Outside Light Wiring from 2 Gang Switch Help

[Dougie212]

Hi there

I am trying to replace our outside light.. Having mounted it and connected the wires inside the light, I was gutted to find that the light didn't work.

I opened the switch, which is a 2 gang switch, one side switches the hall light, one side switches the outside light. Currently, the commons are linked with a spur of cable, there is a black cable and a blue cable in each side of the one switch for the hallway, and a single brown cable which leads to the outside light in the 2 way socket of the the other side of the switch.

What I am baffled by is the neutral is connected in the light, runs all the way to the switch but has then been cut where the outer casing of the cable has been stripped back inside the switch. Is the light not working because this neutral is effectively un-terminated..??

If this isn't the problem, judging by what I have said, does anyone have any ideas?

The hallway light is working as normal. As regards to the old outside light.. It was an old one that was broken anyway and has never worked since we moved into the house.

Many thanks in advance for your help

Dougie

 

[EFLImpudence]

I am trying to replace our outside light.. Dougie

To be clear first of all:

Was there a previous light and did it work?

 

[Dougie212]

There was an old light, a very old light which had broken in half, but essentially, no, it didn't work whether that be because of the wiring in the switch or the actual mechanics of the light

 

[EFLImpudence]

What I am baffled by is the neutral is connected in the light, runs all the way to the switch but has then been cut where the outer casing of the cable has been stripped back inside the switch. Is the light not working because this neutral is effectively un-terminated..??

It could be - but where would you connect it to a Neural.

What is the 2 way socket you mention?

Sorry I didn't read your question properly at first.

 

[Dougie212]

apologies, I meant to say terminal... it goes to the 2 way terminal of the switch.

I have no idea where I would connect the neutral too... I think this is my problem.. the light needs connecting to a neutral somewhere

 

[EFLImpudence]

Is there another cable anywhere?

Either in the switch back box or at the light position.

Normal lighting wiring has a supply cable running to a light point with another cable from there to the switch.

 

[Dougie212]

No, there is just the supply cable from the switch to the light, but only the brown is terminated in the switch.

The blue, is connected inside the light but has been cut off in the switch box...

 

[EFLImpudence]

Am a bit mystified - don't really know what to suggest.

Re the hall switch - are you sure the wires aren't brown (perhaps dirty or even burnt) and blue?

Can we have a picture of the switch wires?

 

[Dougie212]

no.. definately red black and a blue which is a single cable which I dont know but could this be a return to the wiring ring?

I will try and get a photo put on

 

[cumbriahandyman]

no.. definately red black and a blue which is a single cable which I dont know but could this be a return to the wiring ring?

I will try and get a photo put on

You have not said what sort of light fitting, if it takes one of these, be sure it is seated properly in the fitting.

 

[EFLImpudence]

red black and a blue which is a single cable which I dont know but could this be a return to the wiring ring?

Well, no it can't be a Neutral or it would go BANG when you switched off the hall light. I presume this is a two-way wiring and you have another switch for the hall elsewhere.

I will try and get a photo put on

That'll be good but might not be much help.

The only thing I can think of, with the present information, is that someone has tried to wire the outside light from the switch (lots of people do) and realising it is not possible connected the Neutral to the earth (very wrong) and this was seen by an electrician who has cut the blue wire to prevent this (or if you have had RCDs fitted this would trip them).

You haven't mentioned any earths - I hope they're not all cut off.

This is unsure given the apparent age of the previous light and relatively new cable i.e. brown and blue.

 

[Dougie212]

Apologies... its a lantern style light which takes a screw in 60 watt bulb, which I have checked and is working..

Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

You have not said what sort of light fitting,

There's only one switched live to it - no neutral.

 

[Dougie212]

EFL... There are earth's and they are all attached.. (phew)

only thing that isn't attached is this darn neutral...

 

[EFLImpudence]

It looks as if you will have to start from scratch.

Either run a cable from the hall light to the outside light or-
Run a cable from a nearby socket via a Fused Connector Unit to the switch.

As a matter of interest:
Is the cut-off blue wire long enough to connect to or can you pull the cable down a bit?
Is the single blue wire (in hall switch) able to be pulled to see if it is part of another cable hidden in the wall.

TURN OFF POWER before pulling. Don't pull too hard and damage any wires.