2 Way # gang switch

[Leem]

I have been trying to install a new 2 way 3 gang switch downstairs. 2 of the switches control the lighting upstairs and downstairs and the third controls the outside light.

I have managed to connect the first switch up so that the Yellow cable runs to Common, Red to L1 and Blue to L2. This works fine for the upstairs lighting. When I try to coonect the second Yellow cabel to Common and Red L1 and Blue L2 I find that I can only turn the donwstairs light on/off from Downstairs. The switch upstairs has no effect.

I'm also having problems trying to get the outside light to work.

The switch has 3 x Common, 3 x L1 and 3 x L2 and upstairs switch has 2x L1, 2x L2 and 2x L3.

What am I doing wrong. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[breezer]

I presume you do not know which cable is for what.
TURN THE MAINS OFF

connect the wires across c and L1 (there will only be 2) that operate the outside light (put some insulation tape round the ones that you are not using at this stage,) then try for the hall light. the wires that are left are for your 2 way switching
two way switching is very simple but also very confusing

see http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/lights_and_switches.htm

 

[Leem]

Thanks I'll try this tomorrow. I agree it can be confusing. This is a brand new house. Do you know what the Yellow, Blue and Red cables pertain to.

 

[breezer]

there is no strict rule one as to which colour does what, but basically each switch is connected to the same terminal by one wire, then a live and switched live is connected to L1 & L2

so for example

common switch one yellow common switch two yellow
L1 switch one red L1 switch two red
L2 switch one blue L2 switch two blue

then a live and switch live are also connected to L1 & L2

 

[Leem]

I'm not having much luck. I've isolated the outside light and that now works fine. I am now left with 4 cables. 2 x Yellow, 1 x Blue and 1 x Red. Whichever way I put these in I can't even get the light to come on. Originally when I was at least able to get it working it had a Yellow cable in Common and a red cable in L1. Since then though I found that the only way to get the outside light working was to use that red cable (I am assuming that this is the cable that is providing the power to the light outside.

Originally when I pulled the switch off I noticed that the electrician had bridged some of the coonection with small pieces of cable. Could it be that none of the connection I have left are live, if so hwo many of the remaining connection do I need and where do I need to bridge from. Is this even acceptable considering it should have been wired correctly in the first place baring in mind it's a brand new home.

I know this sounds alot to ask but it's driving me mad. I seem to be so close.

 

[breezer]

do you have a yellow blue and red in the same cable?

if so this is the 2 way switching for the landing light. Take the wsitch off upsatirs and see which colour goes where and connect the same way in the switch downstairs.

This will leave you with one yellow left, put this in L1 of the remaining switch.

The next bit is a case of trial and error, sorry but since you did not make a note of how it was done that is how it will have to be.

you will need to put a link (doesnt matter what colour) from C of the switch that now only has the yellow wire in it to either L1 or L2 of the switch that has three wires in it (copied from the upstairs switch) you then need to link this to the red wire of the switch that operates your now working outside light switch.

as I said this bit is a case of trial and error, you may need to connect the last wire mentioned to the other wire in the switch that operates your out side light, but i would assume the red one.

As for your question "Is this even acceptable considering it should have been wired correctly in the first place baring in mind it's a brand new home"

the electrician who did it is probably on price per job, so doing it this way saves time and cable.

as athought have you met your neighbours yet? if all else fails assuming the same electrician did the houses the same you may ask to look at theirs to find what colour does what.

 

[Leem]

That's it. It now all works fine. I have to say for you to be able to make sense of what myself and most people put on this site is amazing. It's one thing knowing what your doing, it's completey another trying to direct someone else.

All I can say is your da man and many thanks for your invaluable help.

 

[breezer]

thats me (i am blushing) just pleased i could help and thank you for saying i helped.