Wiring problem

[IWF67]

I'm replacing 2 wall lights, there are 2 switches for theses lights.

The first light has 2 cables. The wires in the first are red, black and green/yellow). The other cable appears to have just a red wire (is this the switch cable?).

When I try to connect up the lights they are permanently on. I understand that this is something to do with the switch wire but I can't seem to sort it. The circuit worked fine previously!! Any ideas?

The new light comes with plastic connectors for the green/yellow and for the blue and brown.

There was no red tape on the wires!

Can anybody advise?

Yours Very Frustrated!!!

 

[rjm2k]

Is that 2 switches, one for each light, or 2 switches that control both lights at the same time?

Post a photo of the wires if you can

 

[IWF67]

Sorry, 2 switches that control both lights at the same time

 

[rjm2k]

What cables/wires does the 2nd light and the 2 switches have in?

 

[IWF67]

2nd light had 2 black wires and 1 red. I've put that back together as per the original. Obviously that's on at the same time as the other, but I'm content that I've not messed that end up!

 

[rjm2k]

No earth in the 2nd?, what re the blacks and red connected to on the light? Doesn't really make much sense, can you post photos of both sets of wire?

 

[IWF67]

There was also a green/yellow earth. 2 blacks went together to blue and 1 red went to brown. I can do a photo later - thanks

 

[IWF67]

Untitled

• IWF67
• 30 Oct 2012
• 1

appears to be a solo wire on the right (red), and 3 wires from the cable on the left.

 

[rjm2k]

What's the copper end look like on the single red, are there 2 wires or just 1?



Post a photo of the other light and also inside the switches if you can.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What happens if you connect the 2 reds to blue and the black to brown?

What happens is you've started advising the OP to try different combinations of connecting things up in the hope he gets lucky, rather than advising him to properly identify all of the wires and then connect them up knowing that it's right.

You should not do that.

 

[rjm2k]

Very true, OP don't connect anything up, just post photos

 

[IWF67]

switch

• IWF67
• 30 Oct 2012
• 1

switch on the right (rotate 90 degrees clockwise f

rotate picture 90 degrees clockwise. It's the switch on the right only

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Very true, OP don't connect anything up, just post photos

And some details of which ends of which cables are which....

switch

• IWF67
• 30 Oct 2012
• 1

switch on the right (rotate 90 degrees clockwise f

Has it always been wired like that?

What do the 2 switches do?

What are the terminals labelled?

 

[rjm2k]

Is that the only switch? I got the impression there were 2 separate switches with 2 way switching.

 

[IWF67]

Connected a bulb this morning and all well. Light went off when turned off etc. My neighbour believes that the reason the light stayed on was due to me tripping the circuit and this causing the switch to stick on.

Hence this morning when it had cooled and been wired correct - all was well.

The use of his current metre thing helped provide reassurance this morning, needless to say I was embarrassed when it worked first time!

thanks for all help and guidance.