire is the live feed, this will go into one of the commons with its corresponding wire from the same cable into the L1 of that switch.
A link is then needed from the common on that switch to the common on the next switch and the other cable is terminated into L1 and L2 of that switch.

Flag your black cables with red sleeving or PVC tape to indicate they are 'live'

How could a switch function if there were neutrals connected to it??

 

[robbie77]

Thanks Guys

I wasn't thinking. Sorry. I meant black wires I don't know why I said neutral to (colour association only) I will try and identify which one is which and get the switched live wires sleeved!