Repairing hall lighting Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[roo1978]

Hello all.
When we moved into our house the hallway two way switch was missing. A run-down of the circuit is:

Entrance switch, two way operating one outside light and two hallway lights. Two way Kitchen switch operating the same two hallway lights and the kitchen light circuit.
The kitchen lights operate fine and were untouched when we moved in so i would like to think that this switch is un-messed with. I managed to get the outside light working once I had replaced the missing switch but the hallway ones have proved more difficult.
Wiring is as follows:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/Roo/Hallway.jpg
The hallway/outside switch also has one black wire and one blue wire each in a separate chocolate block. (not connected to anything)
I hope the image explains my problem. Now were in the midst of winter we could do with some hallway lighting!
If there's any further info I can provide please let me know. I am also competent with a multimeter should the need arise.
Many thanks in advance.

[ericmark]

The outside hallway light does seem to be wrong but with no switch markings it is hard to pin point fault.

However the red, yellow, blue cable will go to same connections on both switches so if red goes to com on one switch it will also go to com on other switch. (that work same light)

Assuming marked com L1 L2 then the pairs of wires go into L1 and L2. Some switches are marked L1, L2, L3 in which case pairs go to L2 and L3.

[roo1978]

Thanks for your assistance, with some logical thinking, use of a multimeter, and some head scratching I am now at a stage where the outside light works as it should. (one switch, on/off) and on that same two way switch the hallway lights operate on off as they should. However, I am having trouble wiring in the second switch for the hallway circuit. I have re-drawn what I have done and what I have left over. I'm hoping its an easy answer! For info, the hallway/outside switch has none of the red bands on the switched wires. Thanks again.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/Roo/Lights.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/Roo/Lights2.jpg

[roo1978]

Anyone?

Would be nice to get this completed before Christmas. :o)

[ericmark]

Anyway to problem the line on two way lighting is a different terminal to single way so you will not pick up line from the com connection.

This has been asked many times and I have made a web page with many lighting circuits see Google"ericpalmer.fsnet.co.uk/Lighting.html" and also there is some on here. At bottom of page there are the two ways to wire two way lights.

The method taught at school means you need a connector in the switch box so the second method is more popular and on a two way lamp line and switch from the lamp goes to L1 and L2. However the connections can be either way around so can't say if L1 or L2 is line.

We are told not to call the phase wire live and both phase and neutral are both live and to call the phase wire line but old habits die hard and I slip up some times.

Anyway see if my site helps. I think about three pages in all linked I think but no longer have access to site needs dial up connection.