hall switch for landing light

[sguest]

Hi there, looked all over the forums for help but none seem to fit qwuite my dilema!

I put a new (from B&Q) single switch in the hall for turning the landing light on and off yesterday. The connectors differ from the old switch. Although I thought I had followed the same sequence the switch will only work when the landing switch is switched on i.e. when the landing switch is on the hall switch will turn the landing light on and off. I put a new swtich on the landing but this works fine (it is a two gang switch to operate the landing and batheroom).

There are 2 two core wires in the hall switch, one red and black and one red and earth. I have one the two core red in common and the black in L2, the other red is in L1 and earth.

Any help would be gratefully received.

thanks in advance.

 

[wingcoax]

Try putting the single red in common.

 

[sguest]

I will let you know

 

[ban-all-sheds]

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

 

[ColJack]

you have 3 wires and 3 holes, that's 6 possible combinations..
you couldn't figure it out by trial and error?

 

[sguest]

I tried the with both reds in common and black in L2 but no joy, just looks like I will have to try all different combinations (I did mirror the switch on the landing but this didn't work).

Any ideas please let me know.

 

[wingcoax]

Try putting the single red in common.

Also put the other wires in L1 and L2 One wire in each hole.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

just looks like I will have to try all different combinations (I did mirror the switch on the landing but this didn't work).

Any ideas please let me know.

My idea is that you look at the information in the Wiki, and/or other places, sites, books etc, and learn how lighting circuits are wired so that you can fix it without blindly trying different combinations without a clue as to what you are doing.

 

[sparkwright]

Try putting the single red in common.

Also put the other wires in L1 and L2 One wire in each hole.

Have you tried this yet?

The single red in common.

The cable with the red and black;
one in L1
the other in L2
either way round.

 

[1john]

Did you buy a two way switch or a one way switch??

You need a two way switch, put the red wire with the earth into the terminal marked 'C'

put the black wire into L1 and the remaining red wire into L2

connect the earth to the earth terminal in the face plate if metal, if not, connect it to the back box if it is metal, if it's a plastinc switch with a plastic back box and it doesnt hav an earth teminal then put the earth wire into a connector block.