Light switch wiring (2 switches, 3/4 wires, old colours)

Been_ordered · 29 Oct 2015

Been googling and watching videos but driving me mad coudl someone just tells me which one goes where please!

I have light at the bottom of my stairs with a single switch that controls the stairs light
I have a double switch at the top of my stairs (1 controls the stairs light and 1 controls the landing light)

Taking off the face plate from the double switch upstairs.

I have 2 large grey cables from above (both split into red and black, I think one is for landing light and one is coming from stair light below) and 2 from below (both split into red and black I think both are mains supply cables! Not sure what 1 from below is though)

I have a standard basic white double light switch face plate, inside there are 2 switches (black boxes) 1 common port, and an L1 port and L2 port on each switch (black box)

In switch 1 (black box) I have put the mains supply red cable in the common port. I have put what I think is landing light red cable in L1 of first switch (black box) and black cable in L2 of first switch (black box). In the second switch I have put what I think is 2nd mains supply red cable into common port and then the stairs light from downstairs red cable to L1 on the second switch (black box) and the black cable to L2 on the second switch (black box).

At the minute only my landing light works but you can switch it off and on on both switches!

Anyone got any ideas how to wire this thing!

winston1 · 29 Oct 2015

You need to wire your new switch the same as the one you removed taking note of the photo you took or notes that you made before you removed the old one.

Been_ordered · 29 Oct 2015

Haha I wish I could, only reason I'm fixing it as was rewired incorrectly originally, now I'm able to get the landing lights working when neither worked before. Also they had live red going to common with another wire going from same common to other common that can't be right surely!

Been_ordered · 29 Oct 2015

I have landing lights working just need to know how to link stair lights. Have power supply red and black, landing light red and black, stair light red and black. Want landing light from switch 1 and stairs from switch 2. Which red and black go to which commons or L1s and L2s. Can I assume that both switches are linked as on the same switch plate or do I indeed need to connect one switch to another with a small piece of wire?

Been_ordered · 29 Oct 2015

No point of connecting it how it was as it never worked! What happens with all the neutrals I've just tucked them back into plaster board.

ban-all-sheds · 29 Oct 2015

Not all the blacks at light switches are neutrals. In fact, there's a good chance none of them will be.

There are no internal connections between the gangs of a multi-gang switch.

What on earth makes you think it can't be right to have COMs linked?

You've been trying to get this to work by guessing which wires are which, and which ones goes where, hoping to hit on the right connections by luck. It's time to stop that nonsense and go with Plan A or Plan B

PLAN A:

Learn how lighting circuits are wired.
You'll probably need to get a multimeter and learn how to use it.
Identify which conductors are which at the switches and the light positions.
Check for circuit continuity, switches working etc.
Connect everything up properly.

PLAN B:

Get an electrician.

There are some irresponsible people here who will tell you that there is a Plan C, which is to start trying different things without really knowing what's going on, hoping to get it working by luck, or by blindly following instructions to put-this-wire-in-that-hole without any idea as to why. Please don't listen to them - you must know what, and truly understand what, you are doing. Electrical-installation-by-guesswork is a foolish idea. There is no Plan C for anybody sensible.

sparkwright · 29 Oct 2015

Are you able to send in a nice photograph? Of both switches.

We may be able to gain a rough idea what you have there, if nothing else we may be able to give you a better understanding of how it should work.

Or if it's blindingly obvious we may even tell you how to do it...

winston1 · 29 Oct 2015

He has 3 cables. One could be a switch drop from the landing light. Another could be a switch drop from the stairs light, or it could be a L/N feed. The third could be travellers to the other switch but where is the third wire?

There are different ways of wiring a 2 way switch and it is impossible to tell which without testing what is what.

I suggest BAS's plan B.

Been_ordered · 29 Oct 2015

Very helpful thanks very much. I will send a picture tomorrow

securespark · 29 Oct 2015

Having sketched this out....

Have you got another floor level? IE could there be more than two switches for these lights?

Have any of the conductors been snipped short or look as if they have not been connected?

What is the cable/ wiring arrangement in the GF switch for the stair light?

You may well have to buy a multimeter and test for live conductors and also for continuity on strappers so you can ID these conductors.

Been_ordered · 30 Oct 2015

Overview-
Pic 1- On the left is the 'single stair light', on the right the 'three landing lights', The 3 landing lights, all linked to one connection, the landing switch is the only switch for it (not linked to any other lights). The stair light, which has 2 switches 1 at the landing switch point and 1 at the bottom of the stairs (I would like both to work).

Landing light switch point (controls both 3 landing lights and 1 stair light)-
Pic 2- The landing switch point on the wall on the right.
Pic 3 - Here is inside my landing switch point on the first floor, which has 4 cables coming in each with a black and red.
Pic 4- I did snip a little square plastic end which had a red and black going into it as shown from the landing light
Pic 5- The old landing light switch with old pieces of wire still present (there was also an extra little red wire going from common to common)
Pic 6- The new double light switch I want to fix to the landing switch point.

Stair light switch point (controls 1 stair light only)-
Pic 7- Looking down at the bottom of the stairs the stair switch point
Pic 8- Inside my stair light switch point at the bottom of the stairs which used to work when I moved in but now doesnt, it used to throb/glow and then didnt work, not just bulb as checked that. I haven't changed anything there.
PIC 9- Further look inside bottom of stairs light fixture point

PIC 1

PIC 2

PIC 3

PIC 4

PIC 6

PIC 7 PIC 8 PIC 9

Been_ordered · 30 Oct 2015

Just tried another combo and the trip switched when I turned all power back on. Now I turn the upstairs lights trip switch up and there is a popping sound, its finally up and in place but now all the lights upstairs are unusable! There was me thinking changing over a light switch and connecting up 6 wires was easy! Do I have to replace the trip switch or something?

winston1 · 30 Oct 2015

Completely meaningless as we don't know where all the various look alike cables go. Do you even know which wires the connector block in pic 4 came from? If so put it back and then go for plan B.

stillp · 30 Oct 2015

Been_ordered said:
Just tried another combo and the trip switched when I turned all power back on. Now I turn the upstairs lights trip switch up and there is a popping sound, its finally up and in place but now all the lights upstairs are unusable! There was me thinking changing over a light switch and connecting up 6 wires was easy! Do I have to replace the trip switch or something?

That's the problem with guessing. There's only one correct combination, but 6x5x4x3x2 wrong combinations of the wires. You need to look at the Wiki until you understand how the switches work, and trace the various wires, or get someone in who can do that for you.

ban-all-sheds · 30 Oct 2015

Been_ordered said:
Just tried another combo and the trip switched when I turned all power back on.

ban-all-sheds said:
Electrical-installation-by-guesswork is a foolish idea.

You've been trying to get this to work by guessing which wires are which, and which ones goes where, hoping to hit on the right connections by luck. It's time to stop that foolishness and go with Plan A or Plan B

PLAN A:

Learn how lighting circuits are wired.
You'll probably need to get a multimeter and learn how to use it.
Identify which conductors are which at the switches and the light positions.
Check for circuit continuity, switches working etc.
Connect everything up properly.

PLAN B:

Get an electrician.

Been_ordered said:
There was me thinking changing over a light switch and connecting up 6 wires was easy!

It is if you know what you're doing.

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Light switch wiring (2 switches, 3/4 wires, old colours)

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