by ericmark »
Wed Dec 02, 2015 1:51 am
Not quite sure what you are doing wrong but some pointers.
C or common is the important wire get the L1 and L2 swapped or what ever the other two wires are called all it does is swap which way the switch works which for two way does not really matter.
It is also important to define the switch some have three switches and some there is a moulded line to define what switch is using which terminals.
With on/off com and one other terminal are used.
With two way all terminals are used.
With two way the master switch i.e. one connected to lights will have two wires in the L1 and L2 and just one wire in the com.
Of the two wires in L1 and L2 one goes to light the other goes to the slave switch the wires to slave are like for like. i.e. if blue goes to come at master then blue goes to com at slave.
So if we look at a standard two way switch we have two wires from the light in one cable likely red and black which will go into L1 and L2 then we have three wires going to slave likely red yellow and blue it does not matter which wire goes into Com, L1 or L2 as long as same wire goes into Com, L1 and L2 on the slave switch.
But with the simple on/off switch the two wires red and black go to Com and either L1 or L2.
In theroy all wires should have red (or with new colours brown) sleeves on them there is no colour code for which wire goes where.
I find this site a pain as it does not let one alter post once posted until after approved and I find the pictures rather hit and miss.
[img]http://www.ericmark.talktalk.net/pictures/two-way-real.bmp[/img] If it works this is diagram of standard two way system. Again next if it works this shows a standard system [img]http://www.ericmark.talktalk.net/lights.bmp[/img] and finally just in case this one shows the intermediate switch [img]http://www.ericmark.talktalk.net/pictures/two-way-plus-inter.bmp[/img] these are not as taught at school and it does confuse people as a result. The method is selected because it means you have not connections other than to the switch. It takes into account you are using cables not individual wires you can see rings I have drawn around the cables. If that is the images work. Pre-view shows the link rather than picture.
Many many years ago I wrote the website and made the pictures [url]http://www.ericmark.talktalk.net/twoway.html[/url] but attempts to show them on this site often seems to fail. Works with every other forum just this one odd one out. Also every other forum allows me to see as soon as posted so I can correct. With this site if I do make an error often a couple of days before I see it and can correct.