switch wiring incorrect

[yellowbelly]

Ive moved into a house where some of the switches do not work correctly. Ive removed the switches and belled through the cables to see what goes where. At the first switch there is a sinle red and a twin red and black. This should operate wall lights 2 way with another switch. With the switch removed the red single is perm live using a testascope. Would this be live if the ceiling roses were looped? how would the cables go on a single gang switch with c, l1, l2 when working 2 way. The other switch is the same and the cables are a single red which goes to wall lights and a twin red and black which links the switches. Ive studied the wiki but because the live loops from another switch i cant see a relevant diagram. Any help apprciated cheers

 

[riveralt]

This is still a good place to start.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:two_way_lighting

 

[riveralt]

Isn't the one you describe the conduit method at the bottom of the page?

 

[yellowbelly]

Thats the hall way sorted thanks. Just the kitcen to sort. On the last switch ive just done in the hallway which is 2 gang i need a live at the switch to feed the kitchen lights from left gang to the right. But when i link them obviously because its 2 way with the lights on l1 is live and with lights off l2 is live so i cant get a perm live to the next switch. Does this switch need to be an intermidiate?

 

[riveralt]

I assume when you say you link them that means you put a small cable from common on one gang to common on the other and this does not work.

 

[yellowbelly]

Thats it mate linked the common and tried linking l1 but none work properly. Should there always be a perm live at each gang as when you switch the other switch the live moves from l1 to l2. Hence when the hallway is on the kitchen works fine but with it off it doesnt work thanks again for any help

 

[riveralt]

Have a look at the conduit diagram again - if that is how your hall lights are wired up then you will see that the light switch on the left is taking the power to C from the permanent live loop at the ceiling rose and the switch on the right is taking the switched live up to the ceiling rose and onto the lamp pendant.

Is your double gang switch on the right?

If so then at the ceiling rose you will need to swop the permanent live loop to the switch on the right and the switched live to the switch on the left.

This should give the switch on the right the permanent live loop to C and you then link this with the C on the second gang.

 

[yellowbelly]

Thanks, yes the switches are as you said and that would work but i cant get to the ceiling rose as there isnt one exposed. All i have is x2 wall lights with a twin red and black in each.

 

[riveralt]

Are we talking about wall lights in kitchen?

If there is no ceiling rose then it is possible there is a jb in the ceiling void. You will need to find that and hope that the switch live also goes through it onto the wall lights.

If not you might be stuck.

 

[yellowbelly]

wall lights in the hallway, spots in the kitchen, so no visible roses. Its head scratching as im sure its only new switches that have been changed and not the light fittings???