Hi all

I changed all the light switches and plug sockets in the house all were working fine and I was all chuffed with my self till the wife pointed out that if she turned off the up stairs light and tried to turn it on from down stairs it would not work well I messed around for long enough and it has beaten me

Down stairs is a 2 gang with 4 cables going in

2 on upper positions with
2 x red = common 1 + common 3
2 x earth = earthed on socket box
2 x black = in a terminal block

2 on lower positions with
1 x yellow = live 3
1 x blue = live 2
2 x red = live 1
2 x earth = earthed on socket box
Upstairs is a 1 gang that seemed a straight 1 for 1 swap

Please See the pics below and let me know what I have done wrong OR
Should I just SHOOT my wife and live with the fualt

Any help greatly appreciated

Kenny_Mac, October 2008

My heart bleeds......

Not, October 2008

NO MY REAL PROBLEM IS TOS#ER’S like you. I am just trying to regain my life after being Blown up in Iraq and yes trying to save a few quid as I am on the sick and the money is no good I wish I got a quid off of every TOE#ER like you because Bill Gates would look skint to me and how exactly do you get a quid off of someone that has Killed himself.

But I do feel very smug now

Very Very Smug Now, October 2008

Your REAL problem is YOU ATTEMPTED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. I wish I had a quid for every DIY electrician who asked for help AFTER he had screwed up, or worse killed himself.

But you dont feel so smug now.

Tos*er, October 2008

Kenny,

I am unqualified to help any more and am reluctant to guess in the interests of your safety but...

I think BLUE and YELLOW are the wires that join the two switches L1 and L2 of Switch A to L1 and L2 of Switch B.

One switch should have Live (supply voltage) on Common and run to the other switch on either Yellow or Blue depending on the position of the switch toggle. The other switch should have the wire to the lamp connected to common.

DRAW the circuit so you UNDERSTAND it. You need switched live on one side of the LAMP and Neutral on the other side. You need two paths to get live to the lamp. Power on common is switched to either L1 or L2 and at the other end power on L1 or L2 is switched to common and then to the lamp and then to Neutral.

No warranty is expressed or implied in this answer -

Call an electrician - remember Lord Finchley.

Peccavi, October 2008

http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq56/kenny_mac_2008/?action=view¤t=new.jpg

Kenny_Mac, October 2008

sorry about that screaming kids and the ice cream man put me off

http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq56/kenny_mac_2008/?action=view¤t=wired.jpg

http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq56/kenny_mac_2008/?action=view¤t=wired.jpg

http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq56/kenny_mac_2008/?action=view¤t=old.jpg

http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq56/kenny_mac_2008/?action=view¤t=wires.jpg

Kenny_Mac, October 2008

Pictures just show back view of switches without wires.

For each lamp the arrangement is basically...

Line --- Switch A ----Switch B ---- Lamp----Neutral

Notice no need for Neutral in either switch box.

There should be two paths for the live (line) to pass between Switch A and Switch B so that when you throw either switch the state of the light will change. Usually the two paths are on a single cable (Red-Black-Earth) which means that the black wire sometimes carries the live power so this must be indicated by placing a sleeve (often Red but could be Brown) over the Black wire at each end to show it's dangerous and not acting as a Neutral.

Draw the circuit on a piece of paper. Identify the wires. First LIVE which should appear at only One Switch. Then the cable that runs between the switches. Then the conductor that takes power off to the lamp from the other switch. DO NOT GUESS.

Your problem is complicated because you have two lamps and two switches in each wall box. Consider a certified person to make this repair (two black wires in a terminal block is very scary and suggests a very non-standard installation and so does Yellow!) and remember Hilare Beloc's poem...

Lord Finchley tried to mend the Electric Light
Himself. It struck him dead: And serve him right!
It is the business of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan.

Peccavi, October 2008

here are some pics

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq56/kenny_mac_2008/old.jpg

http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq56/kenny_mac_2008/?action=view¤t=old.jpg

Kenny_Mac, October 2008

How do I put pick on this??

Can I put pics on this??

Kenny_Mac, October 2008

cant see any photos email them to us and mite be able to help

airkool@hotmail.co.uk, October 2008