wiring switch

[sparkwright]

As Rocky says, if you can label these 2 gang switches A, B and C and label each individual switch with a number 1-6; we would have a better understanding what you are talking about.

And we would be able to give you clearer answers.

 

[ColJack]

you're obviously a youngster then sparkwright?
3C+E for strappers is fairly recent and most houses I've done any work in ( ok so that's only mine, mom's, nan's and one that I rewired completely ) are wired using 2 plate ( T+E strappers with singles for live feed and switched out ).. granted they were 50-70 year old houses and hadn't been rewired..

Greeny4, dyslexia is no excuse.. the wiki about switches is mainly pictures so not much reading.
I'm dyslexic, but not severely..

 

[sparkwright]

you're obviously a youngster then sparkwright?
3C+E for strappers is fairly recent and most houses I've done any work in ( ok so that's only mine, mom's, nan's and one that I rewired completely ) are wired using 2 plate ( T+E strappers with singles for live feed and switched out ).. granted they were 50-70 year old houses and hadn't been rewired..

I did say slightly unconventional. Have seen this sort of method used many times. Nothing wrong with it at all. More an older method. Have used from time to time on re-wires and when altering existing wiring, but I'm sure you would agree using 3 core is more recognised method nowadays.

The point I'm trying to make is 3 core offers different colours so it's easier to trace where they go to. You see?

 

[ColJack]

T+E comes in red and black.. so it's not that difficult to tell which is which

 

[greeny4]

sparkwright- the last switch in the drawing is 2 way and is for the kitchen spots and under the cupboards. I took the sockets off yesterday and there doesnt seem to be a perm live at the middle switch all the time unless a switch the first switch.

 

[sparkwright]

At the 2 gang switch which I propose to call switch C, I thought you said the switch to the left or by my method switch 5 is one way and did the cupboard light.

By one way I mean using Com and L1.

Switch 6 as I propose to call it is 2 way for kitchen ceiling. isn't it?

In your last post when you talked about the first switch, were you talking about the second switch from the left in your diagram?

We NEED to refer to the switches by a proper name or number to avoid confusion. It will be easier for you and us.

You also need to remind us which switches ARE functioning correctly. I know upstairs ones were.

 

[sparkwright]

Possibly my last post on this thread.

BEFORE YOU DISCONNECTED THE MIDDLE SWITCH, WAS THERE A SHORT LINK WIRE BETWEEN THE SWITCHES?

 

[greeny4]

Untitled

• greeny4
• 5 Apr 2010
• 1

right lets a fresh with all switches involved using sparkwrights methods hopefully it will be clearer and we can get this resolved

switch a is one way. It is upstairs and operates upstairs landing lights and is the the only socket that i can definatley says works and has not been altered.

switch b is 2 way. gang 2 is upstairs landing and gang 3 is downstairs wall lights

switch c is 2 way. gang 4 is downstairs wall lights and gang 5 is kitchen lights

switch d is 2 way. gang 6 is main spots for kitchen and gang 7 is undercuboard ligfhts.

 

[janner10]

Phone an electrician

 

[sparkwright]

Thankyou.

Now, at the moment, are you having problems with both the kitchen AND the hall lights?

 

[sparkwright]

One way means switched from one switch.
Two way means switched from two switch locations.

At switch D, according to our method, the cupboard lights have been wired for two way operation, gang 6.

Yet at switch C, gang 5 is for the kitchen ceiling light. Correct?

It looks like switch D has been wired incorrectly.

I imagine the cupboard light should only be a one way function controlled just from switch D.

I SHOULD POINT OUT THIS COULD BE A SLOW PROCESS AND A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN WHO COULD VISIT YOU WILL SORT THIS IN NO TIME BECAUSE HE CAN TEST OUT EACH WIRE FOR HIMSELF.

 

[greeny4]

thankyou sparkwright, time isnt an issue is took me nearly 2 days to get to this point with someone

you are correct in saying the cupboard lights should be one way and the spots 2 way. switch d is definatley incorrect as it doesnt work at all.

with the wiring as shown in the last drawing the switches are as follows
switch1- works correctly
switch2- works correctly
switch3- is incorrect, switches the kitchen lights on/off not hallway
switch4- doesnt work at all
switch5- works correctly
switch 6- is incorrect doesnt work at all
switch7- is incorrect doesnt work at all

 

[ColJack]

swap the T+E red and black from switch 4 to switch 5, and vice versa.

then report back on what that does

 

[ColJack]

View media item 21294
so..

1 - upstairs landing light - works ok
2 - upstairs landing light - works ok
3 - downstairs wall light - wrong, switches kitchen main light
4 - downstairs wall light - wrong, does nothing
5 - kitchen main lights - works ok
6 - kitchen main lights - wrong, does nothing
7 - under cupboard light - wrong, does nothing

so , swap the T+E in 4 and 5, and swap the red and black in switch 6 but leave the red link where it is..

 

[greeny4]

i have just turned switch C the right way round to avoid confusion so before it was switch 4 that was correct not 5. I have put the black from the t and e from l2, 4 to l2, 5 and the red from l1, 4 to l1, 5 and the same with the reds. The results are

3 on, 4 on - no lights
3 on, 4 off - hallway and kitchen on
3 off, 4 off - hallway on
3 off, 4 on -no lights