Me know nothing...

[DonnaLou]

ok sigh now , hold yer breath n read on ...

Yorkies and Electrics not for us gals ....blah blah...

Still here ? ok....thank you.

Hallway = 2 gang switch operates hall lamp and landing lamp - hall lamp on off ok, landing lamp nothing , switch auto flicks to single position.

Landing =2 gang switch operates bathroom and landing lamp - working perfectly


What have I done ? - I just need to know its a fairly straightforward fix - I daren't go in their again with my Charlie Corolli tools as I'm told!!

I took off old switches (yes I remembered to switch off MCB - my hair is straight...lol) and plumbed everything back in as twas into the new fascias.

Sorry for the strained humour but I know i've been a complete bakers dozen of donuts and am pretty embarrased . Thank you millions in advance anyway. x

 

[securespark]

Switch auto flicks to single position??????????



Can you post a piccy?

 

[DonnaLou]

..Yes if you depress it as if to switch on the landing lamp (in the hallway that is)
it wont have it. It kind of doesn't "click" to stay in the on position.

Perhaps I should of added that I made no adjustments to this Hallway switch, the anomaly occurred having just fudged the landing switches ???

Any clues... I can get a pic but would be tomorrow .

 

[securespark]

If you've changed a switch & created a short, this may have damaged the switch mechanism (did the mcb trip?). Unlikely, though, unless you have neutrals present at the switch.

Otherwise, it may just have given up the ghost.

Can you post a piccy?

 

[DonnaLou]

Yes the MCB tripped and I went back into the landing switch, re insulated and moved a wire from near the fixing screw.

At several points in testing I never had this just the usual, works upstairs not down etc . There's s**! loads of wires in there...

Just didn't want to call a spark out tomorrow and get done over with a wikipedia explanation of how magnificently I had managed to necessitate a house rewiring job!!! you know...


Thanks so much for advice

 

[333rocky333]

sounds like the short circuit has blown up the inside of the switch.
You proberly now need a new switch.

He will also need to find and rectify the fault first what caused it,unless you have already done so.

was there an earth wire, green/ yellow in the switch, if not he may bring that to your attention,saying the wiring needs upgrading.

This is not always the case unless you have metal lights or switches.
But a good electrician would point out a lack of earth wires,and advise you of that, and he is not necessarily trying to create work

 

[ban-all-sheds]

was there an earth wire, green/ yellow in the switch

This implies there probably is:

Yes the MCB tripped and I went back into the landing switch, re insulated and moved a wire from near the fixing screw.

 

[Space cat]

What you should know about switches is that the rocker is not attached directly to the switch inside but works through a cleverly placed spring. The idea is that, no matter how slowly you move the rocker, the switch inside moves fast - except that yours doesn't.

I'm sure 333rocky333 has the answer; the fault current has welded the insides of the switch so it can't move anymore. You'll need a new one. If you're confident that you have all the wires in the right terminals there's no reason why you shouldn't fix this yourself but --

Have a close look at the wire you moved away from the fixing screw. You're looking for damaged insulation that will prove the theory. You should either cut it back (if you've got length to spare) or else sleeve the damaged bit.

PS: Trapping a wire under a fixing screw is a very easy mistake to make - so don't do it twice!

Edit: Write out 100 times (yet again) "I must learn to read posts properly"

re insulated and moved a wire from near the fixing screw