Switch wiring question

[Rackers]

Thanks.

Which two wires do you mean?

I have Red, Black, Earth coming from the ceiling rose. The red on this is the permanent live.

I also have Red, Black & Earth coming from the wall lights.

Thanks

 

[AndyPRK]

Whatever wires come from the wall light.
And not earths.

 

[Rackers]

So put them on the same switch as the ceiling rose?

 

[AndyPRK]

I don't fully understand your setup, but swap the red and black on the wall switch wires and leave the link wire where it is.

 

[Rackers]

Thanks, I swapped them around but I am still having the same issue.

The wall lights will not operate independently of the ceiling rose.

The old switch must have contained magic as I cannot seem to get this to work!

EDIT: In the old switch there appears to have been two *link* wires, one was red sleeved and the other black. I do not know if this is significant to the current issue I have with the lights not operating independently as the old switch had 3 switches on it.

Thanks for your help so far!

 

[AndyPRK]

I thought you said the wall lights were on all the time?
But now you are saying they do the same as the ceiling light? Or the ceiling light has to be on for the wall lights to work? In which case you have fitted the link from the wrong ceiling wire.

 

[Rackers]

I have now switched the wire around and ceiling rose works fine but the wall lights are now on all the time regardless of the ceiling rose.

I'm sorry to make you go around in a circle with me.

The link wire is powering the wall lights but I cannot switch them off at the wall, what is it I am missing?

Thanks

 

[AndyPRK]

I think a picture or a diagram of what you have at the moment would help.

Are both wall lights stuck on ? or just one ?



I'm sure this is a troll

 

[Rackers]

If I was trolling it would be the worst trolling ever!

Both wall lights are stuck on. Only one set of wire comes from the wall lights. They do not have a separate red, black or earth. Just one set of wires for both wall lights.

What I can't understand is how the old switch worked .. as the wall lights do not even have their own permanent or switched live!

 

[AndyPRK]

I assume you have two cables coming down the wall.
So 2 reds and 2 blacks (and the earths)

Assuming that is the case:

The cable for the ceiling light you have sorted. And you have a link wire from one of them to the wall light switch.
This should go into one wall light terminal on its own.

The second terminal on the wall light switch should have both the red and black in it (to power each wall light)

 

[AndyPRK]

What I can't understand is how the old switch worked .. as the wall lights do not even have their own permanent or switched live!

The supply came from the 2 link wires on the back of the switch and supply from the ceiling red wire usually.

As your going from 3 gang to 2 gang you only need 1 link wire.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Can you describe what cables you have and where you have terminated them on the switch?
If the wall lights will not turn off, all I can think you have done is fit all the conductors in the same terminal on the dimmer?
Or you have a faulty dimmer.
What type of lamps are fitted in the wall lights, it should be printed on them?

 

[Rackers]

Ok. In the first photo the red arrow shows the cable from the ceiling rose and the orange arrow points to the cable that comes from both wall lights. As you can see, the wall lights are connected via the one cable.

The second photo shows how the cables are terminated at the switch. Both switches are terminated in the same way. There is currently no link wire in at the moment.

When the link wire is connected it is linked from COM (red) from the ceiling rose to COM on the switch that is connected to the wall lights.

I hope you are still with me and that the pictures in some way assist!

Untitled

• Rackers
• 14 Jan 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Rackers
• 14 Jan 2014
• 1

 

[Rackers]

I assume you have two cables coming down the wall.
So 2 reds and 2 blacks (and the earths)

Assuming that is the case:

The cable for the ceiling light you have sorted. And you have a link wire from one of them to the wall light switch.
This should go into one wall light terminal on its own.

The second terminal on the wall light switch should have both the red and black in it (to power each wall light)

This worked. The lights now work as they should.

Forgive my stupidity, you told me to do this a few posts back but my silly brain didn't get it!

I appreciate both your help on this matter and for your massive amounts of patience!