Replacement switches nightmare!!!! Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[tetley]

Hi, I wondered if anyone could help, I decided to replace all the old light switches after decorating but i'm totally confused by it. I bought 2 way swithes as all the light are operated by 2 dirrefent switches, but once I'd removed the old ones(stupidly not noting the position of the old wires) I found the old switches had an extrs hole in them for the earth.

The new ones have 3 holes marked L1, L2 and com, the wires coming out the wall for most of the sockets has the following, Live(red), Nuetral(blue), Earth(yellow and green) and what I persume to be another earth which is plain yellow. The other couple have 2 live, 2 nuetral one marked with red, the earth and the plain yellow one.

To be honest I haven't a clue where to start, any help would be much appreciated.....luke

[Jeffmo]

Hi tetley , i am assuming you have two switch positions for one light , if this is so , then lets try and sort it out for you .. Two way switching :- At original switch , connect red core from twin and earth cable and yellow core (from 3core) to terminal marked L1. Connect the red tagged black core from t&e and blue core (from 3core) to L2 . Connect red core from 3core to Com.Screw earth cores sleeved in green and yellow to terminal in back of switch box/ mounting box.At next switch position connect red core to com ,yellow to L! and blue to L2, connect earth core ,sleeved in green and yellow to termi8nal in back of switch box . If using metal faceplates/switches then you need to add a flying earth from earth terminal in switc box to position on switch plate marked E or a selection of graduating lines which signifie earth . Make sure all connections are good and tight and no bare wire is showing from terminals . Screw faceplates back and switch power on and hope for the best . This should work from what i read in your text . Cheers Good luck and be safe Jeff

[tetley]

Hi Jeff, thanks for replying, i've wired them up as your instructions and even bought new fuses in case i'd blown them but still no joy i may have to get in a electrician!

[Jeffmo]

Hi Tetley , sorry my advice didn't help , it is quite difficult to diagnose remotely , but just one quick question , tell me how many switches do you have to operate the light in question , tell me the colours and amounts of cores to each switch , also tell me if you have a switch with four terminals marked L1 and L1 and L2 and L2 . And i'll try again . Otherwise electrician is probably best way to go . Cheers Jeff

[tetley]

Hi Jeff, sorry it took so long to reply, in the end I got an electrician out, The wiring was right but as I'd thought a fuse was blown. However I had been changing around the 15 amp fuses as I assumed they were the lighting ones and the 30 amps were for the plug sockets. I had 2 fuse boxes side by side, one contained the 15 amp fuses and the other contained the 30 amp fuses and a 5 amp one. It seems all the lighting for the house was been running through a 5 amp fuse except the conservatory lights which were running of a socket. Seems a bit of a dodge job, the fuse box containing the 15 amps wasn't even live and I suspect it has something to do with the old night storage heaters which were at some point removed and they just left the box where it was.

Anyway it's all sorted now and your help was very much appreciated my friend...........Tetley