Light switch wiring with 4 wires

[Georgekerris]

Hi,

I wondered if anyone could help. I am struggling to get my light switch to work. I am replacing a dimer switch for a normal one.

However, there is one cable with 2 red and an earth coming from it and a separate cable with only a red.

I do not know how to wire this up safely.

I have attached some photos of the wires for you to look at.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

George

 

[EFLImpudence]

Is this a two-way switch systen?

That is, is there another switch which also controls the same light?


If NOT, is there more than one light operated by this switch?

 

[Georgekerris]

Hi, no it is not a two-way switch.

I do not believe there is another switch that controls this light either.

This is for a living room light with just the one switch

 

[Georgekerris]

Although satin that, there is another switch in the room literally the other side the front door that I thought was for an outside light (sorry new property for me, trying to work out wiring) I have taken the front off and taken a photo for you

 

[EFLImpudence]

Not really possible to say, for certain, then.

One wire will be live, one will go to the light; the other ???


How was the dimmer wired?

 

[Georgekerris]

One of the red ones was going to the live

And the other two wires were going in to the same port of the 'S' I think.

 

[winston1]

Have a look at the photo you took of the old wiring before you disconnected the dimmer.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I missed the picture of the other switch.
It does look as if it is for an outside light.

I don't think it is related.


You need to find which is the live wire. Do you have a multimeter?
The power will need to be on so put all the wires in separate connector blocks for safety when testing.
Neon screwdrivers are unreliable but might be good enough if only one wire makes it light.

 

[sparkwright]

Does one of those red wires have the copper end folded over by any chance?

 

[Georgekerris]

Hi sparkwright,

Yes one of them has a folded end

 

[sparkwright]

Put the folded end wire in one side of the switch.

Put the other two wires together in the other side of the switch.

 

[Georgekerris]

So if I have a switch with com, l1 and l2.

I would put the folded over one in com and the other two into l1?

 

[sparkwright]

So if I have a switch with com, l1 and l2.

I would put the folded over one in com and the other two into l1?

Yes, that would do it.

 

[Georgekerris]

Thank you for the help.

I decided to check the rest of the switches in the house and one of them was wired wrong and that was causing this one to not work.

All working now.