Wiring help please

[gmd06]

Good morning. I started what I thought was a fairly straightforward change a light switch job today but I am now very confused. I have no experience of wiring and thought I'd ask here prior to trying to get a sparky out.

Kitchen lights - 2 switches at either end. Both switches when working switched the kitchen lights off and on. One of the light switches had broken and needed replaced. So I removed the plate, had a look at the wires and just wired up the same switch as the previous light had been done. The other switch had been working fine and now doesn't work at all.

The wire colours I have are Red, Blue, Yellow and an earth that is connected to the metal wall plate.

On the switch I removed I have 2 sets of wires coming in.

The only wires connected were a single Red to Common and a single Yellow to L1. Both blues were left disconnected.

On the opposite switch only one single 3 core wire came in. It was connected as a single red to common, single blue to L1 and single yellow to L2.

I am not an electrician. Should this be easy to sort out myself if I knew where the wires were supposed to go?

 

[chivers67]

https://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Two-way-lighting

This diagram should help you when you say the blues are disconnected are they joined or just hanging in free space?

Photos will help at switches and light fittings

 

[terryplumb]

Quote..
The wire colours I have are Red, Blue, Yellow and an earth that is connected to the metal wall plate.

On the switch I removed I have 2 sets of wires coming in.

The only wires connected were a single Red to Common and a single Yellow to L1. Both blues were left disconnected
***************
Where is the missing conductor ?

 

[gmd06]

Quote..
The wire colours I have are Red, Blue, Yellow and an earth that is connected to the metal wall plate.

On the switch I removed I have 2 sets of wires coming in.

The only wires connected were a single Red to Common and a single Yellow to L1. Both blues were left disconnected
***************
Where is the second red ?

The second red was not connected. The end was cut off and it was tucked away.

 

[gmd06]

https://www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Two-way-lighting

This diagram should help you when you say the blues are disconnected are they joined or just hanging in free space?

Photos will help at switches and light fittings

I have attached pic of both the switches. The one that is connected was the switch that was working fine. I have made no changes. The other picture is the bunch of wires I have to connect the replacement switch.

 

[terryplumb]

In the cable sheath that contains the red conductor that is " cut off and tucked out the way " ,what other colours does it contain ( forget the bare copper earth conductor)

 

[gmd06]

In the cable sheath that contains the red conductor that is " cut off and tucked out the way " ,what other colours does it contain ( forget the bare copper earth conductor)

It contains a single yellow and a single blue wire.

 

[terryplumb]

Your original post does not give the correct description . there are two yellow and two reds . The switch plate is metal ,and the earth conductors must be connected to the earth terminal on the back of the switch plate.

 

[gmd06]

In the cable sheath that contains the red conductor that is " cut off and tucked out the way " ,what other colours does it contain ( forget the bare copper earth conductor)

Here's a better pic.

 

[gmd06]

Your original post does not give the correct description . there are two yellow and two reds . The switch plate is metal ,and the earth conductors must be connected to the earth terminal on the back of the switch plate.

Apologies. That will be my lack of knowledge of anything electrical.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I'd ask here prior to trying to get a sparky out.

Good luck with that, before 2020!

 

[terryplumb]

Did you take pics of the original switch and the wiring ?
You told us that the two blue conductors were not connected in the old switch , the two way switching quite simply could not work if they were not connected , if they were loose ( not connected to each other) and the bare copper exposed ,its likely that they have come out of the terminal when you pulled the switch from the wall.

 

[gmd06]

Did you take pics of the original switch and the wiring ?
You told us that the two blue conductors were not connected in the old switch , the two way switching quite simply could not work if they were not connected , if they were loose ( not connected to each other) and the bare copper exposed ,its likely that they have come out of the terminal when you pulled the switch from the wall.

They were definitely not connected but may well have popped out as I was pulling the switch out.

 

[gmd06]

Did you take pics of the original switch and the wiring ?
You told us that the two blue conductors were not connected in the old switch , the two way switching quite simply could not work if they were not connected , if they were loose ( not connected to each other) and the bare copper exposed ,its likely that they have come out of the terminal when you pulled the switch from the wall.

Not a great pic but that was original switch after being removed from wall.

 

[terryplumb]

It contains a single yellow and a single blue wire.

Where was the yellow from aforementioned cable connected ?