Living Room Light Fitting problems

[mrtomato]

Hello one and all!

I am having some major problems with my living room light fittings. I have recently invested in some new ones, but cannot figure out how to connect them. I have a two-way circuit (I think that's right!) and one light has the most bizarre wiring I've seen.

I have taken photos of the fitting and the switches. Am I able to upload them so someone could help?

I will be very grateful for some help. I'm afraid I am a total novice, but appreciate people giving of their time to help me.

Many thanks,
mrtomato

 

[Spark123]

To upload an image;
Go to a hosting site such as imageshack: http://imageshack.us/
Click browse and locate the image. Click host it.
After the image has uploaded imageshack displays a list of links to the image. Highlight the text in the line "direct link to image" and copy the text (press CTRL C to copy).
On your post type

and insert the text from imageshack inbetween the two (press CTRL V to paste), so it reads something like:

When you submit your post the image should now appear.

 

[mrtomato]

Thank you, Spark123. Your reply is much appreciated. I'll get to it.

 

[securespark]

Are your current problems related to this?

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=61118&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

 

[mrtomato]

Here is the fitting:

Will get back with switches in about 10 minutes or so. Image site is very slow.

My basic problem is that there is a mix in the colouring.

[/img]

 

[mrtomato]

Hi Securespark,
Yes it is!

I've not been able to get anyone in and last time I was here I tried to understand, but managed to annoy people.

I am sure there is a most basic solution - I'm just not able to figure it out on my own.
I am trying to upload images.

regards,
mrtomato.

 

[Spark123]

Are you using a camera phone or similar? The picture only came out titchy, or have I made a mistake in my method ? How many wires are there in the switches and how are they wired?

 

[davy_owen_88]

I believe the link was incorrectly entered, by the dimensions shown, the picture should be much larger, obviously the link isn't working.

Any chance you could check the link?

 

[mrtomato]

Correct link this time! Apologies!

This is the single switch.

This is a double switch that also operates my landing light.

The light fitting wires from my ceiling.

When I have connected the light it stays on. I also managed to fry one of the switches.

Any help greatly appreciated.
mrtomato.[/img]

 

[mrtomato]

Wow! They're huge! Sorry!

 

[Spark123]

Please can you explain how they used to be switched? In the one gang switch there are two red wires in L2, one red and yellow in L1 (or vice versa) and blue in com. Are there any other wires which are not apparent on the pic? I am puzzling how the wiring is between the switch and the fitting?

 

[davy_owen_88]

At the fitting what wires were you connecting where?

I will hazard a guess to say the reason the light is always on is that you have connected the supply cable straight to the light fitting,

If the t&e coming down is the supply cable, and you are connecting the fitting to that (brown to red, blue to black and earth to earth)
then it would explain why the light is always on.


I don't really want to say too much because all of this is speculation. Its very difficult to understand what is going on without being there.
But if you can tell me how you attempted to wire in the fitting to the terminals then I might be able to help some more.

 

[securespark]

Tried to resize the small piccy, but it's a bit fuzzy.

EDIT- OOPS! I missed the big one!!

 

[securespark]

Ok. I have collated info from both old & new threads.

Is this right Mr.T?

You have a 3 core and a Red/Black Twin & Earth at the ceiling.

You have a 1G switch with blue to common, Red+Yellow to L1 and Red+Red to L2.

You have a 3 core to the gang of the 2G switch that controls that light.

And you only have one ceiling light.

If this is the case, I am a bit stumped.

The cores at the single switch are logical - two could be feed/switchwire and the 3 core to the 2G switch.

But if the red/red at the 1G switch is the feed/switchwire, then why does a red/black appear at the ceiling: unless the red/black has been extended....

Mr T: is there a 3 core and a twin red at the 1G switch?

For a 3 core to appear at a ceiling would either mean one core is not used or if all 3 are used, then there must be another ceiling light (or was??)

Can you confirm?

Don't want to speculate as to connections until you do!!

 

[mrtomato]

There's actually two ceiling lights! Sorry, should have mentioned that! I have not even touched the other as I feared cocking up further. I changed a fitting in my bedroom a while back and I only had to wire 1 live, 1 neutral and 1 earth. Two lives were isolated on the side. It worked so I guessed the living room would be equally straight forward. When I saw what I did I was very confused.

By the way, I sincerely appreciate everyone taking time to help me.

I'll just run over the previous post once more to check