Trouble Wiring Light Switch

[agord69]

//media.diynot.com/212000_211592_69580_15360347_thumb.jpg

I've just wired up a new 3 gang switch and it's dead. Can't get it to work at all. Checked all connections etc, nothing. Put the old one back on and it's fine. I've attached a photo of old and new. Am I making any schoolboy errors, (or should that be Tottenham errors LOL), with the wiring of the new switch. Cheers.

 

[kbdiy]

Looks ok from what you have shown in the diagram but are you sure you haven't mixed up the reds/blacks from different cables?
Other than that have you tested across the switches with a meter to prove continuity?

 

[paulc2]

The diagram is a bit too small to see properly but I think you have 3 red wires and 2 black wires. You need a better way to identify which wire is which, when transferring the connections from the old light switch to new, since each red and each black possibly do different things.

Can you make the diagram bigger??

 

[kbdiy]

Can you make the diagram bigger??

It's bigger if you view it from his profile page - I had the same problem

 

[agord69]

Looks ok from what you have shown in the diagram but are you sure you haven't mixed up the reds/blacks from different cables?
Other than that have you tested across the switches with a meter to prove continuity?

I was careful not to mix them up but I did check. After the new one didn't work, I put the old one back in and it worked as before. Then I tried the new one again and nothing. Rewired the old one again and perfect.

I haven't got the equipment to test the switch but I'm guessing it may be faulty.

 

[agord69]

Can you make the diagram bigger??

It's bigger if you view it from his profile page - I had the same problem

Sorry I can't work out how to post pics direct onto posts rather than links.

 

[kbdiy]

Torch bulb, battery and a couple of bits of wire would give you a simple circuit test for continuity across the switch. Not perfect but it would help.

 

[paulc2]

Can you make the diagram bigger??

It's bigger if you view it from his profile page - I had the same problem

Thanks for the tip!

The wiring appears okay. I'm going to suggest that you've inadvertently tripped the MCB on the consumer unit - and then reset the lighting RCD thinking power has been restored when in fact its not. If its not this, then it looks like either a dodgy connection made, or a dodgy light switch.

 

[Johnmelad]

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