wiring two way light swich

[alex6192]

Hi guys,

I have just had my house rewired by a qualified electrician. Because we have had the walls replastered he left it to me to fit some of the sockets, light switches etc. I have managed to install the power sockets without any problems but i am unsure how to wire the light switch.

The light switch is a two switch, two-way dimmable faceplate (8 spot lights, switched in banks of 4).
There are three wires, each of which have three inner cables. The electrician has written 'switch' on one of the wires.

Any help/advice would be great.

many thanks

 

[experience]

Never heard a spark leaving a customer to do the 2nd fix!
He should be doing this and testing it once its done

 

[ban-all-sheds]

How on earth can he issue an EIC if he didn't connect and test all the accessories?

Alex - has he given you an EIC?

Is he a registered electrician?

How long ago did he do the work?

Have you paid him?

 

[alex6192]

How on earth can he issue an EIC if he didn't connect and test all the accessories?

Alex - has he given you an EIC?

Yep, he has given me all the correct paper work but without checking i am unsure what it covers. he did the 2nd fix upstairs after the plasters were finished.

Is he a registered electrician?

yep

How long ago did he do the work?

about 8 months, it's taken me a while to raise funds for the plastering downstairs.

Have you paid him?

yep, the contract stated that he would 1st and 2nd fix upstairs and just do 1st fix downstairs.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yep, he has given me all the correct paper work but without checking i am unsure what it covers.

Has he indeed.

Which columns did he fill in on the schedule of test results for those circuits, and what values did he record?

Is he a registered electrician?

yep

Check with his registration body that leaving customers to do 2nd fix (whatever the reason), given that there's the potential there for fatal mistakes to be made, meets with their approval.

How long ago did he do the work?

about 8 months, it's taken me a while to raise funds for the plastering downstairs.

So you've also got a Building Regulations completion certificate?

Are you aware that you aren't allowed to fit the switches and sockets in the kitchen without notifying the council in advance?

And what have you been doing about lights and sockets downstairs for the last 8 months?

 

[alex6192]

Yep, he has given me all the correct paper work but without checking i am unsure what it covers.

Has he indeed.

Which columns did he fill in on the schedule of test results for those circuits, and what values did he record?

ban-all-sheds, right i have just found the niceic cert. His desc on the front states 'fit new consumer unit, insttalled new lighting & sockets to upstairs, new bonding to gas & water and new lighting supply for front security light'. So, he doesn't mention at all the 1st fix he did downstairs. Under the circuit details/test results section it lists only the upstairs and exisiting wiring elements i.e. what he didnt replace and upstairs.

So, it appears that the new wiring downstair isn't covered by the cert.

Is he a registered electrician?

yep

Check with his registration body that leaving customers to do 2nd fix (whatever the reason), given that there's the potential there for fatal mistakes to be made, meets with their approval.

He hasn't 'approved' any of this work

How long ago did he do the work?

about 8 months, it's taken me a while to raise funds for the plastering downstairs.

So you've also got a Building Regulations completion certificate?

Nope, i have completion certs for the floor we replaced but not the plastering or elecs. I was unaware that plastering required build controls approval. This is also something they failed to mentioin when inspecting the floor.

Are you aware that you aren't allowed to fit the switches and sockets in the kitchen without notifying the council in advance?

Clearly not, i thought i was ok to fit the sockets (btw, this is just the lougne, the kicthen and util room wiring hasn't been touched but was tested (and approved) by the electrian when it did upstairs.

And what have you been doing about lights and sockets downstairs for the last 8 months?

We haven't had any lights or sockets in the lounge for past 8 months.

My question, can i get an niceic regsietered guy in to certifiy the sockets i have installed?

 

[alex6192]

please excuse the formatting in my reply, hopefully you will be able to follow it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why not click and put it right?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

ban-all-sheds, right i have just found the niceic cert. His desc on the front states 'fit new consumer unit, insttalled new lighting & sockets to upstairs, new bonding to gas & water and new lighting supply for front security light'. So, he doesn't mention at all the 1st fix he did downstairs.

So why did you pay him for it then, if he didn't do it?

Seriously - do you have a written quote and/or invoice and/or receipt which proves he installed that circuit?

If not, he can deny everything, and you're left with a circuit which should have been tested, and wasn't, which the Wiring Regulations say should have an EIC, and it hasn't, and worst of all which the law says must have a Building Regulations completion certificate, and it hasn't.

He hasn't 'approved' any of this work

If you can prove he did it, get onto NICEIC.

Nope, i have completion certs for the floor we replaced but not the plastering or elecs. I was unaware that plastering required build controls approval. This is also something they failed to mentioin when inspecting the floor.

The electrical work does, which is why I asked when it was done - the guy had 30 days to give you a certificate to say that the work complied with the Building Regulations and to notify LABC.

If he didn't do that then he's in breach of the law and has potentially exposed you to problems and costs in the future when you come to sell.

If he didn't do that then you should complain to NICIEC.

Are you aware that you aren't allowed to fit the switches and sockets in the kitchen without notifying the council in advance?

Clearly not, i thought i was ok to fit the sockets

You are, if it's not in a kitchen or special location....

My question, can i get an niceic regsietered guy in to certifiy the sockets i have installed?

Nope.

 

[alex6192]

i will have to dig out the quote. I have just checked the invoice but it doesn't include an iternary of work.

So, as i understand it, I have a circuit in my lougne which hasn't been approved and I have no way of getting it approved because a) niceic members can't approve other peoples work and b) it has passed the 30 days so getting him back is no good.

shed or anyone else have any advice as to how i can get this circuit tested/approved?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So, as i understand it, I have a circuit in my lougne which hasn't been approved and I have no way of getting it approved because a) niceic members can't approve other peoples work

Nothing to do with NICEIC - nobody can certify another's work as compliant with the Building Regulations except a council Building Control Officer, but as you didn't notify them in advance you can't get that, except by applying for regularisation, and if your LABC is one of the ones that doesn't play by the rules that could cost a pretty penny.

and b) it has passed the 30 days so getting him back is no good.

Getting him back will be fine - I don't imagine he'll balk at fudging the date he did the work, but he'll want paying. It's still not clear from you if he gave you a Building Regulations certificate for the other work or just an EIC, so you might have a bit of a lever there, but...

shed or anyone else have any advice as to how i can get this circuit tested/approved?

You can get any qualified electrician to check it out for you - they don't even have to be registered. Won't change the fact that you don't have Building Regulations approval, but you'd know if it was safe.

 

[chappers]

Why is everyone getting on their high horse. This sparks has done everything by the book. he has done a full and tested installation upstairs and has first fixed downstairs no certification needed at this point.
how the OP proceedes is up to him.
He has 3 options find another sparks who is willing to sign off the remaining installation.
get BC to sign it off or get the original sparky bacvk to finish an certificate it.
Whether another sparks or BC will sign it off now that all the cabling is covered is another matter but I suspect BC would, I have experience of only one incidence where BC have signed off an instalation and that involved the sparky they sent not turning up until 3 days after the arranged appointment and therefore not getting to inspect any cabling and then turning up and testing everything.
In answer to the OPs original question just do a search on google for "wiring a two way switch" or similar there is loads of info out there.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why is everyone getting on their high horse. This sparks has done everything by the book. he has done a full and tested installation upstairs and has first fixed downstairs no certification needed at this point.

So at what point is certification needed?

And who will do it now, given the sequence of events?

You're overlooking the fact that he installed a new circuit, which is notifiable, and did not notify.

You are overlooking the fact that he did not advise his client of the testing that should be carried out.

You are overlooking the fact that he walked away knowing he'd left his client with something which would eventually not have the proper certifications.

Done everything by the book? Looks like both of you have still to read the chapter entitled "Professionalism - What It Means And How To Exhibit It."