Three Switches Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[maretta]

Hi, I am helping my friend to modernise her house a bit. The switches are
all old tatty once white ones, I have been replacing them with modern ones.
After switching the power off and taking the fuse out, I have been swapping
them one by one, which has been easy up until now. As I eased the double
switch at the bottom of the stairs away from the wall, some of the wires came out, so I was unable to note the correct connector to insert them in
the new switch. There are 3 red and 2 black wires. The set up of the switches
is: a double switch at the bottom of the stairs, which operates the landing and the hall lights. a single switch at the top of the stairs for the landing light
and a single by the front door for the hall light. The switches I am using have
2 COM-2 L1- and 2 L2. the switches are brass, and I have been connecting earth wires to them all as I went along. Help needed asap please. Maretta

[kbrownie]

Are the cables all single cables or are they twins or twin and earth.
There are few different ways of doing this, you say helping a friend what electrical knowledge do you have and do you use a multimeter to check continuity, polarity etc..?
Not having a go just need to know what experience you have, so to explain best approach.
KB

[tomsto]

Hello KB, Thanks for your reply, in answer to your question neither of us has
much electrical knowledge and would certainly contact an electrician to carry
out any major work, but the switch changing had been easy up until now.
In the switch box there are two red wires coming from one cable, one red wire from another cable, two black wires from one cable and the earth.
rgrds m

[kbrownie]

because non of the cables are marked, it is a tricky one if you dont have a multi meter, so forgive me if I make asumption which I don't like to do as I am remote from the equipment.
What i'll have to assume is the three reds in the same outer sheath are strappers.
These should be wired between the two way operation of the hallway or the landing light,
I need to know if possible the way the single switches are terminated for hall way and landing light also the configuration of the lights would be handy.
KB