HELP..... 2 way light switch!!!!!

[Helenmelon]

I have took off my old light switch to replace with a new one..... In my error I forgot to take picture of the wires!!!

I have 4 red wires and 1 green/yellow wire...

What wire goes where?

The wire with the market pen on is a live wire.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Are you replacing a two gang switch, where one gang is two way and the second gang is one way only?

I assume you have no test equipment?

 

[Helenmelon]

Just swapping like for like.... nothing different. No test equipment

 

[mwatsonxx]

Check to see that all other lights are still working.

 

[mwatsonxx]

Just swapping like for like.... nothing different. No test equipment

Are you replacing a two gang switch, where one gang is two way and the second gang is one way only?

You need to answer his question

 

[Helenmelon]

All other light's are working....

See pic

Light upstairs landing and hall way downstairs work. But the switch upstairs will not switch it on/off

 

[mwatsonxx]

Put the live wire into terminal 'com' together with the little loop of wire to the other 'com' terminal. Mark the remaining wires 1, 2 and 3, then connect the 1 wire into L1 and the 2 wire into L2 on the same switch. If that doesn't work try 1 and 3, if doesn't work try 2 and 3, it doesn't which one goes into L1 or L2 as long as you find the correct pair. The remainng wire goes into L1 on the other switch.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Just swapping like for like.... nothing different. No test equipment

Without knowing what functions the original set-up was, swapping like for like means nothing. Without test equipment, it would all be complete guess work other than connecting the perm live and perm live link across gangs. (providing you have given the correct info about the perm live, that is?)

 

[ericmark]

Put the live wire into terminal 'com' together with the little loop of wire to the other 'com' terminal. Mark the remaining wires 1, 2 and 3, then connect the 1 wire into L1 and the 2 wire into L2 on the same switch. If that doesn't work try 1 and 3, if doesn't work try 2 and 3, it doesn't which one goes into L1 or L2 as long as you find the correct pair. The remainng wire goes into L1 on the other switch.

If wired in the normal way if permanent line wire (live) goes to com on one switch then it needs to go to L1 or L2 on the other, the com on a two way switch only connects to the com on the other two way switch it does not connect to the light in any way.

Since on a on/off switch it does not matter which is com and which is L1 I would start by connecting permanent line to L1 on both switches, it does not really matter if L1 and L2 are swapped it is com which must be correct, so if link wire too short you could connect permanent line to L1 on one switch and L2 on the other.

So now you are down to three wires, tape or put two in chock blocks and connect one wire to com on the non two way switch. Test does the non two way light work, if not repeat by swapping with one of the other two wires in com until the non two way light works.

So now you have two, and two holes in the two way switch put wires in and test all four functions, if it works OK great, if it does something odd swap the last two wires.

As a foot note the method used can have problems with some hearing aids, but without pulling an extra wire not much you can do, also be wary there could be a borrowed neutral I would advise turn off all lighting circuits before working on the lights just in case there is a borrowed neutral which could make wires live even with MCB for a single circuit off.

 

[Helenmelon]

You absolute Angel Mr Watson!!!

All labeled and all lights work from all switches

Thabkyou very much.... lesson learnt not to play with electric!!!

 

[333rocky333]

Mr watson, that is totally reckless advising a novice to Guess how to connect wiring, and John I cant believe you LIKED his post

 

[mwatsonxx]

**********
https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/forum-rules-general-info.19448/

see rule 1
**********

 

[Helenmelon]

Well...... I may be a novice but I'm quite mechanically minded!
Only took about 5 mins to do after reading your post
Thankyou Mr Watson!

It Was the only reply that made sense, difficult I know from a few lines of explaining and some pictures.

 

[333rocky333]

Helen, I dont doubt that and glad you sorted it.

However the outcome could of been far worse, especially from a man who that despite your NAME and PICTURE thinks your Male

 

[rules&rulers]

Well it is a diy site so giving an answer in diy talk (non tech) is all the originator needs.

So mr watson has been very helpful here.