Wiring a double switch Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[JennyBell]

Please can someone help, I've looked through other posts but can't find the answer I need.

I have a double switch which operates a fan and a light. One switch should turn the light on and off and the other should turn the fan on and off. These switches used to work but i think my tenant messed around with the wiring and now the fan is permanently on (even if both switches are off) but the lights work fine (can be switched on and off from one of the switches). There are 4 wires coming out of the wall, the yellow/green (earth presumably), a red a blue and a yellow. The yellow/green goes nowhere and is fixed to the bottom of the box (as is normal for an earth). The blue (which has a red tag on) goes nowhere and is fixed to a dead end junction box. The red goes to the top of one of the switches and another small piece of red wire makes a connection from between the top of this switch to the top of the next switch. There is no connection on the bottom of this switch. The yellow (which has a red tag on) leads from the base of the switch that recieves the small piece of red wire to the wall. This is the switch that operates the light.

Can any one make any sense of this??? Its beyond me!

Thanks,

Jenny

[sparx]

Hi Jenny,
the blue wire would have been as you may guess in the unused switch to control the fan. it would seem likely your tenant has fiddled with/changed the light fitting and got the wires mixed up. connecting the fan to the permanent live instead of the blue from switch.
SLAP him & get a leckie to confirm by checking at light.
Should not take long/cost too much compared with electricity used by fan, plus they are only short time rated so will burn out soon so more cost.
regards SPARX

[JennyBell]

Hi SPARK,

Thanks ever so much for your reply, it was a bit of a complicated question so I didn't know if I would get an answer...

I'd like to try and fix the problem myself. From what you say I assume that what I need to do is to wire the blue switch to the bottom of the switch where there is no wire fixed (apart from the red at the top), and that the red wires (both the one from the wall and the one connecting the two switches) should stay where they are. Is this correct???

Thanks again for your help, I've been puzzling over the problem but advice is definately needed!

Jenny

[moger4]

if you repair this yourself you become responsable for the saftey of this installation , this could mean in the event of a death you will be taken to court and could very well be charged with man slaughter , get an approved electricain to check this and your wiring in general if the tennent has been fiddling with it
call the niceic to get approved electricians

[moggy1968]

[quote="moger4"]if you repair this yourself you become responsable for the saftey of this installation , this could mean in the event of a death you will be taken to court and could very well be charged with man slaughter , get an approved electricain to check this and your wiring in general if the tennent has been fiddling with it
call the niceic to get approved electricians[/quote]

The NICEIC aren't the only ones who approve electricians!!!

[sparx]

hi JennyBell,
as I said reconnecting the 'spare' wire to the switch should have fixed it, if not either from local recommendation or from typeing in 'competant person' should find a place to put your post code to find a local leckie registered with a registered scheme provider, preferably with 'trustmark or trading standards 'buy with confidence' approval.
As a landlady you have a duty of care over your tenant which a person doing work in their own home does not, they are a 'well meaning amateur',
but you would be held liable as owner,
scheme providers include Elecsa, BSI, NAPIT, Niceic all of whom have to guarentee their work,
regards and take care,
Sparx

[marconii]

[quote="sparx"]hi JennyBell,
as I said reconnecting the 'spare' wire to the switch should have fixed it, if not either from local recommendation or from typeing in 'competant person' should find a place to put your post code to find a local leckie registered with a registered scheme provider, preferably with 'trustmark or trading standards 'buy with confidence' approval.
As a landlady you have a duty of care over your tenant which a person doing work in their own home does not, they are a 'well meaning amateur',
but you would be held liable as owner,
scheme providers include Elecsa, BSI, NAPIT, Niceic all of whom have to guarentee their work,
regards and take care,
Sparx[/quote]

you missed select..!!