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Hall Light Switch

Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:46 am
by spy
Can any one help i was painting the hall so removed the bottom hall light swich and the light switch at the top of the stairs (having switched off the power first) i made a note of where each wire went but it seems my wife has thrown it out . the bottom light x has a black and two red wires going to a single x with 1 com and 2 way conect at the top is a double switch which has 1 com 2way on one switch and the same on the other the wires are one black and red another black and red and on red .the bottom switch is for the stair light the top double switch is for the stair light as well and for the bathroom light CAN ANY ONE HELP PLEASE
SPY :(

Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:31 pm
by jaffa19
I'm sorry to ask you again but it may help us to help you if you can identify the difference in the terminology. wires are the actual conductors and cables are formed from groups of conductors.

So far all i've managed to figure out from you is that you have a single gang switch downstairs and a double gang switch up stairs. One of the upstairs switches is for a nearby bathroom light and the other is to switch the stairwell light on and off, this can also be done from downstairs.

If this is the case then you have what is commonly called 2 way switching.

Normally you would have 3 conductors connecting the common, L1 and L2 terminals in both switches and the permanant live and switched live supplies from the light would connect into L1 and L2 on one of the switches.
The other upstairs switch would be live and switched live to the bathroom these would normally be connected to the common and L1 terminals.

you may find that there wont be a second permanant supply for the bathroom, therefore you will have to pick up the permanant supply from the switch for the stairwell and link over to the bathroom switch. BE CAREFUL OF THIS AS YOU DON'T WANT TO LINK TWO SEPARATE CIRCUITS.

If this doesn't sound or look like what you've got, get someone in.